Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog

McAfee returns to the US

Published on: December 13, 2012 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

John McAfee’s legal situation has dramatically improved now that he has returned to the United States. As of the date of this blog, he is safer in the states than anywhere else. He fled Belize, snuck into Guatemala, and just came to the United States, after he was forcefully put on a U.S. bound flight by Guatemalan authorities. Belizean police still want to speak with McAfee about the murder of his American neighbor, Gregory Faull last month.

The key issue here is – does the U.S. have a MLA (Mutual Legal Assistance) treaty with Belize covering extraditions? And the answer is yes, Belize signed an extradition treaty with the U.S. in 2000. As with most treaties, there are exceptions to when a person is extraditable. This situation does not fit any of those exceptions. What is unique here, however, is that, at this time, McAfee is only a “person of interest” in Belize. No warrant has been issued yet in Belize. So, the discussion of extradition back to Belize is premature.

Confession to a Murder

Published on: December 1, 2012 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Atlanta and Manhattan criminal defense attorney Meg Strickler is quoted in The Daily Beast, Newsweek magazine’s online website, discussing Micah Moore’s confession of murdering a prayer group leader’s wife, Bethany Deaton.

www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/30/a-confession-to-murder-quickly-withdrawn-rocks-religious-community.html

Securities Fraud

Published on: October 17, 2012 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-15/gupta-s-admirers-urge-mercy-as-insider-sentence-nears.html

The sentencing phase of a criminal trial is very important. It is always a good idea to get letters to give to the judge to influence his or her opinion as to what sentence to impose.

Sex Crimes – Removal from the sex offender registry

Published on: October 15, 2012 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Sex Crimes – Being on the sex offender registry requires a person to abide by more requirements than someone with a conviction for any other crime, including murder. If you have a sex crimes conviction, you may be put on the sex offender registry.

Meg Strickler on CBS Atlanta discussing the perils of the sex offender registry

In the state of Georgia, it is possible to petition the courts for removal from the sex offender registry. Contact Conaway & Strickler, PC – we are Atlanta criminal defense attorneys focused on helping someone stuck on the registry who should no longer be on it.

Blame can be Found Everywhere in the Disappearance of Susan Powell and the Death of two Beautiful, Innocent Children

Published on: February 6, 2012 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Josh Powell not only killed himself but two beautiful, innocent young boys.

Today, many are questioning the actions of the judge who allowed visitation to Josh Powell. Blame cannot be directed at just one person or one entity. Blame can be pointed in many, many directions. Back in December 2009, additional scrutiny should have been placed on Mr. Powell. What does “person of interest” even mean? It means that law enforcement has no clue what to do with the situation, and uses this term to placate the victims and the media. Clearly, such a definition has no teeth. Mr. Powell was able to leave the state of Utah with no issue. He was allowed to live with a sexual predator. And he was granted visitation when permanent custody was granted to Susan Cox-Powell’s parents. If sexual abuse is even hinted at, why wasn’t supervised visitation ordered? Clearly, the judge was concerned about this, because a psychosexual evaluation was ordered. If there was any teeth to this concept of “person of interest”, then the judge would have been extremely reticent to have those boys anywhere near Mr. Powell.

In my practice, I represent clients who are often times arrested first, then the situation is worked out. Am I advocating for this? No way. I am advocating for calling a spade a spade. Who the hell goes camping in below freezing temperatures? Arrest him. This then will allow the criminal justice system to figure out what transpired while keeping beautiful, innocent children out of the crossfire.

Children Back in School After Being Charged with Sex Crimes

Published on: October 30, 2011 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

CBS Atlanta recently learned that children who are charged with sex crimes like child rape and molestation are being placed back into Georgia’s classrooms. Hundreds of kids accused of sex crimes as juveniles have their records sealed and their identities hidden from the public and are returning to school.

For example, in Rockdale County, a 15-year-old boy was arrested in June for molesting a 5-year-old girl and the judge ordered for the child to be returned to school. The boy’s father argued “He’s not a bad kid. He just made a mistake”, but other parents were outraged at the judge’s decision. Georgia is one of eleven states that have not yet set up a sex offender registry for juveniles, and the state is currently passing up around one million dollars by failing to comply with federal regulations requiring it to do so.

If you or someone you love has been charged with a sex crime of any type, you need the legal assistance of an Atlanta criminal defense attorney. For almost two decades, Conaway & Strickler, P.C. has defended the rights of our clients with personal attention and skilled representation. If convicted, you could face serious lifelong penalties, so contact an Atlanta criminal defense lawyer today.

Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson, a deadly relationship

Published on: September 26, 2011 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

“Should Michael Jackson be blamed for his death?” that is what many people are asking because the Conrad Murray trial is starting tomorrow in Los Angeles. Does the public understand this case is much ado about nothing? Dr. Murray is ONLY charged with involuntary manslaughter which carries a maximum sentence of just FOUR years. The jails and prisons are so overcrowded, that even if Murray was convicted, he is more than likely to not serve a day.

What the media should focus on is prescription drug abuse and ALL of the doctors who prescribe it like candy. Why is it even remotely okay to have a doctor on personal salary for $150.000 a month? A cardiologist with money problems. Good choice, Mr. Jackson. Yes, Dr. Murray should be convicted. He was prescribing and dispensing medicine to Mr. Jackson at shocking levels.

We should put all of the doctors who are prescribing such hideous levels of medicine on trial. Please put them in prison.

Doctor Charged in Health Care Fraud

Published on: April 6, 2011 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

A Roswell, Ga doctor was charged with tax and health care fraud. Please see attached article: http://roswell.patch.com/articles/roswell-doctor-charged-with-health-care-and-tax-fraud

DUI costs

Published on: December 1, 2010 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

If you are charged with a DUI in the state of Georgia, you will be hit with several costs BEFORE you ever go to court to address the charges. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?! You WILL have to pay $150 to request a hearing re your driver’s license. Please see http://www.dds.ga.gov/rules/rules.aspx?chap=375-3-3&rule=375-3-3-.04&head=375-3. In addition, you will have to pay at least $25 or up to $75 to get a copy of your DUI video, depending on the jurisdiction. And finally, you will have to pay a few dollars to get a copy of the police report. Again, this is all before you go to court to address the charges. Conaway & Strickler, PC has been fighting DUIs since the 90’s – these changes have only come into effect with the downturn of the economy. The $150 just became effective in September, 2010. How ridiculous and how unconstitutional for the government to institute these charges – again, long before you actually get to court.

Death Penalty

Published on: November 30, 2010 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

please read this fascinating article re the death penalty: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/dec/23/death-sentence/?page=1