Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Ruan V. The United States: Opioid Lawsuits Against Doctors
One of the groundbreaking decisions that was dwarfed by the overturning of Roe v. Wade was a Supreme Court decision that made it more difficult to convict doctors in opioid-prescribing lawsuits. Today, there are several doctors all over the United States that are either facing charges related to the unlawful prescribing of opioids or… Read More »
The Petty Offense Doctrine: Why You Aren’t Entitled To A Jury
The Constitution guarantees that anyone who is accused of a crime has a right to a trial by jury. However, that right is routinely denied to individuals who are accused of “petty” offenses. Of course, in the interests of judicial economy, we could not prosecute every crime that occurred. In most cases, defendants plead… Read More »
School Teacher Sentenced To Child Pornography Charges
A former Tallahassee school teacher has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. The school for which he worked assured parents that he was not left alone with students and did not use school computers to acquire the unlawful material. There has been a lot… Read More »
Man Gets Life Sentence For Sex Trafficking of Minor
A 39-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for two counts of sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14. Sex trafficking is quickly occupying a space in the collective imagination as one of the most blackhearted offenses that can be committed against another human being. It is not uncommon for a… Read More »
Man Shoots Leasing Manager; Upset Over Rental Fees
Have you ever just been so mad over your rental fees that you had to shoot your leasing manager? Me neither. Nonetheless, a 33-year-old man is facing attempted homicide charges after shooting his leasing manager in the chest. Police say he waited hours for the woman to show up. He was mad about excessive… Read More »
Man Facing Charges In Bookstore Stabbing Has History Of Mental Illness
A Tallahassee man who was adjudicated as mentally insane in four of the five criminal cases he was involved with was involved in another incident in which he allegedly stabbed a 71-year-old man who was drinking coffee at a bookstore. The 71-year-old is expected to survive the incident and is reportedly recovering, according to… Read More »
Child Dies In Hot Car: Will Parents Face Charges?
Jacksonville Police are investigating an area father after his 8-month-old daughter died after being left in a hot car. The father had returned home after running errands at the time of his daughter’s death. This is the third such death in Florida this year with 28 hot car deaths reported nationwide. While hot car… Read More »
Florida Felons Charged With Voting Fraud
Florida voted to restore the voting rights of certain felons. However, some of these felons are facing felony charges of casting illegal votes in the last election. The felons say that they thought their voting rights had been restored. They say election officials allowed them to register and then cast votes. They accuse the… Read More »
Family Pushes To Have Driver’s License Suspended After Fatal Accident
A Tallahassee woman is facing a major traffic infraction prosecution after she caused the death of an 11-year-old boy. The driver was cited for failing to stop at a red light and sending the child airborne while his parents watched in horror. The parents are pushing to have the woman’s driver’s license suspended for… Read More »
Fake Doctor Sentenced For Scamming Women Using Online Dating
A man who misrepresented himself as a physician in order to attract women on the internet has been sentenced to 9 years for identity theft, wire fraud, and related crimes. The Tallahassee native was accused of defrauding over 30 women of more than $1 million. He will spend the next 9 years in prison… Read More »
