Author Archives: Jay Butchko
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 »
“Greyson’s Law” Aims To Protect Children From Domestic Violence
In May 2021, the murder-suicide of a father and his four year old son made headlines, and understandably caused long-lasting trauma to the surviving mother and other family members. The father had allegedly been threatening the mother for years, but in April 2021, a judge denied the mother’s application for a domestic violence injunction… Read More »
Is Recreational Marijuana Legal In Florida?
As of this writing, there are 36 states and 4 territories in the United States that allow the use of medical marijuana under controlled oversight, while 18 states, 2 territories, and the District of Columbia allow nonmedical use of small amounts of marijuana. Florida currently has a medical marijuana program, but despite voters showing… Read More »
Domestic Violence Charges & Firearm Rights In Florida
Statistics reported by CBS News in 2020 estimate that approximately 35 percent of Florida’s adults live in homes where guns are present – ranking only 40th among U.S. states. However, those Floridians who own guns take the right to do so very seriously. The fact that it can be taken away can sometimes come… Read More »
What Is Constructive Possession?
When someone is stopped with drugs on their person, they can be charged with drug possession under Florida law in the overwhelming majority of cases. However, there is another type of “possession” that many do not understand. Constructive possession deals less with actually holding contraband in one’s hand or pockets, and more with having… Read More »
The Long-Term Consequences Of A Domestic Violence Conviction
Florida defines a crime of domestic violence as “any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death to a family or household member,” committed by another family or household member. If all the criteria to obtain a conviction are met, you may face not only jail time, fines, and costs, but also long-term social… Read More »
Entrapment As A Defense To Florida Drug Charges
In Florida, it is not uncommon to hear that a person has been ‘set up,’ particularly when it comes to drug charges. However, in rare cases, they may actually be telling the truth. Entrapment is a legal term for situations in which law enforcement gets an innocent person to commit a crime that they… Read More »