Georgia Criminal Defense Blog

Matthew Gantz, a 41-year-old drama teacher at Cherokee High School in Canton, has been arrested after two students alleged that Gantz had a sexual relationship with them. According to a news report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Gantz was arrested after allegations from a former student that he sexually assaulted her beginning in 2007 when the victim was 17. A second person came forward later with similar allegations.

Gantz was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a person in custody and one count of tampering with evidence. With the second girl coming forward, police filed three additional counts of sexual assault against the teacher. The second victim says she had a sexual relationship with Gantz in 2005 when she was a student at the high school. After his arrest, Gantz reportedly resigned his teaching job at the school, which he has held since 1998.

If you are facing a sex crime charge in Georgia, you are also facing serious consequences. A sex crime charge is a stain on your reputation. In this case, the teacher resigned right away after his arrest even before the charges could be proved in a court of law. Although a defendant in a criminal case is innocent until proven guilty, society doesn’t quite look at it that way.

You need a skilled Atlanta sex crimes defense attorney who can thoroughly investigate your case and listen to your side of the story. If convicted of a sex crime, you are facing a lengthy prison term, monetary fines and mandatory registration as a sex offender with State and local law enforcement agencies for the rest of your life. If you are facing a sex crime charge, please call a skilled sex crime defense attorney at Conaway & Strickler. We will fight to protect your legal rights. Our goal is to keep you out of jail. Call us today for a free consultation.

Posted by Conaway, Strickler & Margolis, P.C. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Sex Crime Defense

Bookmark:

Atlanta Police have arrested Khari Troutman in connection with a violent home invasion robbery that shocked a Decatur neighborhood. According to a Fox News report, Troutman faces several charges including armed robbery and kidnapping. Police officials say Troutman and at least two other men attacked Suzanne Ledet and her children as she pulled into her driveway.

The assailants reportedly beat her and tied her up. But Suzanne Ledet was able to escape as the assailants tried to force her husband, Sterling, to give them money. Troutman was taken into custody during a routine traffic stop. Police say they have evidence that Troutman was involved in this home invasion robbery attempt.

Armed robbery is considered a violent crime in the State of Georgia. Even when the robbery is not committed with an actual firearm or weapon, a defendant may be charged with armed robbery. Georgia Code 16-8-41 states that “person commits the offense of armed robbery when, with intent to commit theft, he or she takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another by use of an offensive weapon, or any replica, article, or device having the appearance of such weapon.”

Continue reading "Atlanta Police Arrest Suspect In Decatur Home Invasion" »

Posted by Conaway, Strickler & Margolis, P.C. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Theft Crimes

Bookmark:

Atlanta Falcons safety Lawyer Milloy was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, according to this news report. Gwinnet County Sheriff’s Department officials said Milloy was arrested hours after the Falcons’ 24-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Milloy faces suspension from the National Football League for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The Falcons are not going to take any action against Millou until the case has been decided in the courts.

Whether it’s an average Joe or an NFL star, DUI charges present serious consequences. If you are facing a drunk driving charge, you could lose your livelihood. Your driver’s license can be suspended or revoked. In Georgia, a DUI could be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the driver’s level of intoxication and whether there were any injuries and/or fatalities involved in the incident that led to your arrest.

If you have been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Georgia, you have 10 business days from the date of your DUI arrest to properly request an Administrative Law Hearing from the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety. If you don’t schedule this hearing, you are looking at a license suspension. Also remember that this is an appearance separate from the one you make in court with regard to your citation.

This is a complicated legal process into which you should not venture alone. If you have been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, please call an experienced and knowledgeable Atlanta DUI defense attorney at Conaway & Strickler for a free consultation.

Posted by Conaway, Strickler & Margolis, P.C. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: DUI Defense

Bookmark:

According to a September 9th, 2008 article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, convicted killer James Sullivan is seeking to revisit a 2006 decision that sentenced him to life in jail. The salacious 1987 story of how Sullivan supposedly hired a hit-man to murder his wife at the time, Lita Sullivan, at her Buckland, Georgia Townhouse, captured the nation's attention. According to the prosecution, Sullivan paid a man $25,000 to court and then kill his wife. After making bail, Sullivan escaped the U.S. and fled to Thailand, where he lived in exile for nearly 18 years, before being brought back into custody here in Georgia for murder.

Many of the prosecution's original claims partially rested on testimony given by an FBI agent named Johnny Turner, who had a long history of fraud and polygraph test failures. But even after Turner's testimony was eliminated, the parties in the original case judged that there was enough evidence to convict Sullivan regardless.

Regardless of how the Georgia Supreme Court rules on Sullivan’s appeal, there is no doubt in the minds of those who have followed the proceedings closely over the years that the trial will mesmerize the state and national media once again.

If you've been charged with a serious state or federal crime, you need a veteran Georgia criminal defense attorney to review your options and strategize a best defense ASAP. Trust the law firm of Conaway & Strickler, PC, to provide top-notch representation. Conaway & Strickler have worked as assistant district attorneys, appeared as experts on numerous national television programs, taught at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and generated excellent results for Georgia defendants over their many decades of service. Call or e-mail today for a free consultation regarding your matter, or peruse www.conawayandstrickler.com for more detailed information.

Posted by Conaway, Strickler & Margolis, P.C. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Violent Crimes

Bookmark: