Florida Criminal Lawyer Blog

Broward County Criminal Lawyer William Moore talks about violence and age.
In general, when most people think of violent crimes or offenders, they think of young people, says Broward criminal lawyer William Moore. This is due to a combination of factors: television, the media, popular ideas about criminal gangs, personal experiences, and, yes, even reality. Young men tend to the be most likely demographic to engage in criminal behavior more generally, especially crimes like criminal mischief, assault, battery, and burglary. It would be a mistake, however, to dismiss any possibility that a person will commit a crime due to his age, Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney Moore says.

The recent murder-suicide of a Delray Beach couple has brought this fact to the attention of the public. In a state where many people come to retire and live out their last years on our sunny beaches, it is a topic worthy of discussion. Carl Sims was an 89-year-old man who had served on the Detroit police force for the bulk of his career, working as a patrolman from 1946 until 1971. He had been married to his wife, Florence Sims, for 15 years. Florence was 86 years old. On August 23, Carl Sims, facing declining health and another new setback when paramedics had to come to the home during the night. Florence had been suffering from health problems as well. Sometime before 6:00 a.m., Carl took a gun and shot his wife, then himself. He died instantly, but Florence was discovered by a nurse shortly after the shooting, and survived for several hours.

While murder-suicide may be an extreme example, Broward County criminal lawyer Moore says that domestic violence is a more common type of violence in older populations. Domestic violence may occur in a home when there is drug or alcohol abuse or other problems – and it is not limited only to younger people, or even to men. Domestic violence can be any violence that occurs between members of a household, such as a woman hitting her live-in boyfriend or hurting her child. It can also be between partners who have a child together, even if they have never resided in the same household and even if they have since ended their relationship.

Domestic violence is often a difficult criminal charge to prove, because of the “he said, she said” factor. This is especially true where both parties have visible injuries, as the accused party may have been exercising self-defense.

Continue reading "Broward County Criminal Lawyer - Violence – Not Just a Problem for Young People" »

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Broward criminal lawyer William Moore is interested in the psychology behind serial killers and violent crime more generally. This has been a hot topic in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties following the arrest of accused cat killer Tyler Weinman last month. The link between offenders who engage in animal cruelty and later other criminal activity has been established for many years, but the topic remains an interesting discussion. It is vital to remember, however, that Weinman is innocent until proven guilty and that he has been accused of no violent crimes and none towards humans.

According to a recent study of violent crimes and behavior preceding criminal activity, 70 percent of 153 defendants convicted of animal cruelty were later charged with other crimes. Of that group, 38 percent of the arrests were for violent offenses, 37 percent were for drug crimes, 37 percent were charged with “disorderly offenses” (such as public intoxication), and 44 percent were charged with property crimes. A study in Australia found even more links, says Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer Moore. That study found that those convicted of abusing animals later had very high rates of reoffending in other ways. Eight percent were subsequently convicted of arson, 17 percent of sex offenses, and 61.5 percent of violent offenses against people. It is not clear how large the sample size was in the latter study, however, and therefore what, if any, conclusions can be drawn from the data are unknown.

The spate of school shootings in the 1990s also brought on questions regarding the link between animal abusers and violent crime, including murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, assault, and other offenses. One study found half of the youths involved in carrying out the nine school shootings that occurred between 1996 and 1999 had a known history of abusing animals. The link between serial killers and animal abuse has also been widely discussed. Over a fifth of 354 serial killers studied self-reported histories of animal cruelty, although the study’s authors concluded that the figure was likely low due to the tendency to underreport one’s own negative actions.

Adolescence is the time period in which violent criminals and especially serial killers are most likely to have abused animals, although significant numbers exist to show that serial killers are fairly likely to do so both as children and as adults. Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Moore believes that animal abuse may indicate a violent disposition or identify individuals who have particularly malicious personalities, neither of which constitutes the disposition of the average person arrested for a criminal matter.

Continue reading "Animal Cruelty and Violent Crimes" »

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Broward criminal attorney William Moore has been following the cat killer saga since it began several months ago, when Miami-Dade residents in the communities of Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay began, tragically, to find their pet cats tortured, mutilated, and left dead on their front yards. Last month, Palm Beach criminal attorney Moore learned that law enforcement officials had made an arrest in the cat slayings, charging 18-year-old Tyler Weinman with the killings. Weinman faces 19 counts of improperly disposing of animal remains, 19 counts of felony animal cruelty, and four counts of burglary in connection with the Miami-Dade County cat deaths. Weinman is currently out of jail on a hefty bond -- $249,500, up from the $100,000 bond he was originally given.

Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer Moore says that, in a somewhat unusual move, authorities sealed the arrest affidavit. In fact, Weinman’s representative was permitted only to look at the document, but not to keep a copy. The law enforcement agency and the State Attorney’s Office insisted that the sealing was necessary due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. In fact, prosecutors hinted that additional arrests might be forthcoming as the investigation progressed.

Now, weeks later, Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer Moore has discovered that the judge subsequently ordered prosecutors to unseal the arrest affidavit. Information that led to Weinman’s arrest has been made public, including the fact that Weinman was found in the vicinity of mutilated cats on two occasions. He laughed when a law enforcement official advised him to keep his own pet cats indoors. In May, Weinman was stopped in his car and eventually arrested for possession of marijuana as a result of the stop. Police impounded his car and found a cutting tool they believe was used in the mutilations. Weinman had thrown the tool outside of the vehicle during the traffic stop. Police later attached a monitoring device to his vehicle, which placed him near another cat slaying. He also described dissecting cats in his anatomy class and showed off scratches on his arm to a police officer, which he explained were from feeding a feral cat.

The case against Weinman has been described as highly circumstantial and the arrest affidavit shows that police do not have a “smoking gun” linking the teenager to the crime. Weinman does not seem to have made incriminating statements to police, beyond discussing his cat scratches and the cat dissection he performed in school. Police called him a “sociopath” for his alleged involvement. The teen remains on house arrest pending trial. No cat slayings have been reported in weeks.

Continue reading "Cat Killer’s Arrest Affidavit Made Public" »

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For several months, animal lovers in the south Miami-Dade communities of Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay have become increasingly alarmed about the slaying of a number of cats in their communities. Each of the 19 cats tied to the animal abuse spree was a family pet, says Broward criminal attorney William Moore. Now, police have made an arrest in the case, although they warn that there may be additional arrests to follow as the investigation into the case continues.

Tyler Weinman, 18, is accused of mutilating the 19 cats. The teen travels frequently between his parents’ separate homes. His father, who is a dentist, lives in Palmetto Bay, while his mother nearby in Cutler Bay. Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney Moore says that charges Weinman is facing are serious: 19 charges of improperly disposing of animal remains, four counts of burglary, and 19 counts of felony animal cruelty. The animal cruelty charges are third degree felonies, punishable by up to five years of imprisonment on each count and carrying mandatory minimum sentencing, which includes fines of $5,000 and at least six months in jail for year charge. If convicted at a trial, Weinman would likely face more than nine years in prison and owe at least $95,000 in fines, says Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer Moore.

Law enforcement officials began keeping an eye on Weinman several weeks ago, they said, after receiving information from members of the community and tracking his updates on social media websites like Facebook and MySpace. Weinman was reportedly a member of a Facebook group seeking to catch the cat killer. Many community members have expressed relief at the possibility that the person who has been mutilating and killing family pets is in police custody. One animal shelter volunteer was delighted that police have made an arrest, although she noted that “people aren’t letting their cats, or children go outside just yet.”

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer set Weinman’s bond at $249,500 at a hearing on Tuesday morning, expressing concern for Weinman’s “safety and the safety of the community.” He is being held in a county jail facility on suicide watch and will be detained for at least two days. Weinman is only 18 and the length of his criminal record is not clear because juvenile arrests and case dispositions are sealed in most cases. He was, however, arrested for possession of marijuana about two weeks prior to his arrest for the cat slayings.

Continue reading "Cat Killer Suspect Taken Into Custody" »

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Broward criminal attorney William Moore has dogs. He sympathizes with those who lose their pets. In Lauderhill, near Fort Lauderdale, a suspected cat-killer has made residents frustrated and angry. Law enforcement officials stress that it is not yet clear who or what is responsible for the rising toll of cat deaths in south Florida.

Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney Moore says that some high-profile murderers got their start with animal cruelty. It is not even clear that a person was involved in the Broward County cat slayings, although officials in Miami-Dade believe there is a human perpetrator involved in the cases there. Since April, cat owners in Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay, in southern Miami-Dade County, have been finding their kitties mutilated, apparently tortured, and dead, often in their own front yards. The Dade County total exceeds 25 reported cat killings in the past two months.

Meanwhile, Lauderhill residents have been alarmed recently as family cats have turned up dead in their neighborhoods, as well. Broward County officials were cautious to link the mutilated cats in Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay to those killed in Lauderhill, however, citing the possibility that a pack of dogs was responsible for the Lauderhill deaths. Lauderhill investigators say that a pack of medium sized dogs, each weighing about 30 to 40 pounds, may have been responsible for the deaths of those family pets.

In Miami-Dade, however, investigators are looking for a human, as the cat death toll mounts and animal lovers have become enraged. The bodies of family-owned cats have been found skinned, often sliced across the stomach and disemboweled. Each cat died from its injuries, causing anguish to the owners. The dead cats were then placed in the front yards of their owners, for the family to find.

Animal control officials and private animal welfare organizations alike are urging families with cats to keep their pets inside. Additionally, several organizations and private individuals are offering financial rewards for information leading to the capture of the cat killer. Currently, rewards total at least $12,000 if he or she is apprehended. Law enforcement agencies in both counties have received a number of tips, but none have culminated in an animal cruelty arrest so far.

Continue reading "Lauderhill, Florida – Possible Cat-Killer Terrorizes Broward County, South Miami-Dade" »

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Palm Beach criminal lawyer William Moore is happy to report that none of the victims of a home invasion was seriously injured in a late-night incident in a Lake Worth Home in the early hours of March 9. According to police, Carlyle Blackburn allegedly broke into a home at 217 South D Street, getting in through a window. He attempted to attack a 68-year-old woman who lived in the home. She was sleeping in her bed when Blackburn allegedly broke into the home.

According to law enforcement officials in Palm Beach County, Blackburn met up with the family’s large and powerful dog before he could get to the lady. The Catahoula Leopard dog, which was described as "a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger" than a German Shepherd, a breed known for its strength and, at times, ferocity. The dog held up Blackburn and all of the noise woke up the older woman’s adult son, who resides in the home with her. West Palm Beach criminal defense lawyer Moore says this was a fortunate development.

The son, Jim Mampe, is a big guy and he is protective of his mother. At 6’5” and about 300 pounds, Mampe used to work as a bouncer, a job that got him into some tough scrapes. As a result, he was feeling tough enough to take down the intruder. Although Blackburn allegedly tried to stab Mampe with a screwdriver – possibly a tool he intended to use as a weapon in a sexual assault – Blackburn held fast, holding the attacker around the throat. He turned the screwdriver on the man who allegedly brought it into his home. Mampe says the intruder begged for mercy, but he told Blackburn that he would “die tonight.” Mampe was able to call 911, bring Sheriff’s Deputies to the scene. Blackburn was charged with felony battery and will likely face additional criminal charges. Afterwards, Mampe described twisting the intruder’s throat and holding him down in his mother’s bedroom. “You could hear it cracking,” Mampe said, describing the sound of the man’s windpipe. At 5’9” and 145 pounds, Blackburn is far smaller than his successful opponent.

Palm Beach criminal lawyer Moore has learned that Blackburn has just recently left prison. In 1994, he was convicted of rape. As a result, he spent 15 years incarcerated and was only released earlier this year. Although the man was trying to enter a woman’s bedroom late at night, it is not clear that Blackburn was definitely trying to commit another rape, although the public details of the attack are not apparent enough at this time to draw a firm conclusion either way. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident.

Continue reading "Lake Worth Rapist Taken Down by Former Bouncer – Palm Beach Criminal Lawyer" »

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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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Broward criminal lawyer William Moore is familiar with all sorts of legal defenses, including the defense of sleepwalking or a sleep disorder. A 37-year-old man was arrested at his residence in Coral Springs on Sunday night for domestic violence, according to local police. Mark Kaplan is the principal of Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston, Florida, inland of Fort Lauderdale. On Sunday night, his wife called police because her husband was strangling her.

When Coral Springs police arrived at the Kaplan home in response to an emergency domestic violence call, they found Alyson Kaplan, 36, bruised on her neck. Coral Springs police photographed the injuries and the police report indicated that officers believed she was likely to be harmed again in the future. Alyson Kaplan told police that she was sleeping at the time the strangulation began. Further, she explained, she had been the target of a number of attacks by her husband over the past year and a half: poking, scratching, and verbal abuse – even threatening to stab her.

Interestingly, Alyson Kaplan’s account to Coral Springs police on Sunday night was in line with the statements by Mark Kaplan’s criminal defense lawyer on Monday. Alyson Kaplan described the repeated attacks as always happening during the night and, although her husband’s eyes are always open, he seems vacant or asleep. She does not believe he is typically awake during the violence, although she was unable to tell police if he was awake or not during the strangulation.

Mark Kaplan’s criminal defense attorney has said that he hopes the Broward State Attorney’s Office will drop the criminal charge in light of this information. The criminal lawyer contends that Kaplan suffers from a sleep disorder and that he is not aware of his actions during these episodes. Alyson Kaplan, who has been married to Mark Kaplan for 12 years, agreed with the criminal defense lawyer. As she fervently explained to reporters, "I am not pressing any charges, I'm not prosecuting, we are not divorcing. He has a diagnosed medical condition. It is all due to that. He is receiving treatment. I don't feel in harm's way whatsoever."

At this time, the Broward State Attorney’s Office has refused to comment on the case, but criminal charges are still pending. Mark Kaplan stayed at the jail for the remainder of Sunday night and posted a $3,500 bond early on Monday.

In order for a sleep disorder or sleepwalking to be an effective legal defense to a crime, it should be inconsistent with the person’s normal waking behavior. For instance, a jury will more likely believe that a man who is known as gentle and kind was sleepwalking when accused of extremely aggressive or violent behavior at night. Although rare, instances of crimes occurring under these circumstances are documented, and the sleeping perpetrator typically has no memory of the incidents upon waking. In some cases, regular violent behavior may be documented by physicians in a sleep laboratory, but instances of extreme violence may not occur frequently enough for such a method to be a practicable determination of the sleep disorder.

Continue reading "Broward Criminal Attorney: Sleep Disorder Defense in A Domestic Violence Case" »

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Palm Beach criminal lawyer William Moore recently learned of an unfortunate crime that took place last week. According to the Boynton Beach police, a Palm Beach County man has been arrested following a criminal incident at a local nail salon last week. The police say that Philip Kirson, a 60-year-old resident of a nearby Boynton Beach subdivision, came in the back door of Pro Nails salon at about 9:30 in the morning. The salon is located in the Quantum Village in the 1000 block of Gateway Boulevard.

Kirson inquired as to whether the nail salon did nails for men. After the manager assured him that male clients are welcome, Kirson’s demeanor changed suddenly. Kirson held up a knife, demanding that the Pro Nails manager give him the money in the store. The manager told Kirson that there was not yet any money in the cash register because it was so early in the day, but Kirson nonetheless pushed his way to the front of the store. He struggled to open the secured cash register.

Meanwhile, two of the nail salon’s employees escaped from the salon. The manager stayed behind with the man bent on robbing the store. As one of the salon employees contacted police from a nearby Publix, the manager threw a chair at Kirson. The chair apparently scared Kirson, who fled the store without any money.

The brazen Pro Nails manager followed Kirson out of the store and threw a shoe at him before he left in his white Toyota Celica. Police were able to locate Kirson very quickly following the report, catching up to him on his way back to his residence in the Village Royale on the Green, less than a mile from the Pro Nails location. As police approached the vehicle, Kirson took the knife he had wielded at the nail salon and plunged it into his stomach. He was transported by ambulance to the Delray Medical Center and was listed in stable condition and expected to fully recover.

Police said that Kirson is unemployed, which may have been a motivating factor. Criminal charges for attempted armed robbery are pending against Kirson and it is unknown if he is currently represented by a Palm Beach criminal defense attorney.

Continue reading "Palm Beach County Criminal Attorney: Boynton Beach Man Attempts to Rob Nail Salon, Stabs Self Following Pursuit" »

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The group of Broward County men suspected in the string of Dunkin’ Donuts robberies last week will be needing a Broward criminal attorney soon. Last night, two young Fort Lauderdale men were arrested at a Broward Sheriff’s Office police checkpoint in Port Everglades. The two men had driven from Fort Lauderdale with their girlfriends to board a Discovery cruise line ship to the Bahamas. Tharod Bell, 23, and Charles Faustin, 18, were huddled in the backseat of a silver Honda. A Broward Sheriff's Office aide recognized the pair from a wanted poster and engaged the group in conversation until an armed deputy arrived to assist her. The men were apparently en route to escape to the Bahamas, although they provided their real names at the checkpoint. The Bahamas has an extradition treaty with the United States, making it an imperfect haven for fugitives.

Previously, three other Broward County suspects were arrested, including Calvin Weatherspoon, 20, of the Lauderdale Lakes area, Jonathan Jackson, 23, and James Herard, 19, who are both residents of Lauderhill. All five of the Fort Lauderdale area criminal suspects arrested are expected to be charged soon and will be entitled to representation from a Broward criminal lawyer.

Broward County police believe the five men are behind four armed robberies in Broward County and Palm Beach County last week. The first robbery occurred in at a Dunkin Donuts in Delray Beach, in which five bystanders were shot. The four men wore masks to conceal their identities. Two men, also wearing masks, robbed a Dunkin’ Donuts in Tamarac, near Fort Lauderdale, the following night. One bystander was shot and remains in critical condition at an area hospital. A Dunkin’ Donuts in Sunrise was also robbed at gunpoint, and although no bystanders were shot, one person was injured after being hit on the head with a gun. Finally, the a Pompano Beach 7-Eleven robbery on November 26 is believed to be the most recent of the string of south Florida armed robberies. Police believe the crimes were committed for fun rather than significant monetary gain, as none were particularly lucrative. Additionally, the armed robbers shot patrons for no apparent reason, even when they were cooperating with demands. Broward and Palm Beach authorities are continuing to investigate, but the five men are believed to be responsible for all of the crimes. Each will need the services of an experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer.

At this point, Broward officials believe that 19-year-old Herard was the sole or primary gunman. It is unclear at this point if Herard is represented by a criminal defense attorney, but he reportedly made a statement to police that the “has no soul.” All five indicated to police that they are gang members and officials are investigating numerous other crimes to determine if the suspects are tied to any other unsolved crimes in the West Palm Beach-Fort Lauderdale-Miami area.

Continue reading "Broward Criminal Lawyer Follow-Up: Dunkin’ Donuts Robbers Arrested at Police Checkpoint Near Fort Lauderdale" »

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Last Wednesday night, the Dunkin’ Donuts in Delray Beach in Palm Beach County suffered an after-dark armed robbery. The Delray Beach Dunkin’ Donuts which was robbed is located on the 4800 block of Atlantic Avenue. At least five patrons, several of them elderly local residents, were shot during the robbery. The perpetrators are still at large, although they will surely require the services of a Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer when and if they are caught.

The following night, the Dunkin’ Donuts at 4900 North State Road 7 in Tamarac, Florida – a Broward County suburb of Fort Lauderdale – was also robbed. One patron was shot in the back during the armed robbery and remains in critical condition at a local hospital. No matter how many painful situations he sees, a Broward criminal lawyer is always sorry to hear about injured victims.

At this point, the Delray Beach Police Department detectives and members of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the crimes. No determination has been made publicly that the two armed robberies are related. A Broward criminal lawyer would caution not to draw conclusions to quickly if and when an arrest is made; two crimes that appear to be quite similar could be coincidental and not necessarily the hallmark of a group of perpetrators. Witnesses at both Dunkin’ Donuts locations reported that the armed robberies were committed by a group of males who were quick to shoot innocent bystanders. There were three robbers at the Delray Beach location and many more casualties. At the Tamarac location armed robbery, witnesses reported two robbers and only one victim sustained a gunshot wound.

The Dunkin’ Donuts stores, which were previously open all night, have made the decision to begin closing in the evening and re-opening early in the morning for the convenience of patrons who stop for coffee or a donut during their morning commute. Nearby residents who frequent the stores have reported feeling fearful about returning to those stores, especially after dark. The armed robberies have come as a shock to the normally-quiet suburban towns, which each have approximately 60,000 residents. Residents are unaccustomed to violent crime and are hoping that there will not be any more robberies.

Continue reading "Police in Delray Beach & Fort Lauderdale Suburb Baffled by Dunkin’ Donuts Robberies" »

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Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorneys have noted an increase in reported "murder suicide" case in Broward and Miami Dade Counties over the last decade. No prosecution in such cases ever ensues for obvious reasons and efforts to deter such crime have yielded no statistical changes.

Investigators in Palm Beach County, Florida have determined that Jessica Kalish was murdered by her former lover, Carol Anne Burger. Burger committed suicide before she could be arrested. Kalish, the 56-year-old woman found dead one week ago in Boynton Beach, was stabbed over 200 times in the head with a screwdriver before Burger abandoned her body in the backseat of Kalish’s BMW. Burger, who was 57, apparently murdered Kalish in a fit of rage on October 22, dumped her body and wallet, and tried to hide the evidence.

Police used chemicals and ultraviolet light to illuminate blood spatters Burger cleaned up in the residence the former couple shared. Based on the amount of blood in the garage, investigators believe Kalish was stabbed to death there. Burger subsequently cleaned up the area and washed her clothes, leaving tiny traces of Kalish’s blood behind.

Kalish and Burger were married in Massachusetts in 2000. They broke up about a year ago, but continued sharing a home. Their relationship continued to deteriorate to the point that the women fought frequently, ultimately leading the murder-suicide.

Had Burger been arrested prior to her suicide, she could have faced the death penalty if prosecutors believed she deliberated before the murder.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney: Murder-Suicide Rocks South Florida" »

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – Last Thursday, a burglar broke into a Lake Ridge townhouse, shot the family dog, attempted to carjack a woman and her daughter, then fired at the woman’s husband before fleeing the scene. The crime unfolded around 9pm in the 1000 block of Northeast 17th Way, according to spokesperson Detective Kathy Collins.

When the burglar broke into the townhouse, he was greeted a Labrador retriever named Jake. After the dog barked and alerted its owner, the burglar shot Jake once in the head, killing him before taking off. Police rush to the home where the shooting occurred, then answered a second call about an armed carjacking nearby.

As he tried to escape, the burglar pushed a mother and her 11-year-old daughter out of their car and tried to drive away in their Ford Mustang. When the woman’s husband opened the front door, the burglar shot at him, but struck a car instead.

Broward County police are for assistance from the public in identifying and tracking down the suspect. No description was available.

Fort Lauderdale police look for burglar who shot dog, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, September 19, 2008

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – On Friday, a jury convicted two South Florida men in the 2006 beating death of a homeless man. Brian Hooks, 21, and Thomas Daugherty, 19, were teenagers at the time of the beating, and surveillance videos of the incident ignited outrage among homeless advocates around the county. The videos show Hooks and Thomas beating a homeless men with baseball bats as the man tries to sleep on a park bench.

Prosecutors sought first-degree murder charges, but after deliberating for nine hours over the course of two days, the jury convicted the two of second-degree murder and two counts each of attempted second-degree murder. They await sentencing, which could be as much as life in prison. Because Daugherty was 17 at the time of the beatings, he was not eligible for capital punishment.

In May, William Ammons, 21, pleaded guilty to felony murder and aggravated assault for the same incident. He had also testified again Daugherty and Hooks, but criminal defense attorneys claimed his inconsistent statements invalidated his testimony. Ammons has admitted lying to police 80 times.

Fla. men guilty in beating homeless man to death, Associated Press, September 19, 2008

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported on a gunman who shot two nighttime bicyclists last week. One bicyclist was killed and another ended up at Broward General Medical Center in critical condition. The shooting occurred in the 500 block of Northeast Third Avenue around mid-morning on Thursday. Police said the victims were Angel Velasquez, 24, of Fort Lauderdale and Velasquez’s 34-year-old friend.

The older bicyclist died, and police are waiting to notify his relatives before they release the person’s name. A spokesperson for the Fort Lauderdale police said that detectives do not know what triggered the shooting or who might have been responsible.

Another Fort Lauderdale shooting occurred in the 1200 block of Northeast Fifth Terrace, injuring Marckenzy Nelson, 21, of Fort Lauderdale. Nelson has a history of cocaine-dealing arrests and had been on probation since earlier this year, when he pleaded no contest to a charge of battery of a law enforcement officer.

Officials say a newer model white SUV was spotted in the area soon after Nelson was shot. Detectives are still searching for this vehicle and potential suspects.

Bicyclist slain, 2nd wounded in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, September 13, 2008

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