South Carolina Criminal Lawyer Blog

According to the Sun News Myrtle Beach man has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to being an accessory to a 2008 murder. He was originally sentenced to five years, but Judge Culberston suspended the sentence to two years of actual prison time. The defendant, Stukes, was given a large break in his sentence because he testified against two other men. One defendant was given life in prison after his trial. This type of case is very typical in Myrtle Beach. Many criminal cases are based on the testimony of co-defendants. Rarely are these cases solved without the assistance of someone who is involved in the crime. It was not clear which Myrtle Beach Lawyer represented Stukes from the Sun News article. However, it appears that Stukes had very good representation in getting such a low sentence for this offense. The prosecutor in the case gave Stukes a break in his punishment based on his testimony. This is typically referred to as a proffer agreement. Man defendants that get reduced sentences after testifying have signed a proffer agreement and are cooperating with the prosecuting office.
In federal court a proffer agreement can bring with it immunity from prosecution for a varied of crimes. In years past this was referred to as a "Queen for A Day Letter." In other words, you could tell the government anything you wanted in this one meeting and you would not be prosecuted for giving this information. There are situations where this may seem like the only viable option. A good criminal defense lawyer in Myrtle Beach will be able to discuss this option and the any other option such as taking your case to trial.

Tweet

Continue reading "Myrtle Beach man Sentenced in Criminal Case" »

A Myrtle Beach woman has been indicted on two charges of prostitution in connection with incidents which occured in December and January. Officers were conducting surveillance for an undercover prostitution investigation when they caught the woman entering the vehicle belonging to Russell Heafner. The two gave conflicting information about what they were doing and where they were going when officers pulled them over. Heafner has been charged with simple posession of marijuana and first-offense solicitation of a prostitute. They will both need a Myrtle Beach Criminal Lawyer to help her with this case.

Also in Myrlte Beach, a man is in custody after he robbed a woman at knifepoint at a hotel, then stole her vehicle. The suspect also stole the woman's money and cell phone. The victim was told to sit in a corner as the suspect drove out of the parking garage of the Sea Mist Resort in her car, which happened to be a rental. Police tried to pull the suspect over, but he continued driving. He eventually pulled into a parking lot and fled the vehicle. Horry County officers found the suspect much later hiding in the woods. This defendant will face a severe penalty in the South Carolina judicial system. He should speak with a Criminal Lawyer in Myrtle Beach as soon as he is able to afford the representation.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime, call one of the criminal lawyers in Myrtle Beach at The Mace Firm.

Tweet

Continue reading "Myrtle Beach Criminal Arrests" »

Last year, a Socastee High School student shot the school resource officer, Erik Karney. The student, Christian Helms, went to Karney's office with a loaded gun and two pipe bombs in his backpack. After the shooting, investigators discovered Helms' journal which revealed that he hoped for the shooting to be similar to the 1999 Columbine H.S. shooting.

After reveiwing witness testimonies, psychological reports, and other exhibits, the Judge in this case decided to try Helms as an adult, although he is only 15 years old. Helms' criminal defense attorney recently wished to set a bond hearing, but learned that prosecutors planned on calling the case for trial late this summer. Helms faces very serious charges including attempted murder, possession of incendiary or explosive devices and attempted detonation for bringing the bombs to school with the intent of detonating them. The 15-year-old could potentially be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.

If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges, please call one of the South Carolina criminal defense lawyers at The Mace Firm.

Tweet

Continue reading "Socastee High School Shooting Trial" »

There are several defense attorneys in the Myrtle Beach area that practice state criminal defense. However, there are very few in the area that handle federal indictments. There is no federal courthouse in this area of South Carolina and therefore, very few attorneys that practice in federal court. Our firm handles most federal indictments throughout the area and the recent automobile death here in Horry County will not be a federal indictment. This will be a state criminal charge.

Continue reading "Myrtle Beach Defense Attorneys" »