Domestic Violence

Published on: November 26, 2018

Florida Dating Violence Lawyers :: 49ers Linebacker Foster arrested for Domestic Violence in Tampa

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A member of the San Francisco 49ers was arrested Saturday night in Tampa and charged with domestic violence.

Reuben Foster, a 24-year-old linebacker out of Alabama, was taken into custody just after 9 p.m. at the team hotel, the Grand Hyatt Hotel on 2900 Bayport Drive.

The 49ers played the Buccaneers Sunday at 1 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium. The team announced Sunday morning that it would be releasing Foster.

According to the arrest report, Foster and a 28-year-old woman were involved in a verbal altercation.

The alleged victim, who was Foster’s former girlfriend, stated that during the altercation Foster slapped her phone out of her hand, pushed her in the chest area, and slapped her with an open hand on the right side of her face.

Officers allegedly observed a one inch scratch on the woman’s left collar bone.

During the investigation officers learned that Foster and the victim lived together in the past and they were involved in an on-again-off-again relationship over the past three years.

Foster was charged with one count of first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence and booked into the Hillsborough County Jail. Foster was given a $2,000 bond and no contact order with his ex-girlfriend.

The 49ers’ 1st-round draft pick last year, Foster was charged with domestic violence after an arrest last year and was suspended for two games earlier this season due to those charges.

Domestic violence is classified as any violentaction that is committed against a family or household member.Family or household members can include:

Spouses or former spouses
Parents, children, stepchildren, and other family members
Those who share or formerly shared a common dwelling
Those who have a child together
Those who share a blood relationship through a child
Those who have dated

Published on: July 18, 2018

Former Plant City HS Quarterback Charged with Domestic Battery

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A former standout high school quarterback in Tampa Bay is out on bond after being accused of beating his ex-girlfriend.

The 29-year-old is facing domestic battery charges in connection with an incident in Key West earlier this month involving his girlfriend at the time.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the man attacked the woman in their hotel room after reading text messages on her phone.

He is accused of punching her several times and knocking her to the ground and stomping on her throat.

The man was released on a $50,000 bond.

After being arrested for domestic battery, it is absolutely vital to the outcome of your case to seek expert legal defense as soon as possible. Domestic battery is a serious crime that involves the harm of a household or family member.

Domestic cases are very sensitive in nature, and all too often involve false accusations as a result of relationship problems. Untruthful statements may be made out of anger, and when police are brought into the matter, there is usually always an arrest made for domestic battery.

Published on: March 8, 2018

Hillsborough County Deputy Charged with Domestic Battery After Altercation with Wife

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested Tuesday after officials claim she got into a physical altercation with her wife.

The alleged incident happened on March 3 at their home.

The alleged 29-year-old victim told officials that her 29-year-old wife forcibly restrained her, causing minor injuries, several times that day after they got into two arguments.

According to the report, the couple first got into a verbal argument which turned physical. The deputy is accused of forcibly restraining the woman by pinning her down against her will in the upstairs bedroom..

The argument subsided and the woman left their home.

Later that evening, the couple got into another argument where the deputy allegedly forcibly restrained her wife several times. According to the report, the deputy first pushed her wife up against their living room wall, then again in their bedroom, and later pressed the victim’s forearm against her neck causing a restriction in air flow.

According to the report, the wife tried to fight back and received minor bruising to her jaw line, wrist and arms.

The wife contacted the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on March 6 to report the incidents.

Officials said the deputy admitted to the alleged actions and was arrested and charged with battery by strangulation, domestic violence battery, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

She was also relieved of duty without pay pending an internal review.

A domestic violence or domestic battery conviction can leave you facing serious consequences. You could end up losing your job, your family and spending time behind bars. When the police come to your house and accuse or arrest you for domestic battery, you know that you’re in for an uphill battle.

Published on: September 19, 2016

St. Pete Police Officer Arrested for Domestic Battery

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A St. Petersburg police officer has been charged with domestic battery.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the man was arrested Monday following an altercation with his live-in girlfriend.

The alleged incident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The man was arrested Sunday.

Published on: June 10, 2016

Violent Crime Up In Flagler County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The good news is that overall crime is down in Flagler County, but the bad news is that violent crime is up in many categories.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Uniform Crime Report, the rates of rape, aggravated assault, burglaries and stolen vehicles all increase in 2015. There was also one murder in the county, up from zero in 2014.

Flagler County’s sheriff says his deputies have managed to keep the crime rate low for a long time. And despite increases in key categories, the overall crime rate is still down .6 percent.

The increase has been blamed on population growth. In the last four years, the county’s population has grown by about 10 percent.

The sheriff said whenever they start to see a spike in crime in specific areas, they flood the zones with patrols.

Statewide, crime is also up in several categories, although overall crime is down 1.6 percent.

In 2015, the crime rates rose in the following categories:

Murder: 5.7 percent
Rape: 6.1 percent
Fondling: 2.0 percent
Aggravated Assault: 3.9 percent
Motor vehicle Theft: 12.4 percent

The report also breaks down domestic violence-related crime by category. Overall, domestic violence-related crime is up .5 percent.

Published on: April 28, 2016

Former Miami-Dade Mayor Charged in Domestic Dispute

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A former Miami-Dade County police director and mayor is facing a domestic violence-related charge following a fight with his longtime girlfriend.

A Coral Gables police report claims the man turned himself in Wednesday, and he was charged with battery.

The arrest report describes that the man’s girlfriend went to his home Saturday to return a cat, and the two began to argue. The woman told police that the man grabbed her by both arms and pinned her against a wall. The report accuses the man of yelling profanities at the woman and spitting at her.

Investigators said the woman’s injuries were consistent with her statement.

The woman and her teenage daughter told police a pattern of domestic violence had developed since 2013, according to reports.

If you have been accused of domestic violence, the best thing you can do to help your case is to get an attorney involved now. Time is of the essence when it comes to these cases. Prosecutors file charges very quickly in regards to domestic disputes, so it is important that an investigation is conducted as soon as possible so that the best defense strategy can be applied. Each case is unique and varies based on facts specific to the case. However, it is best to not delay in obtaining legal representation so that your chances of reducing the charges or obtaining a favorable outcome is not compromised.

It is impossible to predict what will happen with your case without knowing the facts. Punishment varies in each case and depends on whether there are any prior offenses, the extent of any injuries, whether there were any weapons involved, the conduct alleged, whether physical or verbal violence occurred, including making a criminal threat or stalking.

Published on: February 24, 2015

Kurt Busch Accused of Smashing Ex’s Head into Wall

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Kurt Busch is accused of smashing his ex-girlfriend’s head against his motor home wall Sept. 26 at Dover International Speedway, according to the conclusions of a Kent County (Del.) family court commissioner who granted the woman’s request for a protective order last week.

Busch is scheduled to race Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, where he is slated to start 24th in the Daytona 500.

NASCAR has not disciplined Busch at this time. The organization is waiting for the findings and for a possible decision by the Delaware attorney general’s office on whether charges will be filed for the alleged Sept. 26 assault.

“The Court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that, on September 26, 2014, Respondent [Busch] committed an act of domestic violence against Petitioner by manually strangling her by placing his left hand on her throat, while placing his right hand on her chin and face and smashing her head into the wall of his motorhome,” commissioner David Jones wrote in his findings and conclusions.

As part of his decision, Jones requires for Busch “to be evaluated by a licensed mental health professional” and complete any further steps for treatment that person recommends.

Busch apparently told police that his ex entered his motor home uninvited, adding that they had broken up a week earlier, and that he cupped her face with his hands while repeatedly asking her to leave.

Jones released his opinion last week, stating that he believes the ex-girlfriend’s version of the events that night was more credible. He added that Busch’s version of events does not make sense and does not match up with the evidence.

Busch has asked Jones to reconsider the ruling.

Domestic violence refers to any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment or any criminal offense that results in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another family or household member.

Domestic violence cases in Florida are usually very sensitive cases that are highly fueled by emotion. These types of cases usually have increased public and media attention, especially when involving a celebrity. A conviction for domestic violence also carries minimum mandatory sentencing, so these cases need to be treated very carefully by an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Even if you have no previous criminal record, you need to have a defense attorney fighting in your corner.

Published on: November 17, 2014

Overall Crime Rate Down Across the State of Florida

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Our criminal defense lawyers at Whittel & Melton are very pleased to announce that, according to Governor Rick Scott, Florida is on a path to a 44-year crime low.

The actual number of crimes across the Sunshine State is showing that crime rate is steadily on the decline.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has released its numbers for the first half of 2014, which shows there were more than 8,000 fewer crimes committed in the first six months of this year than in that same time period in 2013.

However, while the number of non-violent crimes is down, including robbery, burglary and stalking, the number of murders, forcible sex offenses, aggravated assaults and domestic violence are all on the rise.

In Central Florida, most of the counties are in line with the overall report, seeing a drop in criminal activity across the board.

The biggest decline occurred in Flagler County, with crime dropping nearly 11 percent. Sumter County actually saw the biggest rise in crime, with an increase of 2.4 percent.

Published on: April 23, 2014

Florida Shows Alleged Decrease in Crime in Broward and Palm Beach Counties

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

According to reports released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Wednesday, crime in Broward and Palm Beach counties took a plunge in 2013 and stayed in line with the state’s total decrease in criminal offenses.

In its 2013 Annual Uniform Crime Report, the state agency concludes that criminal activity, ranging from rapes and murders to robberies and burglaries, have steadily dropped in Florida over the past five years.

The overall crime rate fell by about seven percent in Broward County. With that said, the report relays that there were 46 more forcible rapes in 2013 compared to 2012. The biggest category of crimes to drop was robberies, decreasing by about 13 percent.

In Palm Beach County, the overall crime rate plunged by about three percent in 2013. Conversely, there were nearly 100 more vehicle thefts than in 2012.

FDLE computed the same number of murders in 2012 and 2013 in both counties — 80 in Broward and 74 in Palm Beach.

When you are charged with a crime in Florida, the consequences can be devastating. Criminal charges have the ability to haunt you for the rest of your life, sometimes going as far as limiting your ability to find a job, own or rent a home and even maintain or build new relationships. Even if you do not serve any jail time, a criminal conviction can still negatively impact your life.

A criminal investigation can progress rather quickly. What you may think is nothing right now could lead to your arrest tomorrow. The sooner you involve a criminal lawyer with your charges, the better the outcome for you. A South Florida Criminal Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton can thoroughly analyze every aspect of your case and begin evaluating possible defenses and strategies right away. From early on, we will look for ways to help you avoid a criminal conviction.

We handle all of the following types of criminal cases, including:

Sex offenses, including rape, child molestation, child pornography, prostitution, indecent exposure, child abuse and sexual assault
Drug crimes, including possession, sale, distribution, grow house and trafficking
Violent crimes, including kidnapping, burglary, assault, battery, robbery, domestic violence, murder, manslaughter and weapons charges
White Collar Crimes, such as Internet crimes, fraud, forgery, identity theft and RICO
Juvenile Offenses
DUI Charges, including DUI Manslaughter and DUI Serious Bodily Injury

Published on: March 10, 2014

Orlando Criminal Defense Attorney :: U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson will Not Face Charges in Domestic Incident

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A spokeswoman for the Florida Democrat announced that U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida will not be charged in a domestic incident involving his wife.

A judge granted a temporary protective injunction against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson after his wife filed paperwork accusing the Orlando congressman of shoving and injuring her during an incident earlier this month.

Lolita Grayson’s petition for the injunction claimed her husband pushed her against a door, causing her to fall to the ground, during a confrontation on March 1 at their home on Oak Park Road near Windermere.

The incident came just less than two months after Lolita Grayson filed a divorce petition stating that their marriage of nearly 24 years was “irretrievably broken.”

Rep. Grayson was first elected to Congress in 2008 but lost his 2010 re-election bid.

He ran again in 2012 and won.

Domestic violence accusations are not taken lightly by police and prosecutors. These serious allegations can ruin a person’s reputation and take away their freedom. Being wrongly accused of committing acts of domestic violence can significantly impact an innocent person’s life forever. A conviction for domestic violence or a related crime carries devastating penalties, including jail or prison time, probation, fines, loss of contact with loved ones, impact on child custody and visitation rights and will leave a permanent stain on your criminal record. These cases are prosecuted quite aggressively and charges can still be pursued even if a victim declines to press charges.