Hikes Point Man Shot His Son

There was a fatal shooting in Louisville on Tuesday morning.  A Hikes Point man shot his son in what appears to be a domestic disturbance.  At this time, not charges have been filed.

Normally in a Kentucky case involving a death, it’s up to the Commonwealth the decide if charges will be brought.  Even though an individual was shot to death, the law considers murder a “crime against the State.”  In the criminal court system, it’s the state prosecutors who will actually investigate to determine the circumstances and available evidence.

Once this investigation has been completed, it’s up to the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office to actually file the charges.  Once the charges have been filed, the case can still be dismissed or a plea agreement reached.

In cases such as this where a Hikes Point man shot his son, there may be domestic violence issues at play.  Did the father, or other members of the family take out an Emergency Protective Order (EPO) or a Domestic Violence Order (DVO), prior to the shooting?  Did the father have a reasonable fear the would rise to the level of self-defense and ultimately, the fatal shooting?

These and many other factors will be taken into consideration.  The evidence hasn’t been made public yet.  There’s a chance that charges will be filed against the father.  Realistically, there’s also the possibility that no charges will be filed if the Commonwealth feels the shooting was justified (e.g. in proper self-defense).

As an experienced, Louisville criminal defense attorney, I’ve handled many cases involving shootings and even death.  My role is to also conduct an investigation to ensure all of the legitimate evidence is considered.  It’s not uncommon for certain items and facts to be conveniently left out, or even lost.

Any time a death is involved, the stakes are extremely high.  Experience, confidence and a thorough understanding of each aspect of the relevant law is vitally important.  This is exactly why I’ve been involved in so many of these cases over the years.  People know how important the outcome is.  People want to believe in their protection under the law.  People need to know that there’s an attorney willing to go toe to toe with teams of prosecutors, experts and others.

This, is why I’m the lawyer the judges trust; the lawyer other lawyers trust, and the lawyer you can trust when the outcome really matters.

Link to news story:  http://www.wdrb.com/story/37271807/man-shot-and-killed-by-his-father-in-hikes-point-lmpd-says