Combs Waterkotte is a leading criminal defense law firm serving Missouri and Illinois, as well as clients nationwide facing federal criminal charges. Our criminal defense attorneys fight to protect your freedom and constitutional rights, pursuing justice and the best possible outcome for your case. Our exceptional track record and over 600 reviews speak for themselves. If you are facing criminal charges or have already been arrested, we can help. Call us at (314) 900-HELP 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you are facing criminal charges in Missouri, the consequences of a conviction can be severe and life-altering. Criminal cases can involve aggressive prosecutors, complex evidence, and serious penalties, making experienced legal representation essential. Our Missouri criminal defense attorneys fight relentlessly to protect your constitutional rights, challenge unlawful searches, questionable evidence, and procedural errors, and pursue reduced charges, dismissal, or acquittal whenever possible.

We take the time to understand the unique facts of your case and maintain clear, honest communication throughout every stage of the criminal process. Clients throughout Missouri can trust that their defense will be handled with precision, discretion, and a steadfast commitment to pursuing the best possible outcome.

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You've probably heard the classic prison advice: "On your first day, find the biggest guy in the yard and hit him." It's been repeated in movies, TV shows, and prison stories for decades, but is it actually good advice, or could it make your situation a whole lot worse?

A former correctional officer explains what would REALLY happen if a new inmate walked into prison and immediately tried to fight the biggest, toughest person they could find. From prison politics and inmate hierarchies to respect, reputation, and the unwritten rules everyone is expected to understand, there's a lot more happening behind the scenes than most people realize.

So, should you actually hit the biggest guy in prison? The reality might be very different from what Hollywood has taught you.

Subscribe for more firsthand stories about prison, policing, criminal investigations, interrogation tactics, jail culture, and the criminal justice system.

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Did Lindsay Clancy admit that she was guilty? Not exactly. People are mistaking a trial strategy for a guilty plea.

As the Lindsay Clancy case continues to attract national attention, statements she allegedly made after the deaths of her three children have become a major part of the public conversation. But there’s an important difference between making a statement about what happened and legally admitting guilt.

With her defense centered heavily on her mental condition at the time of the killings, understanding the difference between admitting an act and admitting criminal responsibility could be critical to understanding the case.

She may have acknowledged what happened, but did she actually admit she was legally guilty?

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Are there MAJOR red flags in Patrick Clancy’s timeline of what happened that night? The Lindsay Clancy case has been analyzed from nearly every angle, but the timeline surrounding the deaths of her three children continues to raise important questions. In this video, a former police officer and investigator examines Patrick Clancy’s reported timeline. Investigators know that in cases this serious, seemingly minor details can matter. Timing, phone records, statements, movements, and whether different pieces of evidence corroborate one another can all become important when reconstructing exactly what happened. Do these details reveal genuine inconsistencies investigators should scrutinize, or are people reading too much into a husband’s actions surrounding an unimaginable tragedy? Here are the parts of Patrick Clancy’s timeline that deserve a closer look.

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Was Lindsay Clancy suffering from severe mental illness, and what does the actual evidence tell us? In Part 2 of The Lindsay Clancy Interview Sessions, Andrew Skoklo, a former police officer, Navy veteran, former correctional officer and now investigator, takes a deeper look at one of the most important and controversial questions surrounding the case: Lindsay Clancy’s mental state leading up to the deaths of her three children.

We examine the reported evidence surrounding her mental health treatment, medications, behavior, statements, and the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. The discussion also explores how investigators, attorneys, and ultimately a jury may have to separate what can be proven from speculation and hindsight.

This case isn’t simply about determining what happened. A central legal question is Lindsay Clancy’s mental state when it happened, and whether the evidence supports the prosecution’s or defense’s interpretation of her actions.

Part 2 takes a closer look at the evidence, the competing arguments, and the questions that could ultimately determine Lindsay Clancy’s fate.

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The Lindsay Clancy Interview Sessions - Part 1 of 2

In this video, Andrew Skoklo - a former police officer, Navy veteran, and correctional officer turned private investigator - breaks down the Lindsay Clancy case from an investigative perspective. He examines the evidence, key details surrounding the case, and why the facts strongly support a not guilty verdict.

This isn’t about ignoring the tragedy of what happened. It’s about examining how the criminal justice system determines guilt, intent, and criminal responsibility, and whether the evidence actually meets the legal burden required for a conviction.

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Could the murder case against Luigi Mangione get thrown out?

Luigi Mangione is facing an enormous legal battle, but some of the most important fights may happen before a jury ever decides whether he is guilty.

In this video, Andrew Skoklo, a former police officer turned private investigator, examines the legal issues that could weaken the prosecution’s case, including challenges involving searches, seized evidence, statements to law enforcement, constitutional rights, and whether critical evidence could be suppressed.

Could a successful defense challenge seriously damage the murder case against Luigi Mangione?

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In this video, a former police officer turned private investigator breaks down the Lindsay Clancy case from an investigative perspective and explains why the jury is taking so long. When a jury spends hours, or even days, deliberating, it’s easy to assume something unusual is happening behind closed doors. But a long deliberation can mean many different things.

Are jurors divided? Are they struggling with the evidence? Is one juror holding out? Or are they simply taking their time with an incredibly serious and complicated case?

In the Lindsay Clancy case, the jury has to weigh difficult questions surrounding intent, mental illness, criminal responsibility, and the evidence presented by both sides.

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