On behalf of Jacquelyn Ford Law, P.C. posted in Violent Crimes on Thursday, July 23, 2015.

Not everyone is happy to hear that a girlfriend or wife is pregnant. However, few of those people resort to planning to murder her and the unborn child. One Oklahoma man’s plot to hire a co-worker to kill his former girlfriend and her unborn child has landed him in prison for 20 years.

The 31-year-old man said that depression led him to make a choice that he now regrets. He was reportedly crying as he apologized to the woman who later discovered that he was not even the child’s father. However, at the time she found out she was pregnant, she believed he was, and when she told him that she was pregnant, the two agreed that she would get an abortion. However, she later changed her mind.

This led the Oklahoma man to devise a plot to kill her with ricin, a toxin that is highly dangerous and lethal. In fact, he also expressed his regret to two police officers and their families who were exposed to the poison. He hid it in the back of the police car he was in at the time of his arrest, which occurred because his co-worker contacted the FBI regarding his plans.

When the charge of solicitation of murder was first filed, the man faced the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison. However, when he recently pleaded guilty to the charge, the court imposed a sentence of 20 years. The prosecution had requested his sentence to be 30 years, but the court did not agree. Being incarcerated for 20 years may not seem like a victory, but when compared to spending life in prison, it may well be considered a favorable outcome.

Source: newsok.com, “Oklahoma man sentenced to 20 years in murder-for-hire plot”, Tim Talley, July 16, 2015

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On behalf of Jacquelyn Ford Law, P.C. posted in Violent Crimes on Monday, July 6, 2015.

Many Oklahoma residents assume that there are enough safeguards in place in the criminal justice system to ensure that an innocent man or woman will not end up behind bars. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Innocent people do end up being convicted of crimes — as serious as murder on occasion. They are entitled to vigorous representation to get that conviction overturned if the evidence supports that outcome.

In 2001, a man was killed outside a nightclub. The Oklahoma Innocence Project (OIP) says that the person convicted of the man’s death was sent to prison for life without the chance of parole. Purportedly, his conviction was based on false testimony and mishandled evidence. Attorneys with OIP also claim that prosecutors withheld information from the man’s defense counsel that could have cleared him.

The man’s attorneys are asking the court to overturn his conviction based on new evidence. Apparently, the man was not even at the club the night of the killing. Three individuals could verify that he was at home, but for some reason, that evidence was not presented in court during the original criminal proceedings. OIP also notes that DNA evidence does not match the incarcerated man, evidence was improperly handled by more than one law enforcement agency and witnesses lied on the stand.

It remains to be seen whether the court will decide to overturn the conviction in this murder case. If it does, the man could be set free. Everyone is entitled to the best defense possible when accused of a crime, and sometimes, that defense does not stop after a conviction and sentencing. Even though it will most likely take time, correcting an injustice is always worth the wait.

Source: kfor.com, “Group asking court to reverse the conviction of Oklahoma man accused of murder“, Dallas Franklin, July 1, 2015

Related Posts: Alleged domestic violence lands Oklahoma man in jail, Oklahoma man faces death penalty for murder of his family, Domestic violence charges filed against Oklahoma City officer, Domestic violence charges filed against Oklahoma City man

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On behalf of Jacquelyn Ford Law, P.C.

A very interesting study was released recently about violent crimes and the way that an individual’s genetic makeup could play a role in these violent acts. Researchers found that there are two key genes that seem to dictate, at least in part, how violent crimes come about. The researchers said these two genes could be blamed for 5-10 percent of violent crimes in Finland.

The two genes are called MAOA and CDH13, and they are linked to dopamine regulation and impulse control, respectively. Any genetic mutations dealing with these genes could cause someone to be more prone to committing violent acts. Indeed, the study says that variants of MAOA and CDH13 were linked with “extremely violent behavior.” Given what these genes deal with, this should come as no surprise.

Researchers were quick to note, though, that violent acts and the crimes related to these acts are complex. There are many factors that go into someone exhibiting violent behavior, and their are many factors that go into the actual situation where a violent act is committed.

Still, this is an interesting bit of information that helps us better understand what causes some people to act out in a more violent manner than others.

Violent crimes often carry extensive consequences, and the obvious gruesome connotation that a violent crime has can cause the person being accused of the crime to be put in a tough situation. Anyone dealing with a charge relating to a violent offense needs legal representation to protect their rights.

Source: CBS News, “Two genes may contribute to violent crime, study says,” Agata Blaszczak-Boxe, Oct. 29, 2014