Articles Posted in Murder

In a recent California appellate case (case number G047199), a gang member lost an appeal of his 50 years to life sentence for first-degree murder. The gang member’s initial conviction was aided in part by 3D printing technology that helped match the gang member’s gun with the bullet retrieved from the victim’s body.

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In 2003, 15 year-old gang member Jaime Guadalupe Gonzalez shot and killed rival gang member Juan Carlos Cena on an Anaheim street corner. Gonzalez fled the scene with an accomplice, Ricardo Castaneda, while Cena died at the scene. Over a year later, Gonzalez’s mother found the firearm, a .38 caliber handgun, and turned it over to police. At the time, experts found that a screwdriver or a similar object was used to scratch the surface of the barrel so severely that ballistics tests done on Gonzalez’s weapon were inconclusive. When questioned by police, Gonzalez did not admit to his role in Cena’s death to police.

If you plan a robbery and someone dies, you can be convicted of murder even if you did not take part in the robbery. In a recent court of appeals case, California affirmed a lower court’s decision to convict the mastermind behind a robbery in which the victim fatally shot one of the robbers.

If you are facing murder charges, you should contact a skilled criminal defense attorney with extensive knowledge of the law and the charges against you. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of experience helping persons accused of murder get the best possible outcome in their case.

People v. Johnson

If you are accused of murder in Orange County, it could take more than six years for your case to go to trial.

Iftekar Murtaza is accused of plotting and carrying out the murder of the father and sister of his former girlfriend. In addition, he is accused of attacking her mother and setting her family home on fire by dousing it with gasoline. If he is found guilty he could face the death penalty.

Murtaza was arrested in 2007 and he has been in custody for over six-and-a-half years waiting for his jury trial. Finally, it is set to start in an Orange County courthouse soon.

Why is George Zimmerman on trial for murder? We can only blame the Florida prosecutors pursuing the case if an acquittal results in violence.

As a criminal defense attorney with over 30 years of experience, I watched with great interest as George Zimmerman was arrested and accused of murdering Trayvon Martin. From the outset of this matter, it was clear to me that law enforcement personnel were not excited about Mr. Zimmerman’s arrest. It was evident that his actions constituted a case of self defense.

However, “political correctness” took precedence over good judgment, as the district attorney’s office charged Mr. Zimmerman with murder. Was the murder charge racially motivated by the two individuals’ different races? We will never know the answer to this question.

Murder cases are not easy to prove. In fact, prosecutors and the police do everything in their power to convince an accused person who is facing murder charges to make statements against their interest. Most persons accused of murder are wise and follow Wallin & Klarich’ s advise to “shut up, shut up, shut up” when the police want to speak to you.

In many high profile cases, the media are crawling around our office begging to get a statement from our client. That will never happen when we represent a client for a criminal case because we protect our client’s constitutional right to refuse to answer questions or testify against their interest. While the media’s job is to sell newspapers and obtain high ratings for their TV news programs, it is a Criminal Defense Attorney’s job to protect their client’s rights.

Jodi Arias’ Big Mistake

The consequences for any violent crime are severe, but the penalties for murder can be life ending. These cases can vary greatly in consequences, facts, and defenses. Because of their complexity, you need an experienced team to defend you. For over 30 years, the Los Angeles Murder Defense Attorneys from Wallin & Klarich have defended people just like you. We helped them and we can help you too.

What Is Murder?

Under California Penal Code section 187, the crime “murder” refers to the killing of another person with “malice aforethought.” Malice aforethought generally exists where you:

Facing a murder charge is possibly the hardest thing a person could ever do. The legal process combined with the stress, the worry, and the hopelessness can leave you feeling completely overwhelmed. If you are facing murder accusations, you need a team of experienced lawyers to defend you. With over 30 years of experience in the field, the Orange County Murder Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have the legal experience you need. Together we can get through this.

What is Murder?

Under California Penal Code section 187, “murder” is the killing of another person with malice aforethought. Malice aforethought means that you intended to: kill, seriously harm another, or engage in activities likely to result in either.

Because of the holding in People v Watson, you may be charged with second-degree murder under California Penal Code section 187.

You may be charged under the Watson murder rule if another person dies as a result of you driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

What the prosecution needs to convict you of a Watson Murder

Does a 10 year boy who kills his father and who was raised in an environment filled with neo-Nazi propaganda really know the difference between right and wrong? That is the decision a Riverside Superior Court judge must make in the murder trial of this young boy.

The defense showed photos during the trial of the boy holding a toy gun during a neo-Nazi gathering. The District Attorney admitted that the victim was a member of the National Socialist movement. However, he argued that the boy must be held accountable for the shooting of his father. The boy was quoted by his lawyer as saying “I thought if I shoot him maybe he won’t be able to hurt us.”

The judge must answer this question. If a boy is raised in a neo-Nazi home where hate and violence and racism were taught does that “excuse” the boys behavior when he uses those teachings to kill his own father? If you believe that the father taught the boy these things does that mean the boys conduct should be considered “excusable homicide”?