Both Sides of the Bench

"Never Trust a Memorial Day BBQ" Episode 8

Memorial Day weekend in Mississippi means BBQs, alcohol, fireworks, family arguments, and sometimes criminal investigations. On this episode of Both Sides of the Bench, former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney Shaun Yurtkuran discusses how holiday weekends can quickly turn violent and how Mississippi self defense law actually works in the real world. Shaun breaks down common legal myths surrounding Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground, shootings inside the home, self defense involving vehicles, and what happens when police respond after a violent encounter. He also discusses how alcohol, ego, and firearms often collide in ways that lead to tragic outcomes and criminal charges. The episode also dives into some of the most common pieces of “legal bro science” people believe, including myths about Miranda rights, talking to police, warning shots, self defense law, and when force becomes retaliation. Using stories from years prosecuting violent crimes in Jackson and now defending clients charged with serious offenses, Shaun explains the difference between what people think the law is and what Mississippi law actually says.

The Jackson Bribery Trial: Jury Pool & Entrapment Explained

The Jackson Bribery Trial: Jury Pool & Entrapment Explained In this episode, criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor Shaun Yurtkuran breaks down two of the biggest legal questions surrounding the upcoming federal bribery trial involving Hinds County DA Jody Owens, former Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, and Aaron Banks. First, where will the jury actually come from? Shaun explains how federal jury selection works in the Southern District of Mississippi, why jurors will be pulled from 18 different counties across central and eastern Mississippi, and why many potential jurors may know little or nothing about the case. The show also dives deep into the entrapment defense and the FBI’s undercover sting operation involving fake real estate developers and alleged bribery schemes. Shaun explains what entrapment actually means, why these defenses almost never work in federal court, and how prosecutors use recordings and undercover operations to prove predisposition. Former prosecutor insight. Defense lawyer perspective. Plain English breakdowns of how the system really works.

Does Entrapment Ever Work?

Does Entrapment Ever Work? In this episode, criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor Shaun Yurtkuran breaks down one of the most misunderstood defenses in American criminal law: entrapment. What does entrapment actually mean? Are undercover cops and FBI agents allowed to lie, create fake businesses, run fake bribery schemes, and pretend to be criminals? Where is the legal line between uncovering crime and creating it? Shaun explains why entrapment defenses almost never succeed, how prosecutors use recordings and undercover operations to prove “predisposition,” and why juries usually come back to one simple question: “Why didn’t the defendant just say no?” The episode also discusses famous entrapment cases involving John DeLorean, Jacobson v. United States, and Sherman v. United States, along with the psychology behind why some jurors distrust undercover government operations while others see them as legitimate law enforcement tactics. Plain English legal analysis from both the prosecutor and defense perspective.

Where Will The Jury Come From In The Jackson Federal Bribery Trial?

In this 5 min clip, criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor Shaun Yurtkuran explains how jury selection will actually work in the federal bribery trial involving Hinds County DA Jody Owens, former Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, and Councilman Aaron Banks. A lot of people believe the jury will come only from Hinds County, but federal court works very differently. Shaun breaks down how jurors are drawn from 18 counties across the Northern Division of the Southern District of Mississippi. The episode also explains why this case is completely different from the Ted DiBiase Jr. welfare case, how FBI undercover sting operations changed the nature of the prosecution, and why the government believes recordings and alleged payoff schemes make this a far more traditional public corruption case.

Jackson Bribery Case: Who Flips First? The Mayor… Or The DA?

One of the more interesting discussions from Saturday’s show was my theory that if anybody flips in the federal bribery case, it may end up being the Mayor flipping on the District Attorney. Why? Because in federal conspiracy cases, everybody starts doing the math once the recordings, money trail, and sentencing exposure become real. In this clip, I break down how cooperation agreements actually work, why prosecutors love turning co-defendants against each other, and why the pressure inside these cases gets brutal once trial starts getting closer.