Author Archives: Jay Butchko
The Blue Wall Of Silence: What Will It Take To Get Police To Speak Up?
When George Floyd was killed by a police officer whose knee pinned Floyd’s neck to the pavement for upwards of ten minutes, the country was outraged. Derek Chauvin’s smug expression as the life drained from Floyd’s body didn’t help his court case, and Chauvin eventually went down with a murder conviction months after the… Read More »
When Facing Homicide Charges
There were 180 murders in Nevada in 2020. That number jumped to 245 in 2021. One Nevada homicide lieutenant attributes the rise in killings to the accessibility of firearms. Cars and nightstands across the state contained loaded guns, meaning Nevada’s youth and criminals are able to get their hands on them with minimal effort…. Read More »
The Perils Of No-Knock Warrants To Innocents
No knock warrants—and the deadly consequences to innocents—are in the news yet again. Amir Locke, asleep on the couch in a Minnesota apartment, was killed as police stormed into the room on a no-knock warrant. While Locke did have a gun that he grabbed as he was startled awake, authorities confirm that his name… Read More »
Should Juveniles Be Charged As Adults?
Back in the 1700’s the criminal justice system treated all convicted criminals the same, regardless of gender, age, or mental illness. Prisons were filled with a mix of them all, until somebody recognized that there was a problem with the system in 1825. At that point, the New York House of Refuge was established… Read More »
Defending Charges Of Hate Crimes
The recent homicide of Ahmaud Arbery sparked enormous interest in the criminal justice system. Arbery’s killers, Gregory McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and neighbor Roddie Bryan, were found guilty of murder, and thereafter faced federal hate crime charges. What are hate crimes, and how do charges of hate crimes impact sentencing? Nevada Hate Crime… Read More »
Questions About The 21-foot Rule In Policing
Police have dangerous jobs—no question about that. Their training in defensive tactics and tactical awareness, though, has led to questions about some of the concepts officers are introduced to as they prepare to serve and protect. Case in point: the 21-foot rule. What is the 21-foot Rule? Officers across the country have been trained… Read More »
Addressing Racial Disparity In The Criminal Justice System
Even before the Black Lives Matter movement gained steam, issues of racism in policing were well documented and understood to be an issue impacting communities of color. Unfortunately, racial disparities do not end there. The criminal justice system is rife with problems related to race, making many people of color wonder if they can… Read More »
Reforms That Could Improve The State Of Policing In America
How can we help police to do a better job—to make meaningful connections to the communities in which they serve, keep the public and the officers themselves safer, and build trust in the police interactions that take place on the streets of this country every day? Changes are sorely needed—and not impossible to achieve. … Read More »
Which Is Better: A Settlement, A Bench Trial Or A Jury Trial?
If you are facing criminal charges, there is a very good possibility that the case will be settled before you ever make it to court. According to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), not even three percent of criminal cases—on both the federal and state levels—ever make it to trial in this… Read More »
Fighting Murder Charges In Nevada
2021 saw nearly a ten percent increase in murders across the state of Nevada, topping 200 cases. If you are facing murder charges, you already know that it is serious business; that means you need a serious criminal defense attorney who is willing to put up a hellacious fight on your behalf. First-degree Murder … Read More »
