By Martindale Hubbell for Law Offices of Paul Chatzky | Published February 4, 2014 | Posted in DNA Testing | Tagged Tags: building a criminal defense, DNA testing, Illinois criminal defense lawyer, Innocence Project | Leave a comment
Jonathan Barr was 15 years old when he and four other teenagers were accused of the gang rape-murder of a 14-year-old girl in Dixmoor in 1991. Interrogated for many hours without counsel or parents present, the defendants gave written statements. Although the DNA sample found on the girl’s body did not match the defendants’ samples, Read More
Read MoreWhen we go on line, most of us are unaware of just how visible we are and how easy it is for con artists and fraudsters to use information we provide to relieve us of our possessions or exploit our social connections. While nefarious hackers “phish” for information on the Web, numerous legitimate organizations, such Read More
Read MoreThe state of Illinois does not routinely provide counsel at bail hearings. Yet, the assistance of a lawyer could make the difference between a reasonable bail amount or a sum that you cannot hope to raise. If you are able to make bail, you can speak with your lawyers in their office instead of in Read More
Read MoreIn May of this year, trouble was brewing between two rival gangs in Evanston, Illinois and shots were fired into a playground. Police Chief Richard Eddington decided that a “stop and frisk” campaign to get illegal firearms off the streets was a necessary response to this dangerous situation. Pros and cons of a stop and Read More
Read MoreEvery state regulates the conduct of its drivers under the aegis of providing for the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. Recently, however, Illinois has included legislation aimed at parents and adult hosts, laying the responsibility for the supervision of their underage guests directly at their feet. Parent advisory: Do not give people under Read More
Read MoreIn a landmark case, a teenage driver was sentenced to one year in prison and a given a 15-year suspension of his license after he was convicted of running down a 55-year-old man while he was texting. Although he claimed that he was not texting at the time of the impact, the cell phone records Read More
Read MoreThe Rivers Casino in Des Plaines recently paid a fine of $25,000 for offering perks and cash advances to compulsive gamblers who had voluntarily placed themselves on a state-maintained list barring them from the casinos. Indeed, it is well-recognized that a gambler may find it very difficult to control the desire to gamble and thus Read More
Read MoreIllinois law bans texting while driving and other forms of distracted driving. The law rightly prohibits actions that cause visual, manual, or cognitive impairment to the driver. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous and is now one of the nation’s leading causes of auto accidents. However, not all perceived violations of the distracted driving laws are Read More
Read MoreIf you have been arrested, you could be facing years behind bars or serious monetary fines. Many aspects of your personal freedom may be at stake. Sometimes, defendants make the mistake of representing themselves in court or waiting until the last minute to hire an attorney. This can have a devastating impact on a criminal Read More
Read MoreWhen you are a criminal defendant, your courtroom behavior can have a big impact on the outcome of your case. This was certainly the case with NFL player Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson during a recent courtroom appearance. After Johnson patted his attorney on the rear end, the judge rejected his plea bargain and sentenced Johnson to Read More
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