Gambling No Longer An Alibi Under Arkansas Law

A dangerous precedent had been set back in 1940 by a high court in Arkansas. The ruling back then claimed that collecting a gambling debt, even by the use of force, did not qualify as theft or aggravated robbery.

It was that ruling that led defense attorneys to argue an appeal for a Bradley County man that was convicted of aggravated robbery and capital murder. The appeal did not get the man off the murder conviction, but the robbery conviction was overturned.

That defense will never again be allowed to be used in a court of law in Arkansas. The state Senate approved a proposed Bill unanimously that would eliminate collecting a gambling debt from being used as a defense for any violent crime or robbery.

The Bill now heads off to the governor to be signed into law. The need for the Bill surfaced in 2008 when the Supreme Court overturned the Bradley man's robber conviction and ordered him to be re-sentenced for the murder conviction.

The need for these gambling laws have become more prevalent over the past few years. Casino gambling has become legal in many states, and others have expanded their gambling options as well. Arkansas is one of the states where gambling expansion has taken place.

March 18, 2009
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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