Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog

Ferguson and Zero Tolerance

Published on: November 25, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Zero Tolerance: A grand jury on Monday declined to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of 18 year old Michael Brown. It took months for the grand jury to contemplate this decision. It took St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch too long to actually announce the decision. It seemed clear that there would be no indictment since the grand jury took way too long to make their decision.

So, now there will be no state charges against the officer. And, if a grand jury cannot indict, any type of civil suit will fail as well. So, what does that leave as a recourse in this particular case? The Department of Justice? Will they intervene? That did work for the Rodney King case, but there are many examples where it did not.

So, where do we go from here?

Drug Charges: Voters say YES to Marijuana

Published on: November 8, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Drug Charges: Voters say YES to Marijuana

This past week, we had some interesting election results. The Republican Party took home the big wins. Even President Barack Obama’s home state of Illinois switched to Red with Bruce Rauner taking over seat as Governor. But forget red and blue, the new political color of this country seems to be turning a pale shade of green, growing denser and danker with each election cycle. Yesterday voters in Alaska, Washington D.C., and Oregon, have decided it was due time that recreational use of marijuana be legalized.

This relatively new shift and leniency in drug laws illustrates a broad, budding new attitude toward narcotics in the United States. The tide is already changing, as can be seen on a state level with the results from yesterday’s election, as well as on a Federal level, with the recent two-point reduction on drug-related convictions–future, present, and past–which has and will continue to result in a reduced sentencing for all relevant convictions… or at least for the crimes not perpetrated by individuals with previous convictions of a sexual or violent nature. It is important for the judicial system as a whole for laws to be able to adapt to contemporary social standards and practices. Regardless of political stance, these new regulations are proof of a living democracy.

Drug Charges: Search at home results in 2 arrests on drug charges

Published on: November 5, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

When undercover operations lead to the execution of search and arrest warrants, arrests often quickly follow. This was the case for two Georgia residents who were arrested in late October on drug charges. The charges stem from an ongoing investigation by undercover members of a law enforcement narcotics team.

Drug Charges: According to reports, local city and county law enforcement personnel, paired with a narcotics team, went to a residence with search and arrest warrants. As soon as officers entered the residence, they were allegedly shot at by those who were inside. After securing the situation and subsequently searching the home, authorities reportedly discovered marijuana, heroin and Oxycodone, along with over $1,000 in cash and a loaded firearm. In addition, authorities searched a storage unit where they found more heroin.

Authorities arrested two people who were inside the home at the time the warrants were executed. The two, one male and one female, are now facing felony drug charges. Both defendants are being held in a local detention center awaiting arraignment. The male who was arrested has been arrested twice before on drug charges and was the subject of the undercover operation.

Georgia mayor charged with sex crimes and theft

Published on: October 21, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

A mayor and police chief may have his job on the line after a series of criminal accusations. The Georgia mayor has been accused of soliciting young men for sex. He was charged with sex crimes including solicitation of sodomy and theft.

Authorities were conducting an investigation which lasted for a month and a half. The man is a mayor in Concord and a police chief in a nearby city. According to reports, he abused his position of authority to gain the trust of his alleged victims. The investigation started when authorities were contacted by one of the alleged victims’ grandparents. Throughout the investigation, it was reportedly revealed that the man was using a government issued phone to send inappropriate photos to juveniles.

He also purportedly gave one of the victims a personal code to put gas in his vehicle. Authorities were able to obtain a search warrant, but it’s not known what was discovered when it was executed. The man was charged with one count of theft by conversion and two counts of solicitation of sodomy.

Sex crimes: High school teacher charged with child molestation

Published on: October 7, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

A 24-year-old teacher was recently arrested. She was charged with sex crimes after she was accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old male student. Georgia authorities charged the woman with child molestation and other sex related charges.

Authorities started an investigation into alleged sex crimes, and then it reportedly revealed that sexual contact started a little less than a month ago. Following a forensic interview, a disclosure was purportedly made that there was inappropriate contact that occurred on more than one occasion. It was determined that there was enough probable cause for an arrest warrant to be issued. The teacher was arrested at the school and booked on her charges.

She was charged with aggravated sodomy and enticing a child. She was also charged with aggravated child molestation. The defendant just started her first year working as a math teacher at Newton High School.

Sex Crimes – Georgia man charged with child molestation of teen

Published on: September 24, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Sex Crimes – A grand jury recently indicted a 22-year-old man. The man was accused of child molestation of a 15-year-old girl. Nevertheless, all Georgia defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proved guilty of the crimes of which they have been accused.

The man was charged with a number of sex crimes, including rape. According to reports, the man allegedly molested a teenage girl back in December of last year. The sexual contact between him and the teen reportedly happened when he was 21 years of age.

Please see our blog for other entries on this topic.

Criminal Defense: Couple faces criminal charges in infant’s death

Published on: September 11, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Criminal Defense: A 1-month-old infant was found dead in a home over the summer. A Georgia couple is now faced with state criminal charges, including involuntary manslaughter, after authorities reportedly determined the baby suffocated while in their care. They have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct, both serious criminal charges.

Authorities were dispatched to the home back in June after the infant was found unconscious. According to reports, the baby died while sharing a bed with the couple. Upon further investigation, authorities allegedly discovered that both of them were high on meth and waited over half an hour to call for emergency help. An autopsy was performed and it was revealed that the infant died from asphyxia as a result of the sleep environment. A criminal defense attorney will have to be secured in order to combat these charges.

Please see this blog for additional information on criminal defense.

Criminal Defense: Arrested? Dan Conaway’s book is on Amazon!

Published on: September 1, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Criminal Defense:

Dan Conaway has written a very useful book that is now available on Amazon.com. Please click here!

One review of his book:

Cyber Crime and Privacy

Published on: September 1, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

The rise of “big data” has been one of the most important developments in the internet era. What exactly is big data? It has been defined as a “term describing the storage and analysis of large and or complex data sets using a series of techniques”. And big data is infiltrating every aspect of our lives. The number of things now connected to the internet has reached at least 8.7 billion in 2012.

One result of the vast reach of the Internet is that law enforcement is now attempting to combat cyber crime globally. Law enforcement agencies in many countries hope to utilize a coordinated and collaborative cross-border approach in order to respond to growing cyber threats. This means that multi-national corporations and law enforcement are attepting to cooperate with one another on a greater basis to achieve this goal.

With the increased cooperation between the corporate world and law enforcement, privacy rights are being eroded, especially by United States corporations as recent revelations by Edward J. Snowden show. How can the benefits derived from cooperation between corporations and government be balanced with the individual’s interest in keeping their personal and financial lives private? Where is the line between cyber security and individual privacy and what role do governments and corporations play in maintaining this delicate balance? The United States is not taking into account the far-reaching negative impact the changing definition of privacy is having on other states around the globe. Some countries are responding by considering data localization laws, and there is also a movement to give control of the Internet to the United Nations or to individual governments. There are also calls for reform to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). T

Sex crimes: High school staff member charged

Published on: August 29, 2014 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

A suspect was arrested after working at a new job as a band director for just two weeks. Georgia authorities charged the man with multiple sex crimes after he was accused of engaging in sexual behavior with high school students in another state. It is important for readers to remember that just because someone is charged with a crime, does not necessarily mean they are guilty.

Authorities received complaints from former students at a previous high school about alleged sexual encounters with the suspect. The allegations included sexual activity on school property and at the suspect’s home. The sexual activity was reported to have happened during a three-year period and involved at least eight girls. Multiple girls claimed that they were gagged and tied up by the band director. According to reports, authorities placed him under arrest at Thomas County Central High School where he recently began working.

Please see our sex crimes blog