In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").
Valhalla is a village that is located within the town of Mount Pleasant, New York, in Westchester County. Its population was 5,379 at the time of the 2000 U.S. Census. The name of the town was inspired by a fan of the opera composer Richard Wagner, and the celebrated status of this village comes primarily from its location as the burial places of the remains of numerous well-known people. Valhalla is also the Viking name for heaven, so many people think of it as a pun due to the several huge cemeteries in Valhalla.