Author Archives: Jay Butchko
New “Indecent Battery” Charges And How They Would Work
Florida legislators have issued a proposal that would change how the crime of battery is prosecuted. For those who are 16 years of age or over, the new charges would make it a separate crime to forcibly touch someone in a sexual manner without their consent. Typically, such charges are filed under simple battery…. Read More »
Three Plead Guilty In Patient-Kickback Scheme
Federal investigators say that three individuals involved in Florida sober homes are guilty of bilking public and private insurers of millions in false claims. While you’ve probably heard of kickback schemes involving doctors who are paid to refer patients to specific medical care, the use of certain medical devices, or the prescribing of certain… Read More »
Charges Flying In Fake Candidate Prosecution
A political strategist is being targeted by prosecutors after he helped campaign for numerous “non-candidates” who did not campaign themselves in close political districts. The Republican strategist hoped to encourage Democratic voters to “cut the party strings” and vote for independent candidates who had left-of-center stances. One of these candidates, who had the same… Read More »
Three Florida Men Arrested In Capitol Breach
Three more men are facing federal charges in the January 6 Capitol Riot that was spurred by fake news and political unrest. Fans of the Trump Administration were told by the former President that Joe Biden and/or his supporters had illegally stolen the election. Trump then attempted to leverage governors in swing states and… Read More »
Florida Leads Country In Children Charged As Adults
There are certain crimes for which children are almost always tried as adults. These include heinous murder charges that shock the conscience. Less likely, however, is facing routine charges as a child in adult court. However, Florida leads the country in juvenile prosecutions filtered through the adult court system and this has a lot… Read More »
Career Drug Dealer Sentenced To 20 Years In Tallahassee
Dealing drugs is by no stretch of the imagination a risk-free career choice. In fact, it is among the riskiest and least lucrative career paths you can follow. A Tallahassee man was recently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after an officer spotted marijuana in plain view in his car. The officer then… Read More »
Not Surprising: Poorest Zip Code In State Has Most Homicides
According to a recent report, the majority of Tallahassee homicides between 2015 and 2020 took place in one zip code. The zip code is, unsurprisingly, allegedly the poorest zip code in the State of Florida. A recent report surveyed the homicides that took place in Leon County to determine if any commonalities could be… Read More »
Man Gets 20 Years After Toddler Rescued In Georgia
A Tallahassee man received a 20-year sentence after police executed a search warrant on his home and recovered child pornography. They also found correspondence between the man and a 23-year-old Georgia woman who were conspiring to produce sexually explicit images and videos of a toddler being molested. The video showed the toddler being sexually… Read More »
Understanding Self-Defense In The Wake Of The Rittenhouse Trial
A not-guilty verdict was reached in the criminal case against teenager Kyle Rittenhouse who was charged with murder, reckless endangerment, and unlawful possession of a weapon. While many have insisted that the judge was biased against the prosecution in this case, there was too much reasonable doubt to convict Rittenhouse without first establishing what… Read More »
Golden Rule Argument Focus Of Murder Appeal Case
The golden rule is “do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” In criminal proceedings, prosecutors who ask the jury to put themselves in the position of the victim are violating a procedural rule that unreasonably biases juries against defendants. For this reason, a man convicted of the heinous rape and… Read More »
