Author: Broden & Mickelsen, LLP
The crime of drug trafficking is becoming increasingly sophisticated, a fact illustrated by the recent sentencing of a French dealer en route to Texas who set up an elaborate online trafficking scheme on the dark web. French international drug dealer Gal Vallerius was recently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for drug trafficking. He…
Immigration is always a hot-button political issue, now so more than ever. People have very strong opinions on immigration, especially in border states like Texas. Unfortunately, the immigration debate can often result in a great deal of misinformation and confusion about the nuts and bolts of how the law works surrounding entry and reentry into…
Texas saw a rise in crime in 2017 as the number of police officers fell in the state, according to FBI data released in September. Crime has been creeping up in the Lone Star State for two consecutive years. The FBI’s annual compilation of crime statistics revealed there were 1.5 officers per 1,000 population in…
Voter fraud is a controversial offense, nowhere more so than in Texas, which has seen several high profile cases. Crystal Mason, a woman who tried to cast a ballot as a felon, was sentenced to five years in prison in late September. Mason, 43, attempted to vote in the 2016 election. Although she used her…
Texas has a wide definition of domestic violence crimes. Although we often think of domestic violence offenses occurring between husbands and wives or people who are dating, there are many more classifications. The Lone Star State recognizes three distinct crimes of domestic violence, namely domestic assault, aggravated domestic assault and continuous violence against the family….
Bail hearings are coming under fire across the country. In Dallas County, the secretive nature of the process is the subject of a lawsuit. Last month, the Texas Tribune reported bail hearings are open to the public in much of the country. The idea is the process should be transparent. However, in Dallas County people…
Breathalyzers have been used for decades across the country to bring charges against drunk drivers. Many Texas motorists who fail a breath test make the mistake of believing it is foolproof and they should plead guilty. However, there are many factors that can skew a breath test and invalidate a charge. Breath tests in Texas…
In recent years, many forensic techniques have been discredited as new information cast doubt on their reliability. Texas has a trailblazing state law allowing courts to overturn convictions in cases where the scientific evidence that led to the original verdict has since changed or been discredited. Although the law is not often used, it has…
Texas has had a hate crime statute since 2001. However, the law is used sparingly and many people who are arrested for hate crimes are not eventually convicted. Hate crime charges can also be brought by the federal authorities. Last month, a 26-year-old man was convicted of a federal hate crime for burning down a…
Many of the forensic analysis techniques used to secure convictions in the 1980s and 1990s have been debunked as ‘junk science.’ Blood-stain pattern forensic analysis is the latest technique to be undermined in a case involving a Texas educator. Joe Bryan, a former school principal from Texas, has spent more than 30 years in prison…