Tennessee reports good numbers for drunk driving in 2013
Each year, every state starts out with a clean slate. All the tallies that count the unsavory acts that human beings are capable of doing to each other are dialed back to zero. The hope is that the new year will bring a better result in all the bad categories and a better result in
Circumstantial Evidence was Sufficient to Prove Child Abuse
In Tennessee, circumstantial evidence alone may be enough to convict someone of a crime, as long as the evidence is convincing beyond a reasonable doubt. In the recent case of State v. Lambright, M2012-02538-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn.Crim.App. 1-7-2014), the Court of Criminal Appeals found the circumstantial evidence sufficient to sustain jury verdicts of guilt of aggravated child abuse. In the Lambright case,
New Year’s Day police chase ends with drunk driving charge
Tennessee police recently apprehended a woman after a police chase. In the process of fleeing, the woman crashed into another car. Police then proceeded to arrest her on a drunk driving charge. The altercation started when authorities clocked a car, driven by a woman, driving approximately 20 mph above the speed limit. When authorities tried to pull
Young man facing felony DUI after brush with FBI
A routine traffic stop in Tennessee recently ended up being much more than authorities bargained for. They pulled a man over for what they believed to be a routine DUI and ended up booking him on a felony DUI. More federal charges may be forthcoming. Authorities pulled the man over on suspicion of DUI, which
Army captain charged with vehicular homicide, killing private
An Army captain was recently charged with multiple DUI-related charges in a fatal crash in Tennessee. According to authorities, he hit and killed an army private who was on foot at the time. The captain then allegedly fled the scene. He now faces vehicular homicide, among other charges. Though it was not immediately clear why the
Invocation of Right to Counsel Must Be Unequivocal
When a person invokes a right to counsel, a pending criminal interrogation must stop unless the person initiates further conversation with the police. But to be effective, an invocation of the right to counsel must be unequivocal. An equivocal reference to counsel, whether made before or after being advised of constitutional rights, does not require the interrogation
Invocation of Right to Counsel Must Be Unequivocal
When a person invokes a right to counsel, a pending criminal interrogation must stop unless the person initiates further conversation with the police. But to be effective, an invocation of the right to counsel must be unequivocal. An equivocal reference to counsel, whether made before or after being advised of constitutional rights, does not require the interrogation
1 dead, 4 injured, man charged with vehicular homicide
A man was involved in a fatal crash in Tennessee recently. According to authorities, he was crossing a bridge and in an attempt to pass a slower vehicle, he drove his pickup truck across the center lane and into oncoming traffic, causing him to collide head-on with another vehicle. The three occupants traveling inside that
Vehicular homicide and more charged against Tennessee man
A man was involved in a fatal crash in Tennessee recently. According to authorities, he was speeding when he failed to stop at a stop sign, which prompted him to collide with another vehicle. The man driving the second vehicle suffered serious injuries and unfortunately was pronounced dead on the scene. The first man has
Counsel Not Ineffective For Not Using an Expert Witness
Ineffective assistance of counsel in the original trial or appeal is an often asserted claim when people convicted of crimes are attempting to gain retrials through the statutory post-conviction process. Because effective assistance of counsel in a criminal trial and direct appeal is a constitutional right, having ineffective counsel during those proceedings is a constitutional