Category Archives: Gun Crimes
The Importance of Expert Witnesses in Gun Crime Defense
Defending against firearm-related charges in Georgia can be complex and challenging, The Spizman Firm is here to help guide you through. The stakes are high, with potential consequences including steep fines, imprisonment, and a permanent criminal record. In these cases, expert witnesses can play a pivotal role in bolstering the defense and ensuring that… Read More »
Can You Use a Gun in Self-Defense If You’re a Convicted Felon?
Under Georgia law, there are situations where a person can lawfully use force in self-defense. This includes using a firearm. But federal law prohibits certain persons–notably most convicted felons–from possessing a firearm. So what happens when a convicted felon uses a firearm in self-defense? Georgia Man Convicted on Federal Charges Following Shooting Federal courts… Read More »
Who Is a “Party to a Crime” in Georgia?
Many criminal acts involve more than one person. As far as the law is concerned in Georgia, all such participants are equally guilty of such crimes. Indeed, people who may not have taken direct part in the underlying illegal act may still be considered a “party to a crime.” Under Georgia law, every person… Read More »
Is a Rap Video Admissible Evidence in a Georgia Criminal Trial?
A fair criminal trial must be based on evidence that is relevant to the case at hand. In general, prosecutors cannot introduce irrelevant or extraneous materials that are simply meant to portray the defendant in a bad light to the jury. And it is the role of the courts to ensure that does not… Read More »
Can a Jury Convict You Without Any Physical Evidence or Eyewitness Testimony?
Decades of television crime dramas like CSI, Law & Order, and NCIS have perhaps left many people with the incorrect impression that police and prosecutors always have overwhelming evidence of a criminal defendant’s guilt. The harsh reality is that many criminal convictions are based on purely circumstantial evidence only suggesting the defendant’s guilt. Indeed,… Read More »
Is “Mutual Combat” a Valid Criminal Defense in Georgia?
As a general principle of law, a person is entitled to defend themselves against the imminent use of unlawful force. In simple terms, if someone threatens you with a gun, you have the right to stop them using force of your own. You cannot be held criminally liable if your attacker is injured due… Read More »
Are All Felons Barred from Owning Firearms in Georgia?
Georgia is considered a “constitutional carry” state with respect to firearms. This means that most Georgia residents can lawfully carry an open or concealed handgun without a license in most public places. But you can still obtain a Weapons Carry License from the State of Georgia to enable you to legally carry a concealed… Read More »
How a Prior Conviction Can Turn Manslaughter Into Murder
Voluntary manslaughter in Georgia refers to a situation where a person “causes the death of another human being under circumstances which would otherwise be murder,” except for “a sudden, violent, and irresistible passion” arising from an act that would provoke a reasonable person. To give a common hypothetical example, if two people get into… Read More »
Is It A Crime To Carry A Gun In Public In Georgia?
According to the research and analysis organization, The Rand Corporation, mass shootings are events with no established definition. Depending on where you hear about what is considered a mass shooting, media outlets, or law enforcement, for example, you could hear very different interpretations of these deadly events. With word and widespread media coverage of… Read More »
Are 3D Printed Guns Legal or Not?
You can find anything on the Internet. Whether you are looking for a recipe or instructions for fixing your plumbing, you fire up your computer and begin searching. We do it every day. While these things are innocuous, what about those things available on the Internet that potentially put people at risk? Some time… Read More »