Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What About That Speedy Trial?
The 6th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the accused the right to a speedy trial. Because defendants are presumed innocent, it makes sense that the Founders believed in giving the accused their day in court as quickly as possible. Otherwise, innocent people could be assumed guilty unless their names were cleared in a court… Read More »
Defending Malicious Prosecution
Let’s face it: most people charged with criminal offenses claim to be innocent. And many of them are. Sometimes prosecutors simply have their facts wrong; oftentimes they are simply unjustified in their pursuit of criminal charges altogether because someone involved in the case is engaging in malicious prosecution. In other words, either the plaintiff… Read More »
Facial Recognition Technology Gone Awry
She thought it was a joke. As Porcha Woodruff prepared her two daughters for school one morning, she was surprised to have six armed police officers at her door. They asked her to step outside, where they arrested her for carjacking. Woodruff was stunned on many levels. Are You Kidding? First of all, Woodruff… Read More »
Insights to Problems Around Incarceration
Who better than those who are or have been incarcerated to identify the human costs of confinement? That’s the premise that led to a compilation of accounts written by current and former convicts, in an attempt to inform policy decisions relating to incarceration going forward. Incarceration in the United States Why is the United… Read More »
A Vegas Murder Mystery for the Books
As the water drops lower and lower in Lake Mead, more and more discoveries are being made. Pueblo ruins have been uncovered, thrilling archaeologists. An old war plane that crashed in the lake decades ago is now visible. And some more unsettling discoveries have been unearthed, including the remains of a human body inside… Read More »
How Reliable is Blood Spatter Analysis?
When violent crimes occur, investigators are tasked with trying to reconstruct the event in order to understand exactly what happened and to figure out who might be behind the criminal activity. Frequently these crimes involve a lot of blood, and expert analysis of blood spatter patterns is used to draw conclusions as to the… Read More »
White-Collar Criminals Pursued By DOJ
According to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco significant white-collar crimes that are ultimately resolved are committed by repeat offenders about 15 percent of the time. That’s one reason the Department of Justice (DOJ) is toughening up its stance regarding corporate offenders, who enjoyed the lowest prosecution rate in history under the previous administration. Under… Read More »
Police Oversight: How Well is it Working in Nevada?
Across America police misconduct has been in the spotlight time and again. Despite countless issues today, it seems there is always a new and horrendous case involving the improper use of force in the news tomorrow. The question is, how are things going in Nevada these days, and, when there are claims of police… Read More »
What to Expect After Being Charged with a Crime
If you’ve been charged with a crime, the police and often the district attorney have determined that you are the most likely suspect connected to criminal activity. Your arrest has you frightened and worried about your future. What’s next for you? Arrest, Booking & Interrogation Police have likely already collected evidence against you, including… Read More »
Defending Bankruptcy Fraud Charges
When either individuals or businesses experience insurmountable financial problems, they have the option to look at filing for bankruptcy. It’s a big step requiring serious consideration, but sometimes it’s absolutely the appropriate route to go. But bankruptcy is complicated, requiring full transparency of all financial information. Mistakes on filing documents could be viewed as… Read More »
