Practice Areas

• Accessory After the Fact
• Arson
• Assault & Battery
• Battery on a Peace Officer
• Assault with a Firearm
• Battery
• Assault with a Deadly Weapon
• Bail Review & Reduction
• Carrying a Concealed Weapon
• Child Endangerment
• Conspiracy
• Criminal Threats
• Domestic Violence
• Driving with A Suspended License
• Drug Possession
• Marijuana Possession for Sales
• Drug Possession for Personal Use
• Drug Possession for Sale
• DUI Defense
• I've been arrested for DUI. What happens to my Driver's License?
• DUI Under 21
• The 'Rising Blood Alcohol' Defense
• Attacking the Breath Test
• The "No Driving" Defense
• I've been arrested & cited for DUI? What happens next?
• Attacking the Blood Test
• Elder Abuse
• Embezzlement
• Expungements
• Hit and Run
• Housing Violations
• Juvenile Defense
• License Defense
• Nursing License Defense
• Murder
• Police Misconduct Litigation
• Pre-Filing Investigations
• Professional & Vocational License Defense
• Prostitution
• Public Intoxication
• Sex Crimes
• Indecent Exposure
• Solicitation of Prostitution
• Rape
• Theft Charges
• Robbery
• Purse Snatching
• Burglary
• Petty Theft
• Embezzlement
• Identity Theft
• Three Strikes Law
• Vacating Convictions
• Deportable Offenses: Vacating Your Guilty Plea to Avoid Deportation
• Vandalism
• Vehicular Manslaughter
• Warrant Recall
• Weapons Charges
• Witness Intimidation

Involuntary Manslaughter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww8kf32wJmo

I've been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter. What does the prosecutor have to show to prove my guilt?

1. You committed a crime that posed a high risk of death or great bodily injury because of the way you committed the act, or you committed a lawful act, but acted with criminal negligence;

AND

2. You unlawfully caused the death of another person.

The Michael Jackson death case presents interesting issues. The defense has a a good argument that Dr. Conrad Murray did not a criminal act by mere act of prescribing propofol. However, the prosecutor can argue that even if it was a lawful act, Murray acted with criminal negligence by prescribing and/or administering the drug to Jackson as a sleeping drug, when propofol is actually a surgical anesthetic.  The defense can argue it does not rise to the level of "criminal" negligence.  The defense may also be arguing that if Jackson administered the drug to himself, that Dr. Murray technically did not cause Jackson's death. If the defense can beat this element in trial, they can achieve acquittal.