Sexual Abuse Charges – Blog 1: The 40,000 Foot View

November 22, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

(972) 369-0577

jeremy@texasdefensefirm.com

Few topics get more visceral reactions than the mention of sex crimes and charges – particularly when they involve children.

I explain to jurors this is precisely what makes sexual abuse charges a Petri dish for injustice.  They involve very graphic and horrific abuse, if true.  There are highly emotional victims, witnesses, advocates, lawyers and even jurors trying to hash-out highly subjective claims, evidence, and psychology with life-altering consequences.

This is why sex abuse charges are in many ways the ‘wild west’ of criminal law.

Focusing on the Big Picture First

Today I’m starting a series of blogs about sexual abuse cases.  In condensing everything so it makes sense, I’m finding major gulfs between some of the more technical and legal aspects of sexual abuse cases and the clinical, practical and/or advocacy related issues.

There are common threads, patterns and themes which are common to abuse cases which span different types of legal charges and allegations.

For this reason, I think it makes sense to dedicate a series of blogs to the technical and legal aspects of child sexual abuse and then to discuss some of the over-arching common denominators to all of them and finally how we deal with those from the defense’ point of view.

Breaking it Down Further

In sum – I’m going to break down sex abuse law and advocacy into three main categories so hopefully it makes more sense:

Einstein – or the highly technical or legal aspects of sex abuse law;

Motzart – the highly subjective aspects of the often malleable evidence, psychology, and social aspects of the charges; and

Rocky – how we fight and advocate against the odds.

Blog Topics:

Einstein (What the Books Say)

Motzart (The Subjectivity and Emotion)

Rocky (How We Fight)

*Jeremy Rosenthal is certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is recognized as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

Comments Off on Sexual Abuse Charges – Blog 1: The 40,000 Foot View | Police and Prosecutors, sex cases, sex crimes, sex offender registration, Sexual Abuse of a Child, sexual assault | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by niftybrady

The Texas “Value Ladder” for Punishment

November 20, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

(972) 369-0577

www.texasdefensefirm.com

Many criminal offenses in Texas are based on a monetary amount of loss or amount in controversy.  The more money we are dealing with, the higher the charge.

All of these offenses contain the possibility of probation subject to a person’s previous criminal history.

The Value Ladder:

  • Less than $100 – Class C Misdemeanor
    • No Jail
    • Fine not to exceed $500
  • Between $100 and $750 – Class B Misdemeanor
    • Up to 180 days county jail
    • Fine not to exceed $4,000
  • Between $750 and $2,500 – Class A Misdemeanor
    • Up to 1 year county jail
    • Fine not to exceed $4,000
  • Between $2,500 and $30,000 – State Jail Felony
    • Between 180 days and 2 years in State Jail Facility
    • Fine not to exceed $10,000
  • Between $30,000 and $150,000 – 3rd Degree Felony
    • Between 2 years and 10 years prison
    • Fine not to exceed $10,000
  • Between $150,000 and $300,000 – 2nd Degree Felony
    • Between 2 years and 20 years prison
    • Fine not to exceed $10,000
  • Over $300,000 – 1st Degree Felony
    • Between 5 and 99 years or life in prison
    • Fine not to exceed $10,000

*Jeremy Rosenthal is certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

Comments Off on The Texas “Value Ladder” for Punishment | bank fraud, criminal mischief, Divorce related crimes, false statement to secure credit, lying on home loan, medicare fraud, mortgage fraud, Robbery, Shoplifting, Theft, Uncategorized, White Collar Crime | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by niftybrady

Texas Law on Murder and Homicide: 101

November 19, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

jeremy@texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

A person causing the death of another can be prosecuted in a number of different ways with vastly different punishment ranges in Texas – though they are all felonies in one form or another.

Murder and homicide are legally very similar to assault the main difference where the result of defendant’s actions are death instead of injury.

First Year Law School on Murder

In first year law school criminal law they teach to follow the “mens rea” which is latin for mental state when it comes to murder or homicide.  Premeditation (or lack of pre-meditation) is the single biggest factor in how murder is prosecuted.

The general provision for Texas Criminal Homicide is simple enough though the deeper you get into Texas murder law the more complex it becomes.

Tex.Pen.C. 19.01 TYPES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE

(a) A person commits criminal homicide if he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence causes the death of an individual.

(b) Criminal homicide is murder, capital murder, manslaughter, or criminally negligent homicide.

Murder

Murder is committed where someone knowingly or intentionally causes the death of an individual under Tex.Pen.C. 19.02(b).

Sounds legally simple enough but remember to follow the “mens rea.”  If there is “sudden passion” which resulted in the homicide then it carries a lesser punishment.  Tex.Pen.C. 19.02(c).

Also there is a concept called “felony murder” which means if you are committing a felony (like robbing a bank or engaging in a car chase) and someone dies – it’s murder as well.  Tex.Pen.C. 19.02(b)(3).

Capital Murder

Capital murder is murder plus an aggravating factor.  See Tex.Pen.C 19.03 for a full list but it generally includes:

  • The murder of a public servant such as peace officer or firefighter;
  • Murder as a part of another felony act such as kidnapping, burglary or sexual assault;
  • Murder for hire/ solicitation;
  • Murder of a child.

Capital Murder can either be punished by death in certain instances or by automatic life without parole.

Manslaughter

Manslaughter is committed where the person recklessly causes the death of another.  It can often be vehicular in nature.  It can also often involve intoxication.  Manslaughter is a 2nd degree felony punishable by 2-20 years of prison.

Reckless is where a person “…is aware of but consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk.”  Tex.Pen.C. 6.03(c).

Criminally Negligent Homicide

Where criminal negligence causes a persons death – this statute can be applicable.  This is known as a “state jail felony” punishable between 180 days and 2 years of prison.

Criminal negligence is basically when a person “…ought to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur.”  Tex.Pen.C. 6.03(d).  It can often be vehicular in nature too.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He has been designated as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

 

 

Comments Off on Texas Law on Murder and Homicide: 101 | Appeals, Assault, Deadly Conduct, habeas corpus, Homicide, Murder, Uncategorized, Vehicular Homicide | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by niftybrady

What is Entrapment?

November 18, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

www.texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

Entrapment is a tricky concept. It occurs when law enforcement convinces someone to commit a crime.  It gets confusing because the entrapment must go beyond merely affording someone the opportunity to commit a crime.

The law further says the enticement must be enough to persuade a normal, law abiding citizen with an ordinary resistance to committing a crime.  A good rule of thumb when thinking of entrapment is to see where the original intent of the crime originated – with police or the accused?

Entrapment is a defense to prosecution and Texas Penal Code 8.06 says:

(a) It is a defense to prosecution that the actor engaged in the conduct charged because he was induced to do so by a law enforcement agent using persuasion or other means likely to cause persons to commit the offense. Conduct merely affording a person an opportunity to commit an offense does not constitute entrapment.

(b) In this section “law enforcement agent” includes personnel of the state and local law enforcement agencies as well as of the United States and any person acting in accordance with instructions from such agents.

Example of Situations Which are Entrapment:

  • A recovering addict is getting addiction treatment.  An undercover police officer meets the addict in the lobby of the counselor.  The undercover asks the addict to provide illegal drugs.  The addict refuses citing his attempt at recovery.  After repeated attempts to convince the addict, the addict gives in and attains and delivers drugs to the undercover officer.  See Sherman v. United States, 356 U.S. 369 (1958).
  • Undercover officer makes repeated attempts at having defendant provide access to drug dealers and drugs after defendant was reluctant after 12-year relationship. See Torres v. State, 980 S.W.2d 873 (Tex.App. — San Antonio, 1998).

Example of Common Situations Which Are Not Typically Entrapment

  • Person sells drugs to undercover police officer;
  • Persons who seek out and hire a hitman to kill someone;
  • Public servant who is offered a bribe and accept it.

Other Thoughts on Entrapment

Candidly – there is a strong bias against the entrapment defense by judges and juries.  Entrapment is more of an academic argument for that reason – and typically the most a court can do in a case of entrapment is give the jury an instruction they can acquit an accused on that basis.  So even if the person meets the legal pre-requisites of entrapment a jury still might not buy it.  Most people think the government conduct would have to be so outrageous as to strongly over-shadow the crime committed.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is board certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He has been designated as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

 

 

 

Comments Off on What is Entrapment? | Appeals, Cannabis, cannibus, Drugs, Homicide, marijuana, Murder, Police, Police and Prosecutors, Uncategorized, White Collar Crime | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by niftybrady

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »