Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Why Do People Make False Domestic Violence Allegations?
Statistics from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with scientific studies, estimate that the total number of false allegations of crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault to be somewhere between 2 and 10 percent. The myth that a large portion of reported accusations are false is simply that – but at… Read More »
Boynton Beach Man Napping In Car Charged With 24 Counts Of Drug Possession
Sometimes, life just catches up with a person. In February 2022, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBCSO) got a call about a suspicious vehicle, and upon checking it out, found a young Boynton Beach man asleep in the car, with “pills … in plastic baggies” and other drug paraphernalia in plain view. Upon… Read More »
What Is Domestic Strangulation?
There are quite a few ways that a person can commit domestic violence, but Florida state law recognizes a specific crime of domestic battery by strangulation, because it is seen as such a potentially dangerous offense. If you have been accused of this offense, know that while there are defenses, it will generally take… Read More »
Mitigating Circumstances In Florida Drug Cases
When someone is arrested and charged with a drug offense in Florida, the charge is serious even if it is a misdemeanor. The state has some of the harshest drug laws in the country, and state’s attorneys prosecute most crimes involving drugs particularly harshly (these offenses are seen as damaging society as a whole,… Read More »
Domestic Violence In Lake Magdalene Leads To Murder-Suicide
In January 2022, a sheriff’s investigation in Hillsborough County led to the discovery of a deceased woman’s body in the back of a Jeep, which was parked in front of a home in Lake Magdalene. The deceased was the wife of her alleged abuser, who was later found dead of what authorities later called… Read More »
Florida Legislature Ready To Crack Down On Kratom
In early January 2022, the Florida legislature advanced a potential bill aimed at regulating the herbal supplement known as kratom. Kratom comes from a type of tree, native to Southeast Asia, and kratom products are used primarily as alternatives to certain classes of pharmaceuticals, particularly opiates. If this bill passes, the sale of kratom… Read More »
Winter Park Police Chief Arrested On Domestic Violence Charges
In January 2022, Winter Park police chief Michael Deal was arrested on domestic violence charges after an argument with his wife. Their two daughters were present, and supported their mother’s version of events in which Deal attempted to leave the home after the argument had deescalated. Deal stated that he had attempted to “get… Read More »
Florida Lawyer Caught Trying To Smuggle Drugs Into Jail
In early January 2022, a Palm Beach attorney was arrested after trying to smuggle cocaine-soaked papers, disguised as legal documents, into the county jail. The attorney turned himself in, and was later released on bond after being charged with trafficking in cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and ‘introduction of contraband into a county facility.’ While… Read More »
Ex-NFL Player Faces 2 Felony Charges After Alleged Domestic Violence
In mid-November 2021, former Vanderbilt and NFL running back Zac Stacy was arrested on charges of domestic battery and criminal mischief after security cameras caught him beating the mother of his child. Stacy turned himself in, and was able to post bail after being charged. As of this writing, he remains free, but the… Read More »
Defenses To Florida Drug Charges
Florida drug laws are some of the strictest in the United States, imposing significant sentences even for low-level offenses. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to argue in your own defense. An affirmative defense is an argument that effectively destroys the prosecution’s case, even if all of the allegations in the… Read More »