The 67 year old judge was arrested on October 1 for buying drugs with his stripper-mistress. He paid her to purchase the drugs because she already had a criminal record. He drove her to the buy with two of his guns in the car and informed the dealer (an undercover agent) that he would be back for more.

The judge met the stripper earlier last year when she gave him a table dance. Soon they were partying together, snorting cocaine and having sex. He also gave his new girlfriend his $825 government issued laptop.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the judge’s poor judgment was due to a combination of depression, bipolar disorder, improper prescriptions, and brain damage after an bicycle accident in 2000. Though he was remorseful for his actions, his sentencing judge didn’t see his apologies as sufficient.

At the sentencing hearing, his adult children and wife spoke. Though they’ve been separated, the couple has decided to work on their marriage to see if it can be mended.

His sentence includes 30 days in jail, with time served for a weekend he spent locked up after the initial arrest. He was also sentenced to pay a $1000 fine and perform 400 hours of community service. Finally, he will be required to reimburse the state for the cost of his prosecution, an amount that hasn’t yet been determined.

Everyone makes bad decisions; some of these decisions are criminal. But, not everyone gets caught. This story goes to show that even judges, administrators of justice, can end up on the other side of the law.

Damage to his marriage and his career are likely far more sobering to this judge than his sentence. Though he wanted to remain at his home during his sentence, on house arrest, thirty days in jail is relatively minor. He’s already been working with Habitat for Humanity, so it’s likely his community service hours will go quickly too.

When you are facing criminal charges in Georgia, the law doesn’t care who you are. Whether you are a banker, a cook, or a judge, you can be sentenced to jail or prison time. Knowing what sort of penalties you are up against is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding the system and building a proper defense.

If you are facing criminal charges, contact our attorneys today for a consultation on your case.

There’s a story of a knife-wielding attacker being shot in the head of a grocery store parking lot, a tattooist shooting one and scaring off two other intruders, a DeKalb homeowner shooting two burglars, and a Stone Mountain barber shooting two burglars and holding one at gun point until the police arrived.

Many of these are stories of simple self defense. If you are defending yourself from an unlawful attack, you can do what’s reasonably necessary to defend yourself. In most cases no charges would be filed. No charges were filed in any of the above examples, for instance.

Gun rights activists are pleased when they hear stories like this, using such criminal behavior curtailed to bolster their arguments that guns can save the lives of the law abiding while putting others at risk. Some, however, argue that gun owners aren’t always responsible gun handlers and that the risk for harm is greater than the opportunity to take down “bad guys”.

In most cases of self defense, charges are never filed. However, in some cases, you might be criminally charged for assault, for example, and be required to defend yourself against the charges in court.

Claiming self defense is something that can be done at the trial level and before when you are faced with criminal charges. A local defense attorney can assist you in determining if such a defense strategy might be appropriate in your case.

If someone attacks you, you can’t be expected to sit idly by. Under the law you can defend yourself with a reasonable amount of resistance. What this means is if someone acted like they were going to shove you and made an approach, it might not be considered “reasonable” to shoot them. And if an intruder is in your home, your legitimate defense options may be even broader under the castle doctrine.  However, less dramatic actions may be appropriate under self defense.

You could be facing several years in prison and a criminal record for charges like assault and battery. A conviction like this can haunt you for years to come.

If you’re facing charges of assault and you acted in self defense, a criminal defense attorney could offer assistance. Contact our offices today for a free consultation on your case.

As a matter of fact, one resident of the Summerville community, a judge no less, shot and killed a home invader just last week while protecting his property and himself. To inform citizens about their rights in protecting their homes, the Chronicle listed a brief overview of the gun laws and how they vary from Georgia to the laws in South Carolina, for citizens of North Augusta.

Since 2005 the report states that 255 burglaries and 34 robberies have occurred in the Summerville neighborhood. As a whole, Richmond County has seen a jump from 2,808 to 3,243 in burglaries from 2005 to 2009. What’s behind this jump at a time when other crimes seem to be decreasing is a mystery.

Even more uncommon but measures more frightening than a burglary is a home invasion—a burglary when residents are actually at home. This is what happened when two burglars broke into the home of a local judge, not realizing the house was occupied at the time.

People living in neighborhoods like Summerville often believe they are far safer than those of other communities. In fact, that’s part of the reason they are willing to pay more for their homes—it isn’t just about having the nicest lawn or the biggest pool, but living in an area where you believe you and your family will be far less likely to be victimized by such intrusive crimes.

This would explain the extra outrage seen when crime rates climb in the higher income neighborhoods. The thought that “this shouldn’t happen here” abounds. Citizens of the Summerville community are being encouraged to “protect themselves” with firearms should someone decide to break in.

In Georgia, in most cases, you can use a gun to defend your home and yourself from harm. A pretty broad law, the ability to use deadly force in your home states “deadly force is legal is someone breaks into a home and you know it’s not a lawful entry or if you know the deadly force would prevent the person from committing a felony.”

Not all gun laws are so permissive or so easy to understand. As a matter of fact, it’s quite possible to run afoul of these laws and not even know it. You could be facing criminal charges for a gun crime they didn’t realize they had committed.

If you are facing gun charges, burglary, robbery, or any criminal charge in Georgia, please contact us for a criminal defense consultation.

According to this report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the State Legislature is considering an overhaul that would include, among other things, allowing weapons to be carried on college campuses. While some state this could prevent catastrophes like the Virginia Tech shootings, others equate it to throwing “gasoline onto the already volatile atmosphere of a college campus.”

College campuses are known as a place where young adults come into their own. They are also know as places where binge drinking, fights, and other occurrences happen. Adding guns to the mix may prove to be like adding fuel to the fire.

In addition to this potential change, the Legislation also looks to allow registered gun owners the ability to carry their guns in public buildings, churches, and even some government buildings.

Georgia’s proposed legislation isn’t the only of this kind. Tennessee’s lawmakers recently voted to allow firearms to be carried in parks, restaurants and bars, and gave business owners the ability to restrict this.

People who push for 2^nd Amendment rights often seek to have their right to bear arms be unrestricted. With so many firearm laws on the books, they are often left frustrated.

In Georgia alone, there are numerous rules and laws regarding the handling, purchasing, licensing, and firing of firearms. Because of this, there are numerous opportunities to be charged with a weapons charge.

The most common weapon’s offense is carrying a concealed weapon. If you are carrying a weapon, even if you are licensed to do so, you must have it in full view. If you do not, you can be charged with concealing a weapon.

This particular offense is a misdemeanor the first time but carries a felony charge and potential 2 to 5 years in prison for a subsequent offense.

If you are facing charges like this one, I can help. Being caught up in the judicial system can be quite stressful, particularly if you are not sure whether or not you actually did something wrong. Call me now to discuss the specifics of your case.