Florida Criminal Lawyer Blog

A student at Northwood University was the victim of a carjacking on January 28, Broward criminal lawyer William Moore has learned. According to the Palm Beach Post, the campus intends to supplement nighttime security with an additional campus officer. No one was hurt in the encounter and the campus security force determined that the carjacking was not severe enough to warrant activation of the emergency notification system. Broward criminal defense attorney Moore is a proponent of campus safety.

On the evening of January 28, Northwood University security officials “ran off” a group of young men who were at the school to play pool, but were apparently causing trouble. The men were not students at the school. Later, 20-year-old Sean Goudreau of Palm Beach Gardens was walking across campus to his motorcycle. Goudreau described two young men in black hoods approaching him at about 8:30 p.m., one demanding Goudreau’s motorcycle and driving off on it. The other fled. The man who took the motorcycle did so at gunpoint, showing Goudreau his weapon prior to taking the bike.

The whole event happened too quickly for Goudreau to observe enough information to identify his assailants. Goudreau was alarmed by the entire event, saying, "I've never really seen a handgun before."

Less than a day later, the motorcycle was left at the scene by its driver following a wreck with a car. The motorcycle collided with a vehicle at an intersection and its driver fled. Police investigating the accident determined that the motorcycle had been reported as stolen about 24 hours prior to the accident and noted the parking violation sticker attached to the bike. The sticker was from earlier that day at about 4:00 p.m. and was issued by a local apartment complex.

Law enforcement officers went to the complex to gather more information. While standing in the parking lot, they were approached voluntarily by a young man who told them he was the second hooded “assailant,” but that he was actually a bystander. The young man identified the real carjacker as his friend, 20-year-old Diranso Antonio Cates. According to the friend, Cates suddenly demanded that the driver of the vehicle they were traveling stop. Cates jumped out and confronted Goudreau. The friend had followed him out, but was stunned and returned to the vehicle.
Palm Beach criminal defense lawyer William Moore believes cases like this illustrate the need for criminal defense attorneys. If the young man had not approached police due to his fear of being pegged for a crime he did not actually commit, he could very well have been arrested. Goudreau quite reasonably took the second man to be in on the crime and he might have been charged as an accomplice to the armed carjacking.

Northwood University is located on N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach:

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Continue reading "Northwood University to Ramp Up Security Following Incident, Learns Broward Criminal Attorney" »

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Broward criminal lawyer William Moore has represented young clients caught up in the tough situation of criminal accusations on a school campus, even providing representation at disciplinary hearings before a school board. The tangle of school and justice system problems 25 local teenagers have found themselves in will not be easy to navigate. It is not yet clear if the youth are facing charges in adult criminal court or juvenile court or if they are represented by a Broward criminal defense lawyer at this time.. On Wednesday, law enforcement authorities responded to South Broward High School in Hollywood, Florida, when the school resource officer radioed local police for backup at about 11:00 in the morning.

A feud between two groups of neighborhood teens spilled over onto school grounds. Although police have not released information concerning how the fight began, it quickly escalated into a massive brawl. Broward area police responded to the report of a fight and arrived on the scene to break it up. Within just a few moments, between 30 and 50 children had become involved, with approximately 100 more watching the fight. Luckily, none of the youths were seriously injured. According to a police spokesman speaking to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “There were no weapons, just punches. One or two of them might have a bump, bruise, or black eye, but nothing that required medical treatment."

School officials locked down the school while police investigated and made arrests. Eighteen students were arrested for misdemeanors, including disturbing a school function and disorderly conduct, but were released into their parents’ custody after a trip to the police station. The students included 17 boys and only one girl.

After South Broward High School classes ended for the day, the mischief continued. Several teens who were not arrested in the first round of fighting were taken into police custody after school for misdemeanor trespassing. Seven people total were arrested in that incident and five are students at South Broward High School.

According to Broward County criminal lawyer William Moore, most children under the age of 18 who are arrested face charges in the juvenile court. If any of the teens were 18 or older, they must be processed in adult criminal court. In some cases of particularly severe conduct, prosecutors will certify children under the age of 18 for adult criminal charges, which is a growing trend in Florida.

South Broward High School serves 2,140 area students.

Continue reading "Hollywood Criminal Lawyer – 25 High School Students Arrested Wednesday" »

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Palm Beach criminal lawyer William Moore loves dumb criminal stories and a group of masked arsonists that hit Pompano Beach last night is no exception. The five unidentified people have eluded police since last night, despite the fact that they were caught on video, and their motive for setting fire to a local business remains a mystery.

At about 10 p.m. last night, five people broke into Rides, Slides and Games, Inc. The children’s entertainment and party rental business has a collection of “bounce houses,” which are inflatable “houses” that kids can jump in at parties and events. The arsonists wasted no time in dousing the bounce houses and the surrounding area with cans of gasoline. Meanwhile, a security camera caught the group on film.

When the arsonists attempted to light all of the gasoline, they had a hard time doing so. Eventually, the flame caught, causing an intense flash fire in the warehouse. Incidentally, one of the arsonists’ feet caught on fire, too, but it is unknown at this time is he or she sustained serious injuries. The arsonists fled the warehouse and the fire broke the windows of a nearby truck. Rides, Slides and Games, Inc. is owned by Coral Springs resident Demosthenes Trivilis, 39.

Watch the Rides, Slides, and Games Pompano Beach arson suspects, from the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office aggravated felonies division, the Pompano Beach Fire Marshal, and the Florida statewide Fire Marshal’s Office are all investigating. The arsonists should seek the counsel of an experienced Broward criminal attorney if and when they are caught.

The Florida arson statute is straightforward. In order to convict these suspects, the Broward State Attorney’s Office will have to show that they damaged, either by fire or explosion, a structure. The definition of a structure is very broad and includes buildings as well as tents, boats, airplanes, and barns. Additionally, the damage from the fire must be caused willfully and unlawfully or alternatively, it can be caused when committing another felony. For instance, if a burglar knocks over a candle that sets fire the house he has broken into, it does not matter that he did not cause the fire on purpose. It is enough that he was already committing a felony at that location. There is a popular myth that you can only commit arson when it is another person’s property, but that is incorrect. Burning your own home down if you did so willfully can qualify as arson. In October, a group of south Floridians were arrested for planning to burn a Sunrise home facing foreclosure, presumably to obtain the insurance money prior to losing the home.

Because of the severity of arson, Florida recognizes Arson Awareness Week in May. In 2007 alone, the state Forestry Division handled 589 fires set by arsonists, which burned nearly 110,000 acres of land.

Continue reading "Arsonists Set Pompano Beach Business, Foot Aflame" »

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A Miami woman is facing a misdemeanor criminal charge of filing a false police report on Christmas Day, according to Miami-Dade police, who did not indicate if she is represented by a criminal defense lawyer. Meagan McCormic, who is 22, was arrested today after detectives unraveled her tale about her missing son. McCormic called Miami police yesterday to report that her small child had disappeared.

According to Miami-Dade police, McCormic became pregnant approximately a year ago. She subsequently had a miscarriage, but she did not inform her long-distance boyfriend John Buchness, who resides in Boston. McCormic hoped that his belief that he had a son with her would keep him involved in her life. Otherwise, she thought, he would leave her. Instead of disclosing the details of the miscarriage, McCormic continued the lie, even telling Buchness that she had given birth to their son. She named the child Riley Buchness.

McCormic panicked when Buchness was to visit over Christmas and, rather than come clean to her boyfriend, she decided that making Riley disappear would be a better course of action.

McCormic apparently went to great lengths to fabricate the story before confessing to police who pressed her on inconsistencies in information she provided. She purchased baby clothes and provided officers with images of a baby she found online. She reported that she had left the boy with Camile, a French nanny. When Buchness arrived for the holiday, McCormic explained that Riley was with the nanny, who had provided child care for months. Later on, Camile failed to arrive as expected, and Buchness and McCormic eventually reported the child missing when they could not find her or Riley. Police issued a missing child Amber Alert using one of the photos McCormic lifted from the internet. Miami investigators described Camile as having a thick French accent and driving a red car.

Police, worn out from searching for a nonexistent child, were at the end of their rope. Many worked overtime and did not spend time with their own families in order to search for Riley. "Either she was upset because she was so emotionally invested in her story, or because the weight of what she had done finally hit her, or maybe she's just one hell of an actress,'' a police official said.

Buchness was emotional throughout the ordeal, Miami police said. He had believed that his son had disappeared; he was in tears after learning of the entire hoax.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Attorney: Christmas Hoax Means Criminal Charges for Miami-Dade Woman" »

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The Broward County courthouse in Fort Lauderdale is underwater again, pushing criminal defense attorneys and their clients out of the building for awhile. This time, the water main broke and flooded the lower two floors during the night of Sunday, November 30. Parts of the courthouse will likely remain closed for most of December.

Important paper files, computers, and the communication system at the Broward County courthouse suffered significant damage. The phone system in the courthouse and the adjacent jail is completely inoperable. Jail officials insisted, however, that safety in the jail is assured despite the problem. The 911 system still works and the jail is running under the same conditions used when phone lines go out during hurricanes. Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Leljedal said, “We have a plan for situations where we lose land lines or our telephones are out. We have satellite phones, cell phones, and two-way radios.'' The phone company estimated that repairs to the communication system will take at least a week.
Certain emergency hearings, such as domestic violence injunctions and certain bond hearings, will continue as usual. The closure of the courthouse could cause a long-term backlog problem, with thousands of criminal defendants’ cases being put on hold for the time being. For instance, Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney William Moore’s hearings have been pushed back. Additionally, the public will not be able to access the courthouse to file civil cases or obtain marriage licenses.

A sewage backup disaster closed the courthouse in February after the main lobby and three floors were flooded. The power was knocked out by the flooding, but the phone system was unharmed. The main courthouse was closed for only one day due to the February sewage problem, but the damage to the building was significant. Additionally, two current courthouse employees have filed suit against the county, alleging unsafe work conditions. They complain that the dampness has caused mold growth in the building, which is harmful to their health. Employees at the court clerk’s office have sifted through the damp contents of their offices wearing face masks and rubber gloves due to health concerns. An outside company is attempting to salvage some of the damaged documents using a professional drying process.

These developments have renewed calls for a new Broward County courthouse. Voters rejected a funding measure in 2006. The issue is expected to appear on ballot again, possibly as early as 2010, according to County Commissioner Josephus Eggeletion. In light of the recent serious of problems, the measure may gain more support the second time around, although the current economic situation will make any new project difficult. Several active proponents of building a new courthouse have taken this opportunity to speak publicly about the need, including the Broward County Public Defender, Howard Finkelstein. Finkelstein, a longtime advocate for a new courthouse, said, “`This courthouse is one of the biggest disgraces in the state and the public continues to suffer. Justice delayed is justice denied, and we clearly have a delay in justice here.''

Continue reading "Broward Criminal Attorney: Courthouse Closed for Second Time in Less than a Year" »

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Investigators searching for clues in the case of missing Florida toddler Caylee Anthony are awaiting the results of DNA testing on a small child’s remains, Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer William Moore has learned. The sweet-faced Florida toddler vanished in June, but her disappearance was not reported until mid-July when her grandmother notified the police. The odd circumstances surrounding the little girl’s disappearance quickly made Caylee a national news item. Caylee’s mother, 22-year-old Casey Anthony was arrested on child neglect charges; in October, she was charged with the first-degree murder of Caylee. Although the child’s body had not been located, Florida investigators believed she was dead. Casey Anthony’s car reportedly smelled of death in June, an odor so overpowering her father described it as filling the entire garage. Further investigation revealed that hair found in the trunk of the car was left there by decaying human remains. DNA evidence and traces of chloroform found in the trunk, coupled with Casey Anthony’s web searches for at-home chloroform recipe, will give her criminal defense lawyer plenty to work on. Her Florida criminal attorney will surely point out that investigators recovered a trash bag that had been in Anthony’s trunk, which contained an empty pizza box, flies, and maggots – in line with her explanation that the smell had come from rotting pizza.

Casey Anthony claimed that she left her daughter with a baby sitter. When police checked the address of the caretaker Anthony gave them, they found a long-vacant apartment. Members of the community have searched everywhere for a body, most believing that Caylee is likely dead. Caylee’s grandparents have repeated indicated that they believe Caylee is alive. Additionally, the media and investigators have noticed odd behavior, like Casey Anthony’s partying in the weeks following Caylee's disappearance.

Casey Anthony was subsequently charged with the murder of her three-year-old daughter. Although detectives had not located Caylee Anthony’s remains, they believed that the circumstances surrounding Caylee’s disappearance – and the apparently conflicting explanations offered by her mother – implicated Casey Anthony in the child’s disappearance.

On Thursday, a Florida utility worker was out near the Anthonys’ home, where Caylee and her mother had lived with Caylee’s grandparents. The worker picked up a trash bag, which would have been submerged around the time of Caylee’s death and the subsequent searches. A tiny skull fell out of the back and the worker immediately contacted Florida police. The body was found only a quarter of a mile from the home.

Florida Investigators have tentatively identified the remains as Caylee Anthony’s, pending DNA confirmation by the FBI. Police searched the home again late in the evening, taking away a vacuum cleaner and other items.

Continue reading "Broward Criminal Defense Lawyer: New Caylee Anthony Twist" »

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A Fort Lauderdale area man was arrested in Pembroke Pines, Florida yesterday morning after allegedly attempting to hit a uniformed police officer with his car. The unidentified suspect is in a Broward County hospital after an incident at 10050 Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines. The man is in his twenties and will fully recuperate from injuries sustained during his flight from police. Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer William Moore urges anyone who has been arrested or has a loved one accused of a crime in Broward, Palm Beach, or Miami-Dade Counties to contact his office as soon as possible for legal advice.

According to police, the young man came arrived at the Pembroke Pines Bank of America a little after ten in the morning. The suspect submitted a check to the teller via the drive-through lanes, requesting that it be cashed. The bank teller determined that the check was allegedly stolen in a recent unsolved robbery in the Fort Lauderdale area. Thinking fast, bank employees called the police. Meanwhile, a teller conversed with the suspect to hold him up until police arrived.

When the Pembroke Pines police arrived, officers attempted to block in the suspect’s Dodge Caravan while it idled in the drive-through lane. The suspect quickly deduced that the bank employees had called the police, however, and launched his escape. He careened around the police vehicles and allegedly tried to drive over a police officer. Police shot at the man, striking him at least once in each arm. Not one to be deterred from his escape, the man continued out of the parking lot and northbound on Palm Avenue. Police from both Pembroke Pines and Miramar followed in hot pursuit. The suspect, bleeding heavily from his gunshot wounds, continued on Palm Avenue until his vehicle struck another car at a red light. At that point, the determined man jumped from his car and fled on foot. Officers chased him through a field into a nearby residential area. Police caught the seriously injured suspect shortly after he left his car. The man was arrested and transported for medical treatment of the bullet wounds.

At this point, police have not released details about the stolen check or the suspect’s identity. The experienced police officer who fired his weapon has been placed on administrative leave for the next four days of duty, which is the department policy in all instances in which an officer’s weapon is discharged. Traffic in the area surrounding Bank of America in Pembroke Pines returned to normal after approximately an hour following the incident.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Area Man Arrested After Fleeing with Two Gunshot Wounds" »

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NORTH PORT, FLORIDA, Saturday, September 13, 2008

A man by the name Patrick Dewayne Murphy has been charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and murder in the death of Coralrose Fullwood (a six year old). The DNA found under her fingertips shows that she was alive when Murphy came into contact with her, and that she possibly fought for her life.

The Court has not yet appointed an attorney for Murphy. He could face the death penalty, thus limiting the number of criminal defense attorneys qualified to represent him. The DNA acts as an eyewitness to the case. It is possible for Murphy to get a lesser sentence or to be acquitted if the DNA was not handled properly. Experts from Broward County Florida are expected to review the method evidence was collected later this week.

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According to the Sun-Sentinel in Florida, a Fort Lauderdale man was struck by gunfire earlier this week. According to reports, shots were fired around 5:30am on Monday morning when Marchenzy Nelson was standing out 1243 NE Fifth Terrace.

The 22-year-old shooting victim is listed in critical condition at Broward County General Medical Center.

A spokesperson for the Broward County police told the Sentinel that a newer-model white SUV was last seen leaving the area. Police think the vehicle may have been a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but they have not released other details on this Fort Lauderdale shooting. So far, no criminal charges have been filed.

Those with information on this shooting are asked to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).

Fort Lauderdale: Man wounded in shooting, Sun-Sentinel, September 9, 2008

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Man Shot, Suspect Unknown" »

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DAYTONA BEACH, September 3, 2008 – After a prostitute with leg and face injuries showed up at Halifax Health Medical Center last night, police are looking for her attacker.

The unidentified woman was attacked behind the Water Club, and told police that the assailant ran over her leg when he tried to flee the area after attacking her. She stated that she bit her assailant to get away. The man is described as a 6-foot tall white male, short, sandy-brown hair, tanned and has many tattoos on his forearms. He was driving a boxy car (like a Caprice Classic or a Crown Victoria) with a tan leather interior. The car is alleged to be rusty with primer on it.

Continue reading "North Florida Crime" »

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Palm Beach Criminal Defense Attorneys are always keeping an eye on the various trends of criminal judges throughout the State. File under “Bond Amounts”

DEBARY, September 3, 2008 – A deputy who was checking into some missing bikes attempted to make contact with residents who had what appeared to be numerous abandoned bicycles on their property. No one would answer the door – and he smelled raw cannabis - so he went around the house and saw an open window. The smell of raw cannabis got stronger. He announced himself through the open window.

When he went inside, he found Kathryn Miller, 41, Thomas Miller, 58 and Wayne Miller, 20 – and 40 marijuana plants. He also found 1,762 grams of marijuana in the freezer. The drugs are allegedly worth $42,000. There were also two minors in the home – a 10-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy.

Kathryn is being held in Indian Lake Jail on a $70,500 bond and is charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, cultivation of marijuana with children present and child abuse.

Thomas Miller is being held in Branch Jail on a $70,500 bond and is charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, cultivation of marijuana with children present, child abuse and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wayne Miller is being held in Branch Jail on a $40,500 bond and is charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Broward Criminal Defense
Criminal Law & Events
Firearms

Thoren Garthrell was arrested in an Aurora, CO traffic stop just outside of Denver, CO. It had come to light that he, and possibly others, were making threats against Barack Obama. Police are unclear if the threat is credible, but are taking the situation seriously.

They found rifles, one with a scope, boxes of ammunition, walkie talkies, drugs and a bullet proof vest in the rental truck Garthrell was driving.

Additional information was developed which let to the arrest of Nathan Johnson and Shaun Robert Adolph. Both were arrested at Denver area hotels just hours after the arrest of Garthrell. During questioning, at least one of the suspects said he traveled to Denver to kill Obama from a high vantage point with a 750-yard scope.

A United States Attorney said there is no threat against Obama, the Democratic National Convention or anyone attending it.

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It wasn’t Casey Jones that was arrested in Tampa, but four men, three of them from out of state. They got caught conspiring to buy seven kilos of coke from an undercover Tampa police detective.

The officers took $124,960 from the four men and arrested them. They are Ronald Turner, a 38-year-old from Jeanette, Pennsylvania; Richard Ortiz, a 39-year-old from Newark, New Jersey; Willie Barr, a 38-year-old, also from Newark; and Israel Aquino, a 35-year-old from Tampa, Florida. They were charged with trafficking in cocaine 400 grams to 150k and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine [over 400 grams].

They met with the “seller” at the corner of John and Benjamin roads in Tampa, and bought six kilos of cocaine. They paid about $21,000 per kilo, according to the Tampa Tribune.

As of this morning (August 28 2008), all four men are still being held at Orient Road jail. Judge Heinrich set bonds at $125,000 for each count for Turner, Ortiz and Barr. The out-of-state men and their co-signers on the bond are required to attend a Nebuia Hearing.

Aquino, who is from Tampa, was charged with an additional count of driving with a suspended license. His bond on the trafficking charges has not been set, but a bond of $250 has been set on the license suspension charge.

Andrea Davis, a police spokeswoman, stated that police could not provide further details, as this is part of an on-going investigation.

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Another high profile case is about to hit the books. Final witnesses testified on Monday, and the Court was closed on Tuesday, due to Tropical Storm Fay. On Wednesday, Court resumes. The public will learn of the fate of David Lee Onstott some time this week.

This 40-year-old man is charged in the murder of Sarah Lunde, a 13-year-old teen. Her body was found three years ago – submerged in an abandoned pond in Ruskin.

The forensic experts that testified this past Thursday couldn’t seem to come up with any concrete evidence because of the state of decomposition her body was in – she had been weighted down with concrete blocks and immersed for several days.

The medical examiner, Christina Roberts, could not positively say whether Sarah was sexually assaulted or choked. There is no physical evidence linking Onstott to Sarah’s murder. Soil samples were tested, but it could not be determined that the soil on Onstott’s shoes was the same soil near where Sarah’s body was found. The only thing Maureen Bottrell, an FBI geologist, was able to say was that the two soil samples had the same mineral content. According to aerial photos, the area where Sarah’s body was located is mostly brush and sand-type dirt. She could not say how many other places in the world have this same type of soil.

A family member – Sarah’s sister – testified that her brother Andrew told her Onstott was at the Lundy residence the day Sarah disappeared. He denied this claim, but later, retracted the denial and admitted he was there. He has also been seen at the site Sarah’s body was found.

There is a lot of circumstantial evidence tying Onstott to Sarah’s murder, but no concrete proof. The jurors will have their hands full sifting through all this information and making heads or tails out of it. Prosecutors are not looking for the death penalty in this case and, in my opinion, stand little chance of success in achieving a conviction in this case.

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Yesterday, David Lee Onstott was sentence to life in prison. Three years ago, he murdered Sarah Lunde, who was just 13 years old. The Tampa jury convicted Onstott of second-degree murder and battery. The convictions are less than what prosecutors sought, but there was no physical or forensic evidence to link Onstott to the crime.

There was a taped confession, but the Court threw the confession out. In the confession, Onstott admitted to strangling Sarah, though he could not remember where he strangled her. He then disposed of her body in an abandoned fishpond in Ruskin.

The apology to Sarah’s mother and his confession can be found here: http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/8/22/375691.html?title=Onstott%3A%20%27For%20what%20it%27s%20worth%3A%20I%27m%20sorry%27%20

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Thursday, August 21, 2008, after a day and a half of deliberations, the jury reached a guilty verdict in the David Lee Onstott trial. He was found guilty of two charges – second-degree murder and battery – in the death of Sarah Lunde. Sarah was just 13 in 2005 when she was murdered by Onstott and dumped in an abandoned fishpond in Ruskin, Florida.

Though prosecutors only had circumstantial evidence, they managed to get a guilty verdict with the testimony from tape recordings and a jail deputy. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/8/14/373454.html

Circumstantial evidence may imply a specific action occurred. It does not, however, “directly” prove the action occurred. In this case, an example of circumstantial evidence, as indicated in the trial transcript, was trial testimony that indicated Onstott was seen at both the abandoned fishpond and at the victim’s house.

The timeline of the case can be found here: http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/8/11/372610.html

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