Alabama Crime News: Mobile's Top 10 Fugitive Criminals

Posted on October 28, 2009 by Steven Eversole

As an experienced Birmingham criminal defense lawyer, I have the skills to represent individuals charged with crimes ranging from petty theft to grand larceny, assault to murder. As an Alabama criminal attorney, I firmly believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law -- it’s everyone’s constitutional right. I recently read a news account by the Press-Register detailing Mobile’s 10 most wanted suspects for various crimes.

According to that article, this list of fugitives includes individuals wanted in connection with murder, assault and robbery, among other offenses. One of the men on this list is a 17-year-old boy who has been charged with fatally shooting his cousin in a park in Theodore, AL. Another allegedly beat up a friend for keeping him from driving drunk.

In all cases, the city of Mobile considers these people fugitives from the law. According to the city’s chief of police, Phillip Garrett, they each have “committed serious felony crimes and owe a debt to society." Some of those individuals and their alleged crimes are included here:

  • Lamont Jermaine Fagan, 28 -- charged with murder in connection with the early-morning August 13 shooting death of Rickey Deloach in the Josephine Allen public housing community. Two other men are reportedly already in jail regarding this crime.
  • Markus Dewayne Lee, 17 -- accused of shooting his cousin, Blake Davis, at a park on Diamond Road in Theodore. The victim was reportedly trying to break up a fight when he was allegedly shot by Lee.
  • LaDerrick Kevon Davis, 29 -- named in five counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, authorities say he has active warrants charging possession of burglar's tools and possession of a controlled substance. The five auto break-ins of which Davis is accused allegedly took place in recent months at Chantilly's nightclub on Airport Boulevard.
  • Thomas Crooke, 23 -- charged with second-degree assault, accused of punching and kicking a friend who attempted to stop him from driving away from the Whiskey Night Club because he was drunk. The friend suffered a broken shoulder and nose, according to the warrant.
  • Willie Lionel Williams, 23, -- accused of first-degree robbery and second-degree assault after an individual was robbed and shot in the leg at the VIP Barber Shop on St. Stephens Road in June. Warrants also are on file against Williams for second-degree assault, first-degree burglary and first-degree possession of marijuana.

 

Mobile's 10 Most Wanted includes 2 murderers, 4 robbers and man who beat up, AL.com, September 10, 2009

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Former Shelby County, AL, Man Arrested for Sex Crimes by U.S. Marshals

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Steven Eversole

A former Shelby County resident was recently arrested by U.S. Marshals as part of a sex crimes task force operation in a neighboring state. The capture of one of Alabama’s “most wanted” criminals was carried out with the help of the U.S. Marshals Regional Task Force in Birmingham, Alabama, and with the cooperation of the Shelby County Sheriffs Office. The former Alabama resident and fugitive was captured in Louisiana on charges of second degree sodomy and second degree rape stemming from a case in Shelby County. The suspect, Jack Copeland, will be extradited back to Alabama to stand trial for these alleged sex crimes.

As an Alabama criminal defense lawyer based in Birmingham, I have represented many clients accused of criminal sexual behavior. Although the media tend to paint most sex crime suspects as guilty from the get-go, the law demands that everyone be treated as innocent until proven guilty. We’ve all heard of trial by the press, but in my world the only proper trial is one held in a court of law. Still, there is no getting around charges of second degree criminal sexual behavior.

Rape in the second degree is a Class B felony. For an adult such as Mr. Copeland, this is defined as engaging in sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex who is less than 16 years of age and more than 12 years old. It can also cover an instance of sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex who is unable to consent because of certain mental deficiencies.

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Mr. Copeland was arrested in the afternoon of July 15 at an apartment complex in Lafayette, LA. The arrest was carried out by U.S. Marshals from the Western District of Louisiana’s Fugitive Task Force in Lafayette. The 37-year-old is wanted here for sex crimes and in Florida for several felonies including possession of a controlled substance and domestic battery. He was booked U.S. Marshal Task Force Officers booked Copeland into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center where he will be extradited back to Alabama, then Florida to face his charges.

 

Alabama’s Most Wanted Arrested by U.S. Marshals in Lafayette, USMarshals.gov, July 15, 2009

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,