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Little Rock Criminal Defense Law Blog

North Little Rock Police looking for murder suspect

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Violent Crimes on Friday, May 17, 2013.

When a heinous crime like murder is committed, it is extremely important for the perpetrator to be arrested and brought to trial. However, it is also important for the police to make sure that they have the right suspect. Even if a person, who did not commit the crime, is not convicted, the mere fact of being arrested for murder can have serious consequences on that person's life. It is therefore up to the police to help protect society, but also to make sure they are acting responsibly while doing so.

This holds true for a recent announcement by the North Little Rock Police Department, which stated that it is currently looking for a murder suspect, who police officers suspect might be in the Springfield area. The murder occurred at a gas station in North Little Rock when a man was shot and killed. The police department has warrants out for the suspect for both capital murder and firearms.

Arkansas teacher accused of having role in staged shooting

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, May 10, 2013.

A man who taught school in the Little Rock school system now faces several charges in connection with the shooting of another man who was at liberty on parole at that the time. Unlike a typical "shooting" case, the man who got shot wanted to have a bullet wound to his chest and had allegedly planned the whole thing with the teacher's help. Some reports say that the man wanted to get shot to gain the sympathy of a woman.

After investigating the shooting, police searched the teacher's home, where they claim they found the gun used in the incident, along with evidence of marijuana use. The teacher now faces charges of "furnishing a firearm to a convicted felon" and two drug charges. His continued status as a public school teacher is uncertain, as is whether he will mount a criminal defense or elect instead to negotiate a plea bargain.

An Arkansas drug raid leads to an arrest

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Drug Charges on Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

Criminal charges of any kind are a serious matter. When faced with criminal charges, it is important that you know your rights and responsibilities in dealing with these charges. The defense used is dependent on the crime charged with. Drug charges, like other criminal charges, have specific steps that must be taken by the prosecution and the defense when dealing with them.

In Forest City during a drug raid, a man was arrested after the cops allegedly found drug paraphernalia, a gun and some cash in his home. The 34-year-old man was initially charged with endangering a minor and for possession. Other charges may be cited upon further investigation by the authorities. The raid was the result of a properly executed search warrant, which allowed the police to legally enter and search the home where they found the purported illegal materials.

Arkansas man's terroristic act lands him in jail

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Felonies on Wednesday, April 24, 2013.

One of the biggest differences between a felony and a misdemeanor is the amount of punishment that is received. Felonies are those offenses where, upon conviction, a person could spend a more than a year in jail or could face the death penalty. Most misdemeanors do not carry with them substantial jail time upon conviction. Although possible incarceration is an important distinction between a misdemeanor and a felony, there are other differences that stand out. Felonies include the more serious, violent crimes of murder, aggravated assault and acts of terrorism.

A Benton, Arkansas man is being held on a $250,000 bond for emailing a threat to the police. The perpetrator faces a terrorism charge among other charges. According to reports, the man issued a threat to the police whereby he stated that he would kill one person each day until the police met his demands. The man demanded a large sum of money. Upon investigation, the police obtained a search warrant and found electronic devices and other things in the man's home.

Woman in Mountain Home Arkansas arrested for drugs

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Drug Charges on Thursday, April 18, 2013.

Any type of criminal charge needs to be taken seriously in Arkansas. The legal process begins when someone is arrested and charged with a crime. This starts the clock running, so to speak. Drug cases can seem to proceed especially fast, as the time between arrest and conviction or acquittal is crucial. Most drug charges can fall under either federal or state jurisdiction, depending on the charge and the circumstances of the case at hand. A drug charge can include drug distribution, drug possession, drug manufacturing, and drug trafficking. Each charge has to be proven in a court of law for conviction.

In early April, in Mountain Home, Arkansas, a young woman was arrested on drug charges after police found syringes and packages of white powder on her person. The 24-year-old woman was apparently witnessed screaming in a wooded area. In speaking with the woman, police found that her speech appeared to be slurred and that she was wobbly on her feet. The authorities deduced that she was under the influence of drugs. The woman was charged with public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine, a controlled substance.

Felony charge after dead man found in woman's trunk in Arkansas

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Felonies on Tuesday, April 9, 2013.

Most felony convictions carry with them substantial prison time as the penalty. This is especially true for violent crimes. It is important for our readers to keep in mind that there is a definite distinction between a felony and a misdemeanor. Felony charges carry much harsher punishments than misdemeanors.

In Mountain Home, Arkansas, a woman was recently arrested and charged with first degree murder. The woman was being held at a detention center in Baxter County on a $1 million bond. According to the reports, police allegedly discovered that the woman was driving around with a dead body in the trunk of the car. The police were alerted to this situation when a caller told authorities that the woman stated that she may have killed someone.

Arkansas man convicted for receiving online child pornography

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Federal Crimes on Thursday, April 4, 2013.

Most crimes, including most homicides, robberies, and sexual crimes, are prosecuted at the state level. Federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and federal crimes are typically those involving conduct that crosses state lines. Examples of federal crimes include many white collar crimes, computer-related crimes, wire or mail fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, interstate child abduction and online child pornography.

As an example of a federal criminal prosecution, an Arkansas man recently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to over nine years in prison for receiving child pornography. News reports do not indicate whether he received a lesser sentence as part of a plea agreement, although that is very likely. He was initially charged with possessing and receiving child pornography. The pornographic material that was at issue in this case was found on the man's computer and other digital hardware. The man admitted to receiving online child pornography as well as downloading it from the internet. Because the internet crosses state lines, federal criminal law applied. The federal case was the result of a number of Arkansas agencies working together to rid the community of child pornography.

Arkansas man faces first-degree murder charges

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Violent Crimes on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.

Crimes are usually sorted into categories. The first description of a crime is either as a felony or a misdemeanor. The punishment for most felonies is jail time, while the penalty for misdemeanors is usually some type of monetary punishment, community service mandate or probation. The other differentiation that is made when talking about crimes is whether or not the incident was a violent crime or a non-violent crime. Violent crimes, such as homicides, are prosecuted quite aggressively in Arkansas.

An Arkansas man, who allegedly killed two of his children, has been arrested recently in Springdale. He is being charged with first-degree murder for violently shaking his children, which resulted in death. One death occurred this year in March, when the man took his 7-month-old child to the hospital and the child was pronounced dead. The father admitted to police that he did shake the infant. In 2011, the man allegedly shook his 6-month-old baby and has been under investigation for that death as well. Authorities are currently holding him without bond.

Felony indictments handed down in Blytheville, Arkansas

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Felonies on Monday, March 18, 2013.

The punishment for a felony conviction usually includes incarceration. For many felonies a substantial amount of prison time is a possibility. This makes a felony the type of crime that requires a thought out and well-planned defense. After a person is arrested and charged with a felony, the next step is usually to craft a strong defense strategy against the charges. All felony crimes have elements that must be proven in a court of law before a conviction can occur.

In Blytheville, Arkansas, 19 individuals were recently arrested and charged in weapons and drug trafficking cases. The authorities in this arrest allegedly found a large amount of drugs and guns as a result of a sting operation directed at cleaning up the streets of Blytheville. A number of police authorities worked together to make this bust happen. The outcome resulted in charging the 19 individuals with 91 different counts. These felony charges included possession with intent to distribute and felony possession of a firearm.

What to do when drug charges threaten a career

On behalf of Benca & Benca posted in Drug Charges on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

A car accident can have devastating consequences for any victims involved. Physical trauma can require lengthy rehabilitation and medical bills can spiral out of control. However, for one girls' basketball coach at a high school outside of Phoenix, a car wreck has resulted in her being placed on leave without pay from her job and facing charges of drug possession.

Police have not released the full report, so details about the accident and arrest are scant. In the meantime, residents are remarking on the fact that just last year, another basketball coach from the same school was fired after an arrest on drug charges. Pulaski County officials have responded that teachers must pass a background check, but that the state only mandates drug tests for employees who drive company vehicles, including bus drivers. And the background check does not look for misdemeanors, only for felony convictions.