Money laundering and embezzlement are both forms of financial crimes, but their underlying principles and methods differ. While both can result in significant financial losses and criminal penalties, the distinction between the two is essential to understand, especially for someone who is facing charges of money laundering, embezzlement, or both. If this sounds like you, contact a criminal defense attorney to understand the charges against you and begin building your defense strategy.

Here is What to Know About Embezzlement

Embezzlement involves the illegal transfer of funds or property from an individual or organization by someone entrusted with that property or funds. Often, this happens when an employee has access to money and instead diverts the funds for personal use. In an embezzlement scheme, the person is taking funds belonging to someone else and using them for personal purposes. The action involved is essentially stealing, and the intent usually consists of some personal gain. Embezzlement does not generally involve any manipulation of the original transaction.

Here is What to Know About Money Laundering

On the other hand, money laundering is a process that seeks to conceal the truth about where funds or property came from. These kinds of schemes involve the process of making fraudulent money appear legitimate. Usually, this involves taking money gained from illegal activity and making it unclear where that money came from or how it was acquired. In practical terms, an individual involved in money laundering sets up a series of transactions to hide the fact that the money is dirty. They will usually inject these funds into several financial systems that may become difficult to track. In other cases, money laundering may occur on a smaller scale, for example, a drug criminal using a casino to launder their dirty money.

Representing yourself in a criminal case, also known as proceeding pro se, is generally an awful idea. While it may seem like a great way to save money, this sentiment is misguided. Representing yourself has a higher likelihood of conviction and more severe penalties than if a seasoned criminal defense attorney represented you. Today, we are going to review the risks associated with representing yourself in a criminal case.

Here is Why Representing Yourself is a Recklessly Bad Decision

The following are four reasons why representing yourself is a bad idea, including:

1. Lack of Legal Knowledge – Representing oneself in a criminal case ultimately means you are entering a realm in which you have no experience or knowledge. Real-life criminal law is not like what you see on television shows like Law & Order. Criminal law contains a plethora of principles that must be followed. Attempting to handle criminal legal proceedings without sufficient legal knowledge completely disrupts your chance of credibly advocating for yourself in criminal court. 

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False confessions are a significant problem in the criminal justice system. Despite the widespread belief that people only confess to crimes they have committed, research shows that false confessions occur more often than we might think. Today, we will discuss factors contributing to this troubling phenomenon. Please be advised that if you are ever charged with a criminal offense, it is in your best interest to contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible to ensure you know your rights and understand the best way to handle the situation.

Four Reasons Why False Confessions Occur 

A false confession occurs when an innocent person admits to committing a crime they did not commit. False confessions can happen for various reasons, but research shows that some factors make people vulnerable to making false statements. Some of the reasons that can lead to a false confession include the following:

• Coercive interrogation techniques – Police officers may use aggressive interrogation techniques, such as withholding food, water, sleep, and physical force, to elicit a confession from a suspect. This is not overly common but can happen, and as a result, a false confession may occur. 

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It is well known that in Texas, the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms is a right that is passionately believed in and defended by many Texans, which is why many individuals own firearms. However, many citizens remain unclear regarding whether a citizen can lawfully discharge a firearm to protect their property from an outside threat. In Texas, the right to use force to defend property is limited and governed by the “castle doctrine.” The castle doctrine is a legal concept that says a person has the right to use deadly force to protect their home or property from an intruder. This means that if someone is illegally on your property and you believe they are there to cause harm, you may use force to protect yourself and your family.

However, there are essential considerations to bear in mind before you open fire on someone who is on your property illegally. Today, we are going to take a look at what some of those considerations are. If you have been charged with a crime for using deadly force on someone on your property illegally, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney who can ensure your rights remain protected and respected as you move through the legal process.

When is Deadly Force Allowed, and When is it Not? 

It is important to remember that the right to protect your property using deadly force is not absolute, and specific circumstances must be met before using deadly force is considered justifiable. For example, the intruder must have been acting illegally, and you must have had reasonable belief that the intruder posed an imminent threat of serious harm to you and your property. On the other hand, if the intruder was trespassing and not posing an immediate threat, the use of deadly force might not be justified. 

Murder is, arguably, the most severe offense someone can be charged with within the entire United States. If convicted, offenders may spend the rest of their lives in prison or even be put to death. In addition, defendants in murder cases are often at somewhat of a disadvantage against the legal system, as those charged with murder are often considered guilty in the public opinion before they even stand trial. As a result, defending against a murder charge is no small task. 

If you have been charged with murder, understand the legal jeopardy you are currently in. To successfully beat murder charges, you must obtain masterful legal counsel to help create reasonable doubt in the jurors' minds. Without such legal representation, you may permanently lose your freedoms and possibly even your life. While defending against murder charges is not easy, it is not impossible either. This blog will address different defenses that, if applied appropriately, may be enough to acquit you, thereby giving you back your freedom. 

What Are Some Possible Defenses Against a Murder Charge? 

The prosecution in murder cases is often notoriously aggressive. However, depending on your situation, there may be different defenses that your legal counsel may implement to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury. Possible defenses include the following: