I have had 174 trials and counting:
I have had countless motions to quash arrest and suppress evidence hearings and I have gotten cases dismissed for a number of legal reasons and arguments:
These are just some of the reasons my clients have been stopped that I ultimately was able to prove were improper or illegal:
In all of these cases, I was able to get a more serious charge (such as possession of drugs, driving on a revoked license, or DUI) dismissed because of the illegal stop.
CIVIL RIGHTS CASE
My client a doctor of Nigerian decent when to rent a movie after his shift at the hospital. So, at two in the morning, as he was sitting in his car parked in the Walgreens parking lot directly in front of the 24/7 Red Box looking up on his phone which movie to rent, a cop knocked on his window. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
My client answered but then the officer said, “There have been a lot of burglaries around here. I think you are casing the joint and now you were calling your friends to come to rob Walgreens.”
He asked him out of his car. The good doctor cooperated. He asked if he could search his vehicle. Offended and obviously bothered my client said, “I know my rights and no you cannot search my vehicle. Am I free to go?”
The officer did not release him and kept him detained for an hour. A second officer arrived and then a third. Finally, the third officer realized my guy did nothing wrong and he was released.
The Doctor called me and I filed a complaint against the police department. Through sit down negotiations I obtained an almost unheard-of written apology from the department. In addition, my client wasn’t so much concerned for himself he just didn’t want these practices to continue so I also demanded and received an order requiring every police officer in the department to undertake sensitivity training.
DWB
My client was pulling out of a shell gas station at 2 in the afternoon. He flipped on his right turn signal and exited. The turn signal automatically disengaged and after approximately two seconds my client re-engaged his right turn signal 3 car lengths before the approaching intersection. He was pulled over for not engaging his turn signal continuously for 200 feet prior to the intersection. (that is a real law)
My client was black.
POLICE ABUSE
Police arrive for a loud music complaint at 3:30 am. Because the female homeowner who answered the door was not being exactly polite, the young police officers decided to abuse their power and roughed her up. Then in an effort to justify their actions created false reasons to charge her with crimes. (Obstruction of ID and Resisting arrest)
Through cross-examination, I proved that they were not being truthful and my client was found not guilty. I am now reporting their behavior so that their misdeeds will need to be disclosed to the defense in every future case they are involved in, subject to the ruling in People vs. Brady.
Put on and cross examined expert witnesses
Proved that the police did not have probable cause to search my client’s vehicle after stopping him for speeding. Suppressing the evidence of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and forcing the State to dismiss the case.
My client was mistakenly found guilty at trial, however I was able to overturn the verdict arguing the prosecutors charged wrong section of the DUI statute. My client was then found not guilty.
At trial my client was found not guilty for felony disorderly conduct, alleging that she filed false police reports. My clients gets badly beaten by her boyfriend on two consecutive days. He was arrested and was facing felony domestic battery charges. She was a single mother of 3 and currently pregnant with number 4. She had a job but still relied on his support to survive. She knew if the father of her children went to prison then she would get absolutely no support. At trial, she recanted and said that she lied to the police and she wasn’t battered. He was therefore found not guilty so the prosecutors retaliated and charged my client with the felony. When I tried to negotiate, with mitigating facts such as she is pregnant and a single mother of 3, a multi-time victim of abuse, has no criminal history, is a nurse, and would lose her career if convicted of a felony, The State gave an offer of a misdemeanor but she would have to do 120 days in jail. So I took it to trial, put the prosecutor on the stand, and argued that sure she lied but that is not the charge. The State had to prove she lied the first time and they can’t. The State tried to victimize a victim of abuse but justice was ultimately served.
My client had multiple DWLRs based on DUI and was facing mandatory jail. Not only did I get the case dismissed but I also got his 2010 Lexis back from forfeiture proceedings. My clients was stopped for a Scott’s Law violation. I proved that he couldn’t get over and he did slow down.
Recently, I represented a client wishing to run for office in the upcoming municipal elections. His eligibility to be on the ballot was challenged. The Objector argued that the Candidate did not meet the residency requirement set forth in the statute. The facts were not disputed, so the case came down to an interesting legal argument on statutory plain language versus intent. Upon the conclusion of arguments the board ruled in our favor against the recommendations of their own legal counsel.