Crimes of Violence

September 15, 2011

BROOKSVILLE: Oxycodone was Motive for Son Killing His Father

A jury in Hernando County Florida finds son Guilty of First Degree Murder for killing his father, in cold blood, over the popular (and deadly) drug Oxycodone.

In a Brooksville courtroom, Assistant State Attorney Pete Magrino gripped the Revelation 12-gauge, sawed-off shotgun and pointed it at the courtroom wall, just feet from the jury.He pumped the slide on the shotgun, then pulled the trigger. Pump. Click. Pump. Click. Pump. Click.

“Ivan Horne was shot four (4) times. I don’t know how fast or slow the defendant cycled this shotgun when he murdered his father,” Magrino told jurors Thursday, pointing at the 20-year-old man sitting at the defense table. “We’re not talking one shot.”

August 22, 2011

SEMINOLE: $10,000 Bail for Mom Accused of Trying to Sell Her Son

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

A rather disturbing story was featured in today’s St. Pete Times about a Seminole mother who tried to sell her son for $2,000 because of her addiction to prescription drugs.

The 5-year-old boy was excited to start kindergarten Tuesday in Tampa.

Jim and Betty Gardner, who have helped raise the boy since he was an infant, were working hard to prepare him by establishing a morning routine.

Now, they’re worried how his first school year will begin.

The child was taken into protective custody Saturday after authorities arrested his mother and accused her of trying to sell him to the Gardners for $2,000.

Jessica Mickles Beers, 28, whose last known address was in Seminole, was charged with Felony Sale of Parental Rights along with a Violation of Probation (VOP) on her pending Grand Theft charge. At her First Appearance Hearing on Sunday, bail was set at $10,000.Gardner, 58, said he and his wife met Beers when the boy was just a few months old after she called their church for assistance. They took food and diapers to her.

Beers essentially was homeless, but was living with other people. She asked to move in with the Gardners and they agreed, Gardner said.

For the next five (5) years or so, the Gardners, who have fostered numerous children over the years, helped take care of Beers and her child.

About two years ago, Beers began talking about having the couple take guardianship of her son but never followed through with it. Early Saturday, Gardner said, Beers called him and offered to sign away her parental rights if the Gardners would pay her $2,000.

“It was money or else …” Gardner said. “I thought ‘Whoa, that’s illegal.’ “He contacted the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), which arrested Beers at a Seminole grocery store when she came to collect the cash.

The child was not with Beers, but she told authorities where he could be found, Gardner said. Gardner said he believes Beers is addicted to prescription drugs.
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August 10, 2011

CLEARWATER: Man Arrested with “F*CK THE POLICE” Tattoo on His Face

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

I’m all for individuality and one’s right to tattoo (almost) anything they want on their body. However, there comes a time when you are just asking for trouble….

Yesterday, an man was arrested under the authority of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) warrant.Ismael Hernandez-Ambrosio, of Clearwater, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. And I’m sure the arresting officer(s), detention deputies and jail staff enjoyed listing his “Scars, Marks & Tattoos” (as is routinely done when being booked into the Pinellas County Jail.

Unfortunately for Mr. Hernandez-Ambrosio, his “F*CK THE POLICE” Tattoo, going straight across his face, problem didn’t earn him any brownie points, or an extra juice cup, or an extended, long-distance phone call.If there is any moral to this story, it has to be “think twice” or three (3) times before inking yourself in such a negative way. As the former Gang Unit Prosecutor in Pinellas County, Florida, I’ve seen negative tattoos become damaging evidence used by prosecutors against arrested individuals.

July 15, 2011

ORLANDO: Casey Anthony to Appeal Her 4 Misdemeanor Convictions

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

Casey Anthony’s defense team has announced that they will be appealing her four (4) Misdemeanor convictions from her recent First Degree Murder trial.

Friday morning, Casey’s defense attorneys filed their Notice of Appeal for the four (4) counts of misleading law enforcement, for which she was convicted by the same jury that acquitted her of First Degree Murder.It was almost three (3) years ago that Casey told Orange County deputies the following:

(1) That she worked at Universal Orlando Resort in 2008,
(2) That she left Caylee with a babysitter named Zenaida Gonzalez,
(3) That she told Jeffrey Hopkins and Juliette Lewis that Caylee was missing,
(4) That she spoke to Caylee on the phone on July 15, 2008.

Casey was charged and convicted of a separate count for each of the above false statements. She was fined the maximum $1,000 for each count, totaling $4,618 after court costs.Judge Belvin Perry also sentenced Casey to a total of four (4) years in jail, which has already been shortened based on the time she has spent behind bars (awaiting trial), and her good behavior in jail. Casey is due to be released Sunday.

From a strategic standpoint, an appeal could have a huge effect on Casey’s civil case involving Zenaida Gonzalez, which took a bizarre turn Friday morning after a quick end to an emergency hearing.

Once the appeal is formally filed, she can legitimately assert her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in any deposition or interrogation until the appeal is exhausted!

As far as Casey is concerned, there is no downside to this legal maneuver. If she loses the appeal, she will still be released from jail on Sunday. She cannot be punished for appealing.Another bright move by her defense team to, once again, protect her from having to tell the truth about what happened to her daughter Caylee.
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July 14, 2011

POLK COUNTY: No More Free Underwear for Male Inmates

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

As reported by BayNews9, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is at it again.

In another “cost-cutting” measure, the Polk County Jail will no longer provide free underwear to its inmates.Normally, when an inmate is booked in the jail, they are given an orange shirt, orange pants and underwear.

In order to save money, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has proposed making males inmates pay if they want their “tighty whities.”

The cost-saving measure was part of the sheriff’s 2011-2012 budget he presented to county commissioners Thursday afternoon. Judd said it will save the county $45,000.

Although women behind bars will still be provided underwear, the men will have to pay.

“For those who don’t want to pay, they can let the breeze blow up one leg and out the other,” Judd said (in classic Grady Judd fashion).

The idea drew smiles from several county commissioners and laughter from the crowd.

“You and I buy it at the store. So, if they want it, they can buy it,” he said. Judd said they are also cutting eleven (11) positions, including six (6) supervisors.

Judd says while his department is doing more with less, his highest priority remains keeping the people of Polk County safe.

Judd said the new policy will not cause the quality of service from the department to go down.

“None of these cuts will keep us from answering the call,” Judd said.

FYI — As for the underwear, it’s about $2.50 for briefs and $4.50 for boxers. The choice is up to the inmates.

“We give our inmates choices at our jail,” he said.

The new underwear rule will breeze into effect Aug. 1st.
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June 4, 2011

PALM BAY / WINTER HAVEN: 4 Teens Arrested for Posting Beatings Online

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

While the Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog regularly reports on the latest legal trends throughout the State of Florida, I sure hope this doesn’t become the latest Florida trend: beating people up and posting videos online.

PALM BAY

Two (2) 15-year-old teens were arrested in Palm Bay after police were tipped to a video of them beating another teen unconscious, according to TCPalm.

April 11, 2011

GAINESVILLE: Two (2) More Gators Arrested — This Time for Felony Burglary

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

According to an online story this morning on TampaBay.com

March 30, 2011

Illinois: Angry Man Kills His Brother’s Cat Over Affair and Send Him the Photo to Prove It

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

A disturbing story in last week’s Chicago Tribune details a “brotherly love” episode (involving an affair, a dead cat and text messaged photos) gone wrong:

Enraged after his older brother had an affair with his fiancee, an Illinois man killed his brother’s cat, then texted him a photo of it along with the message: “This is what you did to me.”

Sean Mulcahy, 31, of Homer Glen, pleaded guilty to a Felony Animal Cruelty charge Wednesday, telling Judge Edward Burmila he was “sorry” for slitting the throat of his brother’s cat Lucifer in August. Will County sheriff’s police found the cat in a ditch across the street from the Homer Glen home where Mulcahy lived with his brother Ryan, 33. Police also found a pool of blood in the driveway.The Mulcahy brothers had been fighting August 5th when Ryan Mulcahy received a text message with a picture of his bloodied pet around 4:50 a.m., according to court records. Police arrested Sean Mulcahy when he returned to the home about three (3) hours later.That same day, Ryan Mulcahy took out an order of protection against his brother Sean for himself and his 9-year-old son, writing that “based on this degree of Animal Cruelty I am in fear of my life and my family.” The order has since expired.

February 19, 2011

OAKLAND PARK: Man Arrested for Sexually Assaulting a Dog!! WTF?

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

BEWARE: This story, reported in the south Florida Sun-Sentinal is bizarre and twisted and may be inappropriate for those that love animals. OK. You’ve been warned.

A 40-year-old man has been arrested on a charge of Sexually Assaulting his roommate’s dog in Oakland Park, Florida according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

Tomas Bautista, of Oakland Park, was taken into custody Thursday evening, on one (1) count of Animal Cruelty, a Third-Degree Felony, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Dani Moschella. However, as I learned when handling another disturbing man-on-dog sexual abuse case (while at the Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office) Florida is one of about a dozen states with no law specifically banning sex with animals.

The 3-year-old female Chihuahua mix, named Mimi, is recovering, said her owner, Clemente Velasquez, 67, on Friday afternoon. After being treated by a veterinarian, “she is now just lying down on the sofa,” Velasquez said. “She’s not happy like she normally is.”According to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Velasquez, who is Bautista’s roommate, arrived home Thursday and found Bautista drunk. He told him to go to bed, but Bautista instead went to the backyard. Mimi (the dog) followed him outside.

Soon after, Velasquez heard Mimi yelp, so he grabbed a flashlight and ran outside. He saw his dog running from Bautista and found Bautista passed out with his pants down.

Mimi was bleeding, so Velasquez notified authorities and took her to the Coral Springs Animal Hospital.On Friday afternoon, Bautista was in Broward’s main jail on $2,500 bond.

Hopefully, if no one has done so yet, this story will be posted on www.pet-abuse.com
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January 16, 2011

ST. PETE: Woman Arrested for Battery on a Police Horse

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

According to a story on BayNews9.com, the St. Petersburg Police Deaprtment (SPPD) arrested a woman who they said slapped a police horse on the nose early Saturday morning.

According to reports, the police officer was trying to control crowds in the 100 block of First Avenue North in downtown St. Petersburg, at about 3:00 a.m., when Stephanie Six, 29, slapped the horse.Police said Six also “pushed off against the horse with her other hand.”

After she was released from the Pinellas Couny Jail Sunday, Six called in to Bay News 9 to tell her side of the story.

Six said her and a group of friends were leaving Durty Nelly’s in downtown St. Petersburg when a police officer told them to leave.

According to Six, she didn’t understand why and continued to wait for one of her friends (who was in an altercation and later tased) which is when the two officers came in on their horses.

“A horse was literally right in my face all of a sudden, so I put my hand up into his face as a reaction,” she said. “They’re saying I slapped this horse when that’s not the case. I was basically getting it out of my face. I just moved his face out of my face, I did not hit him.”Six was arrested and charged with Battery on a Police Horse, a First Degree Misdemeanor in the State of Florida.
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