Kalamazoo Michigan Criminal Defense Law Blog

Acts of violence are generally non-existent in the lives of Kalamazoo residents. In fact, after the occasional childhood scuffle that a person may get into with their siblings or friends, most grown-ups live their lives without ever having to deal with altercations of assault or battery. Some people, however, do find themselves in difficult situations in which they may have to use force or threats to prevent themselves or others from suffering harm.

When a person is threatened with violence themselves, or when a person sees a loved one threatened with violence, they may have the right to offer proportional force to that which the aggressor is inflicting upon their intended victim. If the aggressor is harmed in the process, the person may have defenses to any criminal charges that are filed against them in the form of self-defense or defense of others.

A 47-year-old Kalamazoo man who shot and left his friend near an intersection in Comstock Township was sentenced Monday for possession of meth and assault with a dangerous weapon. The incident occurred over a drug dispute.

The Defendant was given a sentence of 29 months to 15 years for possession of methamphetamine. In addition, he was given a sentence of 18 months to six years for the assault charge. Both of these charges are felonies. However, the defense attorney was able to negotiate a plea deal for the Defendant with the Prosecutor. In addition, the man received credit for 203 days already served.

Drunk driving continues to be a major issue in every state across the nation, including Michigan, and the offenders are usually men.

However, the results of a study that was presented at a traffic safety conference in East Lansing indicate the reasons behind an increase in the number of women arrested for driving under the influence.

A 33-year-old Kalamazoo man who caused an 8-hour police standoff in Cooper Township has been arraigned on 5 charges. They include breaking and entering, possession of methamphetamine, reckless driving, and resisting or obstructing.

The man attempted to break into a house Wednesday morning, waking the homeowner by banging on the door, shouting, and demanding keys to a truck. It is not apparent who that homeowner was, or what relationship he or she had with the man. The homeowner told him to leave, at which time he went into a neighboring house. The police arrived to find the man's vehicle in the driveway of the first house he had attempted to break-in but did not find him there. Instead, he was located in the second house. They surrounded the second house and attempted to coax the man out. After multiple failed attempts, they then gained permission to enter from the homeowner. The man was arrested inside the home, and 10.5 grams of methamphetamine were found in his pocket.