Andrew D. Stine, P.A. - Florida Criminal Defence Attorney

John Goodman, founder of the International Polo Club Palm Beach, was found guilty of DUI Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicide in March of this year. While his case seemed to be resolved, his criminal defense attorneys were continuing to attempt to change the fate of Goodman's case by accusing several of the jury members of misconduct. This case continues to complicate, while Goodman still sits in a cell, convicted of drunkenly hitting another person's vehicle, sending that car careening into a canal where the victim drowned.

There have been a few mixed martial arts fighters making headlines in recent years for breaking the law. As the sport grows in popularity, so does the amount of media attention the athletes are forced to contend with. MMA Fighter Fernando Rodrigues was recently arrested and charged with several crimes after a road rage incident where he allegedly pistol-whipped another person in addition to punching and kicking him several times and putting him into a wrestling hold. Palm Beach Post covered the details of the confrontation after the victim spoke out to the public.

In the state of Florida, Florida’s Assault and Battery Law supplements domestic violence law. The difference is significant however because even though assault and battery are very specific in the crimes they cover, domestic violence is a specialized form of both in that the penalties are even more severe and the consequences are much more serious.

The West Palm Beach metropolitan area is the 13th most violent city in the country. There are many violent crimes committed in Palm Beach County and assault and battery are two of the most serious. Most people think "assault and battery" are the same offense but technically "assault" and "battery" are two distinct and separate crimes.

The long-term consequences of a domestic violence conviction can be very serious. Employers routinely conduct background checks of prospective employees and few would want to hire an employee who has a conviction for domestic violence. In Florida, landlords also conduct background checks because they could be liable for a civil lawsuit if they rent to a person with violent tendencies.

In 1993, Linda Cooney was acquitted for murdering her husband. Nearly 20 years later, Cooney is back in the media spotlight when police were called to another shooting in the Cooney’s Las Vegas household. Kevin Cooney, her son, 30, was shot in the neck. The shooter? Linda Cooney.

Whenever a police officer breaks the law, it usually makes headlines. The American audience is borderline desensitized to seeing news reports of battery and assault incidents, robberies, thefts, and the like. However, when a crime is committed by an officer of the law, it makes breaking news because we as a society depend on police to be the safety nets and model citizens of our communities. A police officer in Riviera Beach is experiencing scrutiny after pulling a Taser out on a 12-year-old boy.

Aggravated battery is the crime of intentionally causing harm to another person using a deadly weapon. A deadly weapon can be considered a firearm, a knife, or even a vehicle. In this case, the deadly weapons used were poles and sticks. Aggravated battery is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Stabbing is a serious crime as it can be deemed it court as assault with a deadly weapon or even attempted murder. These two crimes are both felonies but the sentences may vary depending on the circumstances of the crime. Also, stabbing may have residual charges depending on the situation as well. If the stabbing coincided with theft or robbery, the multiple charges could have a serious impact on the sentence and court proceedings. 

Domestic battery is an unfortunate but common occurrence. It often goes unreported to authorities because the victims fear retaliation. The victims also try to convince themselves that it is not a consistent pattern and the perpetrator will change. This mentality can lead to worse crimes. The article below discusses how a woman’s friends helped step in to prevent anything else happening from this domestic battery case.