Murder

September 25, 2020

Grand Jury Indicts One of Three of Breonna Taylor’s Killers

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A day after one of the officers wrote an unhinged email expressing his contempt for anyone who might take issue with the fact that an innocent woman who worked saving lives and had no criminal record was senselessly murdered as she slept in her apartment, a grand jury is recommending charges against Brett Hankinson, the only officer who was relieved of duty.

Hankinson was scape-goated for wantonly firing rounds into Breonna Taylor’s residence, but it is not apparent that he did anything differently from the other officers. Neither does the grand jury’s recommendation address how easily police were able to get a warrant against Taylor without any material evidence of wrongdoing. Louisville has made “no-knock” warrants illegal even as police say they announced themselves prior to entry. Police believed Taylor was guilty of drug trafficking due to an association with an ex-boyfriend.

The City of Louisville announced they would be settling the Taylor family’s wrongful death lawsuit against the city for $12 million.

September 11, 2020

Analyzing Kyle Rittenhouse’s Defense Strategy

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

There is a lot of misinformation out there concerning Kyle Rittenhouse and the prospects of a conviction. The political lines are being drawn, with the left suddenly playing the role of prosecutor in an apparent role switch. The right, for reasons that ought to shock and appall, is rallying around Rittenhouse. So what is the deal?

What Law Did Rittenhouse Break?

Matters such as self-defense are questions that a jury will answer. They will determine, in accord with Wisconsin law, whether or not Rittenhouse is guilty of first-degree intentional murder, first-degree reckless homicide, and reckless endangerment.

September 9, 2020

Man Charged After Fatal Stabbing at Walgreens

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A growing trend in the American cityscape is workers at dollar store and drugstore chains getting assaulted and murdered during robbery attempts. These have resulted in several personal injury and wrongful death actions alleging that the chain stores don’t provide adequate security for their workers.

Just recently, an 18-year-old was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 32-year-old Olga Marie Calderon. She was on her shift at a Walgreens when 18-year-old Sincere Williams tried to rob the store with a knife.

Police say that Williams grabbed Calderon from behind by the neck as she was stocking shelves. She attempted to push him away, and Williams began stabbing her. By the time medics arrived at the scene, Calderon was already dead.

August 5, 2020

Suspect Arrested in Murder of 9-Year-Old

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

It was a case in which everything worked the way it was supposed to work. A 9-year-old was murdered, yes, but witnesses came forward to finger the gunman and help the police arrest a suspect.

It happened like this. A gunman rolled up on the 900 block of North Cambridge Street, got out of his car, and fired a gun at an intended target. He missed that target and ended up shooting a 9-year-old boy several times before the child died of his injuries.

According to the Alderman of this community\, the men involved in the dispute had known each other for over 50 years and a feud between them led to the shooting. The Alderman stated that neither man was a member of the community and that neither man lived in the row houses where the shooting took place.

July 10, 2020

Charges Brought in July 4th Murder of 7-Year-Old Girl

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Charges have been filed against Reginald Merrill, a 33-year-old Chicago man who is being blamed for the death of a 7-year-old girl. It is one of several deaths across the country that have people taking a harder look at gang violence across America’s cities.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered an impassioned plea to those responsible for this kind of violence. She said in a speech that she wanted us all to feel the loss of children dying at the hands of gang members who fire indiscriminately into crowds.

Merrill has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery.

June 12, 2020

The George Floyd Homicide

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A video captures a police officer kneeling on a man’s neck for nearly nine minutes. The man dies. The officer involved, Derek Chauvin, is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges prompting outrage that led to civil unrest all across the country. The medical examiner releases a report saying that George Floyd died of a number of factors including Chauvin’s knee and poor overall health.

The question of whether or not Chauvin “intended” to kill Floyd is now at the heart of this case. In this article, we will take a look at the charges, and discuss why folks are so angry over the judicial process.

Third-Degree Murder and Second-Degree Manslaughter

May 22, 2020

Serial Killer Investigated in Possible Connection to Slaying

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Clark Perry Baldwin was arrested just recently for his apparent ties to three murders of women in the 1990s. DNA evidence also tied Baldwin to a rape in Texas. Baldwin is accused of scouring America for women to rape and then murder. Most of the victims’ bodies were recovered in Wyoming and Tennessee.

Iowa police are looking at Baldwin as a likely serial suspect and have begun the process of connecting him to other unsolved slayings. Baldwin was a long-haul trucker, potentially leaving bodies all over the country.

Cold Cases are Getting a Second Look

May 15, 2020

The Ahmed Arbery Case

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

As we all know, the quarantine has reduced the crime rate quite a bit. In places like Georgia, where the stay-at-home order never really went into effect, some interesting (although infuriating) cases are still being prosecuted.

A father and son duo is charged with shooting and murdering an unarmed jogger by the name of Ahmed Arbery. Now that the case is in the news, it offers a rare insight into how things operate elsewhere in the country.

The two men charged with Arbery’s murder, Greg and Travis McMichael, appear to have ties to racist organizations like the KKK. However, two prosecutors have recused themselves from the case over ties to the McMichaels and a third stepped down for unknown reasons. McMichael was a former police officer and prosecutorial investigator.

April 15, 2020

Man on Parole for Shooting Accused of Murder

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

You do not need to have a law degree to know that shooting someone while on parole is a parole violation. Nonetheless, Kyle S. Carter was accused of this crime after a drug deal went sour at an Aldi grocery store on Chicago’s west side.

Carter has now been charged with first-degree murder, possession of more than 15 grams of cocaine, and armed robbery. If convicted, he will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.

What Happened?

April 8, 2020

Pregnant Chicago Teen Murdered After Testifying at Trial

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Treja Kelley was asked to take the stand against the man who had killed her cousin. After she helped the state secure a guilty verdict, a $5,000 bounty was placed on her head. A few months after she testified, Kelley was shot and killed. She was 18 years old, and she was pregnant.

The man who is accused of killing her, Kevarian Rogers, allegedly bragged about “nailing the girl” who testified against somebody. Rogers is now facing first-degree murder charges for the death of the young woman.

Social Media Posts Will be Used to Convict Him