Archive for the ‘Criminal Defense’ Category

Texas DWI Defense Attorney Reminds You That Repeat DWI Offenses Have Many Costs

Monday, December 2nd, 2019

Some things are worth repeating. A DWI arrest is not one of them. It seems as though not much time passes in between news reports regarding repeat DWI offenders, so it’s time for us to repeat a message that we have discussed multiple times before. One DWI arrest can cost you many of the things that art important to you, and each subsequent DWI arrest and conviction will cost you even more of your freedom, your money, and your time, among other things.

Last month, a jury in Austin, Texas, convicted sixty-four-year-old Irby Allison of felony DWI. The charge was filed in connection with Allison’s DWI arrest in October of 2017. Irby Allison chose to have the jury decide on his punishment. After less than a half-hour of deliberating the issue of his penalty, they sentenced him to twelve years of imprisonment. Twelve years is a lengthy period of time for any person to spend in jail. At his current age of sixty-four, Irby Allison will likely spend most, if not all, of the remainder of his life behind bars.

A twelve-year sentence is not something that every DWI offender is likely to face. The evidence presented to the jury during the sentencing phase of Allison’s trial gave the jurors important information about him that weighed heavily on their decision. The prosecution showed the jurors evidence of Allison’s three previous standard DWI convictions. They also presented evidence regarding his 2007 conviction for intoxication assault and intoxication manslaughter following a DWI wreck that killed one person and seriously injured another. Irby Allison’s arrest in October of 2017 was his fifth DWI offense, and that’s why the jury did not hesitate to issue a lengthy sentence for him.

Unfortunately, a fifth-offense DWI is not unheard of in Texas. A Texas man in his mid-thirties killed two women in a crash that resulted in his sixth DWI offense. Jonathan Moore’s five previous DWI convictions resulted in a total of only two months spent behind bars because almost all of his sentences had been reduced.

In Texas, first and second offense DWIs are misdemeanors. After that, each time that driver is arrested again for DWI, they face felony charges. While there are numerous reports of individuals like Jonathan Moore receiving probation after they have been convicted of DWI three or more times, some felony DWI offenders pay a far higher price. For example, a judge sentenced Donald Middleton to life in prison following his ninth DWI conviction. Middleton is not eligible for parole for thirty years.

One out of every twenty inmates in Texas prisons is a repeat DWI offender. Whether you are charged with your first DWI or a subsequent offense, a lot is at stake, including your freedom. DWI convictions carry severe consequences, especially for third and subsequent offenses. A Texas DWI defense attorney can help you protect your liberty, your family, your freedom, and other things that are important to you. Call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas DWI Defense Attorney Says Breath Testing is Often Unreliable

Friday, November 15th, 2019

It’s the holiday season, and with all of the celebrating going on, it can be easy to forget that law enforcement agencies increase their patrols at this time of year. Thanksgiving often produces more drunk driving arrests than other notorious party days like St. Patrick’s Day and even Super Bowl Sunday. As you know, not every driver who is arrested for and charged with DWI is guilty. If you are arrested for DWI this holiday season, remember that connecting with a Texas DWI attorney is the best way to protect the things that are most important to you. Your Texas DWI defense attorney knows how to examine the circumstances of your DWI arrest and develop a strong defense strategy for you.

One element of a strong DWI defense is knowing how to challenge the evidence that the State plans to present in your case. If your DWI defense attorney can show the court that one or more pieces of evidence that the State intends to present in your DWI case are inaccurate or otherwise not valid, the court may prohibit the use of that evidence in the State’s case against you. Evidentiary challenges have the potential to weaken the State’s case against a defendant, sometimes even to the extent that the State finds itself with so little evidence that it must dismiss its case.

Many drivers arrested for DWI submit to breath testing either during the traffic stop that leads to their arrest or after the arrest. If you are facing DWI charges and breath testing occurred at some point during your traffic stop or after your arrest, your defense attorney may be able to challenge the validity of the results of those tests. Even better, their challenge may be successful, and the test results might be thrown out. A recent article by the New York Times reports that tens of thousands of DWI cases across America have been tossed out of court because the test results were shown to be inaccurate.

For years, alcohol breath test results have been viewed as “truths” by juries in Texas and across America. Many DWI defendants were unaware that they could question the test results, but that is changing. Some DWI defendants, with the aid of their attorneys, challenged the validity of their breath test results. Some of those who challenged their test results prevailed. Their victories paved the way for an increased public demand for research into the accuracy of breath testing devices and the validity of the results produced by those devices. Study after study has shown how vulnerable the sensitive machines used for breath testing are to user error, calibration error, and other types of failures that are attributable to the users of the devices or the devices themselves.

Breath testing for blood alcohol content is a process that is prone to errors. If you were arrested for DWI and you submitted to breath testing during your traffic stop or after your arrest, it is critical that you contact a Texas DWI defense attorney right away. Your Texas DWI defense attorney can examine the circumstances of your traffic stop and DWI arrest and build a solid defense strategy on your behalf. Call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Discusses The Age of Criminal Responsibility

Thursday, October 10th, 2019

Did you know that only four states in the United States allow seventeen-year-olds to be committed of crimes as adults? In many states, the age at which a person can be convicted of a crime as an adult is eighteen. However, four states, including Texas, allow seventeen-year-olds to be committed of crimes as adults.

There have been numerous efforts by criminal justice advocacy groups in Texas over the years to raise the age of criminal responsibility to eighteen. Their most recent efforts, including House Bill 344, did not make it through the full legislative process and must wait until the Legislature meets again in 2021.

Those who oppose raising the age claim that raising the age makes a state’s juvenile justice system more expensive. Those who support an increase in the age of criminal responsibility say that this is a matter that you cannot measure in dollars and cents. The teenage years are a period of critical importance for any child. The adolescent brain is still growing and developing. Because of this, the experiences that a teenager has during those formative years shape the path that they take into adulthood. If a seventeen-year-old is convicted as an adult, they are unable to access support and rehabilitation programs designed for minors, programs that have proven in many places to be effective in changing the paths of the lives of the youth that participate in them. In addition to missing out on support programs and rehabilitation opportunities, including seventeen-year-olds in the adult prison population exposes them to all of the dangers of life in an adult prison.

Raising the age of criminal responsibility can also make financial sense. Supporters of increasing the age of criminal responsibility feel that any increased expenditures on juvenile justice associated with raising the age will be balanced by corresponding savings in other areas, such as the amounts spent on the adult programs that provide services to the seventeen-year-olds who are convicted as adults and reduced rates of recidivism. Individuals who have participated in juvenile justice programs have proven less likely to re-offend than individuals that went directly into the adult criminal justice system.

Some opponents of raising the age claim that since the number of people who get convicted as adults at seventeen years of age is not that large, raising the age of criminal responsibility would not have that much of an impact. This argument does not acknowledge the amount of impact that participation in juvenile justice programs has on the people who are able to participate in them, and it also fails to acknowledge the harm suffered by  the individuals, no matter how few, who are convicted as adults at age seventeen and placed in the adult prison system.

Fortunately, the small number of people affected by raising the age of criminal responsibility has limited the impact of raising the age on the juvenile justice programs in states where the age has been raised. Those states report that their juvenile justice programs have not been overly stressed by the participation of additional youth, demonstrating that raising the age does not create a financial burden.

Whatever your age, if you’re accused of a crime in Texas, contact a Texas criminal defense attorney right away. Your attorney can help you resolve your Texas criminal law matter. Call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Explains Self Defense

Tuesday, September 10th, 2019

If you have ever thought about what you might do if your life were threatened, you are not alone. Many people have thought about what they would do in various situations where they were at risk of being hurt or killed by another person. The possible scenarios are endless, from home invasions to getting mugged in a parking lot, to just about anything you could imagine and many odd situations that you couldn’t possibly think up until they happen.

Some people arm themselves to be prepared in the event of an event like those described above. Others keep firearms or other items they could use to defend themselves in their homes. Still others become skilled in martial arts and other forms of self-defense, which prepares them to protect themselves from harm whether they pursue those skills with that intention in mind or not. Whether a person is prepared to defend themselves or not, they may find themselves in a situation where they face a threat in the form of another person, and they must decide what to do. Sometimes, running or some other means of escape is available, sometimes not. Sometimes, a gun or other item that is or could be used as a weapon is available, sometimes not. The threat from the other person could be obvious, such as a knife held to your ribs or a gun pointed in your direction. Threats, threatening body language, and other more subtle observations you may make about a situation or a person can lead you to a realization that you are in danger.

If you face a situation in which you may need to defend yourself, you might not have much time to weigh your options. Sometimes, after the fact, things can come to light about the situation you were in that might make your actions at the time seem more reasonable or less reasonable. However, it is critical that Texans know that they are allowed to defend themselves. In Texas, self-defense is a legal defense to murder and assault charges. A recent situation in Garland is an example of a situation in which a defendant might choose to claim self-defense if police file charges against him.

The driver of a vehicle was shot and killed in a road rage incident in Garland, but it is possible that murder charges will not be filed against the shooter. Surveillance video of the street where the shooting occurred shows the driver of a vehicle throwing a bottle at a pickup truck. The bottle shattered the window of the truck, and then the driver of the pickup truck started shooting. After shooting, the driver of the pickup truck went to a police station to report what had happened and has been entirely cooperative with the law enforcement officials who are investigating the incident. It is reported that the driver of the pickup truck fired shots because he thought that a gunshot shattered his window.

If you are accused of a crime in Texas, your rights and your freedom are at stake. Contact a Texas criminal defense attorney immediately, and take the first step towards resolving your Texas criminal law matter. Call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Says Not All Defendants Have The Same Legal Defense Options

Saturday, August 10th, 2019

Most people understand how important it is to obtain legal counsel as soon as possible after they are arrested or notified that there are criminal charges against them. However, many people do not realize that they may have more than one type of defense counsel available to them. All criminal defendants are free to locate and pay for a criminal defense attorney of their choosing. Unfortunately, many criminal defendants lack the financial resources to pay for a defense attorney. Fortunately, a decision made by the United States Supreme Court in 1963 guarantees the provision of legal counsel for defendants who are charged with a specific type of crime and cannot afford to pay for an attorney. States differ in how they fulfill the obligation placed upon them by the Supreme Court’s decision in Gideon v. Wainwright. States and counties are free to design their own methods of providing legal counsel to indigent defendants, so all defendants must understand how legal defense for the poor is provided in their county. With that information in hand, defendants can make an informed decision about what type of legal representation they wish to pursue.

For example, legal defense for impoverished defendants in Travis County is currently primarily provided by assigned counsel, private attorneys to whom the county pays a nominal fee to represent the defendants the county assigns to them. Juvenile defendants and some adult defendants who are mentally ill receive legal defense through a public defender’s office. Recently, a decision was made that will bring a public defender’s office to Travis County in the coming months. However, the new public defender’s office will only handle about a third of the county’s indigent defense cases. The rest will continue to be handled by assigned counsel. Many counties are like Travis County in that they provide criminal defense to impoverished defendants through some combination of public defenders and assigned counsel, so defendants must understand what each of those defense options looks like.

In our next article, we’ll take a closer look at the three types of legal representation that a Texas defendant might have available to them. The legal defense options that are available to you depend on the nature of the crime you are charged with as well as the financial resources you have available to you. For example, public defenders and assigned counsel are available to defendants who are accused of a felony or a misdemeanor that is punishable by imprisonment and who meet specific financial criteria. What this means is that even if you are charged with a felony or with a misdemeanor that is punishable by imprisonment, you may not qualify for the services of assigned counsel or a public defender even if you think that you cannot afford to pay private counsel.

If you are accused of a crime in Texas, it is critical that you make a wise choice about your legal representation. Time is of the essence, and not all legal defense options are created equal. Your rights and your freedom are at stake. Contact a Texas criminal defense attorney right away to begin pursuing resolution of your Texas criminal law matter. Learn more about criminal defense in Texas by calling Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Explains The Similarities and Differences Between Assigned Counsel, Public Defenders, and Private Counsel

Thursday, August 1st, 2019

In a previous article, we mentioned that criminal defendants may have more than one choice available to them when it comes to legal representation in their Texas criminal law matter. Today, we’ll explore the similarities and differences between assigned counsel, public defenders, and private counsel. It is our hope that this article empowers you, the defendant, to make a well-informed decision about the type of legal representation that you choose for your Texas criminal law matter.

All attorneys who are in private practice in the State of Texas, as well as all attorneys who serve as assigned counsel or in public defenders must be licensed and insured. Attorneys are held to stringent licensing requirements and must continually educate themselves about the changing landscape of their profession. Licensing and insurance provide a means of assuring that attorneys who practice in Texas are qualified to provide competent representation for their clients. However, there are three critical differences that you’ll want to consider when deciding which type of legal representation you wish to pursue if public defender or assigned counsel services are available to you.

Cost is the first thing that comes to mind when many defendants realize that they need an attorney. Some defendants truly cannot afford to pay for the services of even the most reasonably priced private defense counsel. Fortunately, as we mentioned in our last blog post, these defendants do not have to navigate the criminal justice system on their own. Public defenders and assigned counsel are paid by the counties that they work for, not by the defendants themselves. Defendants must fill out an application if they want to find out whether they’re eligible for representation by a public defender or assigned counsel. It is possible that some defendants with limited financial resources could be deemed able to pay for their legal defense. Private counsel are paid by their clients. The fees charged by private counsel vary greatly and are based upon many factors, including experience and expertise.

Caseload is another factor that defendants must consider when deciding whether to pursue private representation or apply for the services of assigned counsel or a public defender. Private counsel often take pride in providing personalized attention to each of their clients, and they realize that providing quality legal representation takes time. Most private counsel manage their caseload carefully so that they can spend the amount of time in each client’s case that they feel it needs. In contrast, many assigned counsel and public defenders are given large caseloads. They are often unable to spend much time on each of their clients’ cases.

A third important distinction between private legal counsel and public defenders and assigned counsel is that defendants who hire private counsel to represent them have the freedom to choose their attorney. Defendants who obtain legal representation by assigned counsel or through a public defender’s office are unable to choose who will represent them in their Texas criminal law matter. They are represented by the attorney to whom the county sends their case.

The guarantee of legal counsel for indigent defendants that is provided by Gideon v. Wainwright is a vital component of obtaining justice for criminal defendants regardless of their ability to pay. However, not all attorneys can provide the same level of support to their clients. To learn more, call Texas criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today,  at (903) 753-7499, or fill out a contact form on our website.

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Discusses Exoneration

Monday, July 1st, 2019

How do you think it would feel to be accused of a crime that you did not commit? You would likely be outraged at the accusation. You could feel hopeless like there’s nothing you can do to change the course of the things that are happening to you. You are likely to be concerned about the consequences that could come upon your family. You would be afraid that you would be convicted despite your innocence. You could feel confused, or paralyzed for fear, or desperate to do something, anything, to fight for your freedom. Unfortunately, wrongful accusations do happen, and they sometimes even lead to wrongful convictions. Today, I’d like to discuss what you can do to prevent a wrongful conviction. I’ll also share some information about why it is vital that you not give up hope if you have already been wrongfully convicted.

If you are accused of a crime that you did not commit, do not let fear or confusion prevent you from taking action immediately. Seek the assistance of a Texas criminal defense attorney. Your attorney understands the criminal defense process and can develop a strategy tailored to the particulars of your case. Texas criminal defense attorneys are often able to prevent convictions in cases where the defendant is wrongfully accused of a crime. Unfortunately, despite the valiant efforts of defense attorneys in Texas and across America, wrongful convictions continue to be obtained by prosecutors across the nation.

Those who are wrongfully convicted must not ever give up the hope that their wrongful conviction will be overturned and they will be exonerated. Sometimes, wrongful convictions are overturned soon after they are obtained. However, it sometimes takes years of waiting, hoping, and persevering in the pursuit of justice before exoneration of a wrongfully convicted individual occurs.

Exonerations are on the rise across America. Texas has obtained the highest number of exonerations in America over the past thirty years. Texas’s top ranking is not strictly a matter of population, because the exoneration numbers do not correlate with state population numbers. California has the highest population in the nation, yet it ranks fourth on the list of states with the most exonerations. Illinois has the second-highest number of exonerations despite its much smaller population.

One of the driving forces in the increase in exonerations is the availability of DNA testing, and it’s coming into widespread use. There are also social factors behind the rise in exonerations. As the public has learned more about the problem of wrongful conviction and the devastating impact it has on the wrongfully convicted and their families; society is increasing its demands for justice. Advocacy for those who believe that they were erroneously convicted has increased in quality and has attracted the effort and attention of some of the nation’s top criminal defense attorneys. Communities are also demanding more accountability from prosecutors, insisting on high-quality evidence and witnesses. Consequently, there is more hope now than ever for those who have been wrongfully convicted.

If you are accused of a crime in Texas, you must take immediate action to protect your rights. The consequences of a conviction can have harsh, lasting effects on your life and the lives of those who are close to you. Align yourself with a Texas criminal defense attorney right away, and begin taking steps towards a resolution of your Texas criminal law matter. Learn more about criminal defense in Texas by calling Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Talks About Entrapment

Thursday, June 20th, 2019

Entrapment. You may have heard the word, but do you really know what it means? More importantly, did you know that if you are a criminal defendant and you can prove entrapment, you may be able to be acquitted of the crime you were charged with?

The recent acquittal of a man  who was charged with kidnapping serves as an example of entrapment. A man who had no prior criminal background of any sort met with his neighbor to discuss the hiring of a hitman to kidnap a former business associate and forcing him to sign away his rights to his share of a business interest. That meeting led to Eskandar Molavi’s arrest and federal kidnapping charges.

That meeting also led to Molavi’s acquittal, which his defense team was able to obtain on the grounds of entrapment. Acquittals based on entrapment are relatively uncommon in any court, and they are rarer still in federal court. However, the circumstances surrounding Molavi’s arrest fit the criteria for a successful entrapment defense.

The man who met with Eskandar Molavi to discuss the hiring of a hitman associated with a Mexican drug cartel was a government informant. His job was to capture Molavi on tape stating that he was willing to hire the hit man. The informant did indeed do his job and obtain audio footage of that conversation. He also caught himself on tape going too far in his efforts to ensure that Molavi would say that he was willing to hire the hit man. The informant who met with Eskandar Molavi painted such a terrifying picture of the hitman that Molavi felt as if he could not say “no” to hiring him, as that could create a risk to his own life.

It is one thing to capture evidence of the words of a person who has already formulated a criminal plot and is expressing their willingness to go through with it. It is another thing entirely to entice someone to think about committing a crime and then pressure them into expressing a willingness to pursue the criminal course of action. Entrapment defenses are difficult for defense attorneys to succeed with because the attorneys for the defendant must prove both of the elements of entrapment: a lack of predisposition to commit the crime and that the government agents convinced the defendant to do it. In Molavi’s case, however, a secret recording on his phone captured the conversation between himself and the informant, providing the vital evidence that the jury needed to hear to conclude that both of those elements were proven.

Entrapment is just one of the many defense strategies that a skilled Texas criminal law attorney can pursue on behalf of the defendants in whose cases it is relevant. The unique facts and circumstances of your Texas criminal case will shape the defense strategy that your Texas Criminal Defense Attorney will use to pursue the best possible outcome in your case. If you are charged with a crime in Texas, it is critical that you take immediate action to protect your rights. Please call us today,  at (903) 753-7499, or fill out a contact form on our website.

 

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Says State May Reform Failing Bond System Soon

Sunday, January 13th, 2019

Texas lawmakers plan to address a number of criminal justice issues this year. One of the issues on their agenda is reforming the state’s bail system. Pretrial detention is intended to serve the purpose of ensuring that defendants who are at risk for harming others or failing to show up to court. Unfortunately, the current system detains thousands of people each day who do not create either of those risks for the simple reason that they cannot post the bond or pay a bail bondsman to post it for them.

The statistics are staggering. Three out of every four people incarcerated in county jails in Texas have not yet been convicted of a crime. This means that only one in four Texas county jail inmates is in jail because they were convicted of a crime. Texas taxpayers spend about a billion dollars per year keeping people in jail who do not need to be there.

While pretrial detention is vital for individuals who are likely to harm people or flee while they await trial, unnecessary detention has harsh consequences for those who are detained, and for their families. Employers cannot wait indefinitely for their employees to return to work, so many people who are detained eventually lose their jobs. Without income from employment, these individuals often face other hardships like loss of their housing. Their families struggle to stay afloat financially while they are behind bars, and even more importantly, their families struggle to function as they wait for them to come home. The stress and strain that come with trying to free an incarcerated family member without adequate financial resources take a huge toll on families, and some marriages and families crumble under the pressure.

Bail reform in Texas is likely to involve developing more accurate risk assessment procedures aimed at accurately predicting which arrestees pose a threat to public safety or a flight risk and assigning bail accordingly. While it is not expected that the state will do away with cash bail entirely like California and New Jersey have, it is possible that bail reform could eliminate the need for a cash payment by low-risk arrestees. A bill containing better risk assessment measures and a reformed cash bail strategy passed in the Texas House last year, but it failed in the Senate. Lawmakers do not plan to let that defeat end their efforts to rework the state’s pretrial detention system. Instead, they plan to try again and keep on trying until Texas’s badly broken bail system receives the repairs that it needs.

When you are charged with a crime in Texas, time is of the essence. Locate a skilled Texas criminal law attorney right away because your rights are at stake. Your attorney can develop a strong defense strategy that will address your charges and pursue an outcome that protects the things that are most important to you. Call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499, or fill out a contact form on our website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Talks About Hate Crimes

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

Hate crimes are criminal acts that arise from the perpetrator’s prejudice or hatred towards a particular group of people. Sometimes, hatred towards a specific race or religion is what causes a perpetrator to act. At other times, the motivating factor could be gender identity, sexual orientation, or even disability. In 2001, the Governor of Texas signed the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act (The Byrd Act) into law. The Byrd Act defines a hate crime as a crime that is explicitly motivated by the victim’s race, religion, gender, color, disability, sexual preference, national origin, or age. Other states have hate crime laws, and their definition of what constitutes a hate crime varies, so the definition of hate crimes is not uniform among the states. There are also federal hate crime laws.

The states are also not in agreement as to whether to treat hate crimes differently than other crimes, because there is always some underlying offense, whether it is an assault, murder, kidnapping, vandalism, or some other crime, that is recognized as an offense under the law. Some lawmakers are hesitant to support enhanced penalties for hate crimes because they feel as though doing so punishes specific thoughts in addition to the actions that arise from those thoughts. Other lawmakers feel as though discerning an individual’s intent is not something that can be accomplished with a legally acceptable degree of certainty, so they, too, are hesitant to endorse laws that impose additional penalties for hate crimes beyond what the law provides for each particular type of offense. Other factors in the hate crime law debate include the effects on crime victims and communities of classifying some acts as hate crimes and not others, and whether punishments for hate crimes are imposed equally on all offenders or whether offenders who target certain groups are punished more severely than those who focus on other categories of victims.

Hate crime law is a murky area of criminal law, and defendants accused of hate crimes need a reliable, experienced criminal defense attorney in their corner. Defense strategies for individuals charged with hate crimes vary with individual circumstances, but because of the nature of hate crimes, an effective defense may incorporate strategies that address political or media bias in relation to a particular case in addition to the defense strategies that are available based upon the type of offense that the defendant is accused of. Hate crime defendants require defense that goes above, and beyond the defense that would typically be needed for the crime they are charged with and seasoned Texas criminal defense attorneys can provide that type of support to their clients.

Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra – Strong Support for Texas Defendants

When you are charged with a hate crime, your rights are at stake, and your safety may be at risk. Due to the divisive nature of hate crimes, individuals accused of committing hate crimes are often the target of incendiary violence before they even have a chance to defend themselves against the charges. Protect yourself and your loved ones, your present freedom, and your future well being by working with a Texas criminal defense attorney on your hate crime case. Call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra, at (903) 753-7499, or fill out a contact form on our website