NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – With lots of legal cases in the news this week, attorney and legal analyst Midwin Charles stopped by The Couch to talk about the hot topics.

Charles offered opinions on the Charla Nash chimp attack lawsuit, Long Island “missing swimmer” Raymond Roth facing charges, the Trayvon Martin case, the Colorado shooting case and the Douglas Kennedy case in Mount Kisco.

Nash, who is is seeking permission to sue the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for $150 million in damages, accusing the agency of failing to seize the animal before the mauling despite a staff member’s warning that it was dangerous.

Exclusive: Charla Nash’s Lawyer Blames State Of Connecticut For Attack

“I think it’s possible that she will [get permission], given how significant this case is,” Charles said. “When you think about what happened to [Nash] – she was mauled by 200 lb chimpanzee out of nowhere – and i think it’s such a precedent setting case that she may get that authority to go ahead with that lawsuit.”

Meanwhile, in the case of Raymond Roth, a Nassau County man, who allegedly faked his own death, Charles had this to say:

“Apparently this father and son team – duo – were in cahoots to kind of commit insurance fraud,” Charles said. “The father has recently checked himself into a mental institution, and some are saying he’s pretty much laying the groundwork for an insanity defense. But I think its incredibly unlikely. Insanity defenses are rarely used…i don’t know they’re going to be able to show that.”

For more of the hot legal gossip on these and several other cases, check out the full interview below.