2006: Reparations help U.S. win favor in Iraq (Story about claims missions in Iraq).
2007: DoD Civilian Lawyer keeps license despite lying to Army (National story concerning my investigation into an international incident involving an Dept of the Army civilian attorney stationed in Qatar).
Video played at the Tampa Bay Rays game for Family.
http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/62064655-storyChristianity and the Framers: An Analysis concerning the True Intent of the Establishment Clause; Liberty University School of Law, Law Review 5-2- May 10, 2011
LINK:
Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department Of Health and the Right to Die: Where Should the Line be Drawn 14 American Journal of Trial Advocacy 643 (1991)
Author: HisStory: Finding Your Life's Purpose in God's Divine Provision
OTHER SIGNIFICANT CASES:
JANUARY 6, 2021 CAPITOL HILL RIOT CASE:
AP:
Washington Post:
FAMILY LAW CASE WHERE CLIENT'S CHILD WAS KIDNAPPED TO LEBANON AND RECOVERED:
NBC News:
Tampa Bay Times:
Fox 13:
2020 LAWSUIT AGAINST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COVID CURFEW
ABC 28:
New York Post:
FOX 13:
Tampa Bay Times:
https://www.tampabay.com/news/gradebook/2020/08/14/lawsuit-seeks-to-undo-mask-rule-for-hillsborough-public-schools/
Fox 13:
NBC News:
LAWSUIT AGAINST PASCO COUNTY'S SEXUAL OFFENDER'S ORDINANCE
Lawsuit to Find Pasco County Ordinance Unconstitutional
COMPLAINT:
MEDIA COVERAGE:
Fox 13:
Tampa Bay Times:
Tampa Tribune:
WTSP Channel 10:
Univision coverage:
Client who was wrongfully arrested for trafficking when only possessing vitamins:
Fox 13:
Recent Trial Cases: (Past 24 months)
*PLEASE NOTE: No two cases are the same. Every case is determined by its own unique set of facts. The list of recent cases below are provided as examples of the types of criminal law cases that I have handled in the past, and are provided for informational purposes only.
Represented a client with PTSD who was facing mandatory prison who received only probation (March 2015). Story below:
STATE V. ARMANDO PEREZ-Not Guilty of Negligent Homicide
Defendant charge with killing a bicyclist by road racing on Fletcher avenue near the University of South Florida. Jury trial resulted in a full acquittal-
Client found not guilty of vehicular homicide in a jury trial (February 2015). Story below:
Stand your ground case - Pinellas State Attorney does not file charges
Client was involved in a shooting in self defense where he was attacked. The attacker was not armed. The state attorney, after an investigation, choose to close the case.
State v. Bowers: NOT GUILTY of Armed Robbery:
This was the second of three cases. (First Case dismissed on Motion to Supress-Granted).
Defendant accused as a Principal to Armed Robbery where the victim was shot. Our Defense was mere presence.
The State failed to show that our client was involved in the Robbery where we were able to attack the victim’s very inconsistent testimony.
While the victim was certainly shot in the Arm during an attempted drug deal, there was no showing that our client did anything other than approach the victim (who was in his car) asking him what it was he was wanted.
The Key to the case was the suppression of a tape recorded admission in a related case involving a similar shooting that took place two hours before this shooting, and denying State Attorney the ability to use any Williams Rule evidence from case not yet proved.
By effective use of demanding speedy trial, I forced the State Attorney to go forward with this case, which was his weakest case.
State v. Durbin: NOT GUILTY of ROBBERY FIREARM OR DEADLY WEAPON LESS THAN $; AGGRAVATED BATTERY GREAT BODILY HARM OR DEADLY:
Defendant meet victim were friends from school and sports. Defendant asserted that victim fronted him $200 dollars worth of drugs and that the confrontation began when he was confronted by the victim, punched in the jaw, and he defended himself.
Victim claimed that defendant stuck a gun in his stomach, demanding his car keys and money. That the victim then punch the defendant in the jaw, grabbed his gun, threw the gun onto a staircase, began to fist fight the defendant, secured said gun, and tried to shoot the defendant twice. Gun failed to discharge. Victim then claimed to lay the gun down in order to allow the Defendant to pistol whip him, causing the laceration on his head, which was closed with 7 stitches. He now complains of seeing spots in his right eye.
This unbelievable story was obviously not believed by the jury, who apparently felt that our version of events was far more credible. The defendant did a good job testifying, and the lack of any corroborating evidence, along with the victim’s own very inconsistent testimony, doomed the government.
State v. Garcia: NOT GUILTY of TRAFFICKING (3 Year MIN/MAN):
Defendant arrested on 3 outstanding warrants for Delivery of Cocaine. A search of the Defendant at the Orient Road Jail uncovered a bag of Cocaine hidden in his body cavity.
The police had done three seperate searches that had not uncovered the narcotics. Police testimony at trial was disjointed and inconsistent. The sock, containing the drugs had been destroyed, and no video evidenc of the search was produced by the state. The only evidence agains the Defendant was testimony of the officer who uncovered th drugs at the jail, and the druds themselves.
The jury was out for 15 minutes before rendering a verdict of not guilty based on the conflicts in the evidence and the lack of evidence (in spite of the drugs being found at the jail during the booking search).
State v. Williams: NOT GUILTY of Possession of Cannabis W/I/T/D 20 grams, Possession of Cocaine, DWLS, possession of drug paraphernalia:
State was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that my client had knowledge of the 12 bags of marijuana found in glove compartment, or the piece of crack cocaine found in a back seat pocket, of the ring baggies found in the front seat, or the marijuana blunt found in the driver’s side console...
We conceded the issue of DWLS. We argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove my client’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, because the state failed to offer any evidence that my client knew, or should have known what was in the glover compartment.
Jury stayed out for an hour.
This was the second of two cases. The first case, which happened four months prior, involves the defendant engaging in hand to hand transactions, witnessed by an undercover police agent.
State v Sherman: NOT GUILTY of Felony Littering:
Defendant scene by eyewitness dumping pallets on an abandoned property. Defendant fled the scene, and was followed by eyewitness. Eventually arrested by Police. Told police that he was not dumping pallets, but had seen them the day before and was there to pick them up. Property was overgrown by trees and other vegetation, making it highly unlikely that Defendant could see from Gunn Highway the pallets he asserted where already on the property. The Defendant did not testify.
In any case, I simply argued the sufficiency of the evidence and the jury came back with their verdict after about 35 minutes.
State v. Dixon: NOT GUILTY of (Prison Release Re-Offender/Habitual Felony Offender)-Burglary of a Dwelling and Robbery, Burg of Conveyance, Petit Theft, Possession of Cocaine and Resisting Arrest:
Defendant failed to appear for trial. Forced to go to trial on everything absent the Defendant.
I found a 2d District Court of Appeals case (Forget v. State) that allowed for a special instruction on a Residue case that was critical. I argued that no evidence existed to show that the defendant knew he possessed cocaine. Jury agreed.
I argued that their was no resisting arrest on the merits. Jury agreed.
The Burglary of the Conveyance and petit theft were Dismissed by the Judge when the car owner failed to appear.
Argued that their was no robbery and no Burglary. That it was an attempted simple theft (attempt). Jury agreed.
I argued that we had a trespass. That the language barrior between the victims and the defendant led to a misunderstanding, which is why the defendant was in their house and tried to take their bike. Jury agreed.
State v. Manning: NOT GUILTY of DELIVERY OF COCAINE:
Client charge with asking for a “dime” of cocaine. What he asked for was a “dime”, to be sure...but he wanted marijuana, not crack. The police report was the State’s undoing, since it proved that the defendant never took the crack that was offered, in spite of testimony to the contrary.
Defendant was his own best witness. In spite of 8 felony convictions, many for use of crack, the jury (and the judge, and the court reporter, and the clerk, and the alternate juror...) all believed him.
Jury was out about 15 minutes.
State v. Johnson: NOT GUILTY OF BURGLARY OF A STRUCTURE:
Client forced to go to trial when the State's only offer was 10 years Florida State Prison. Defendant had numerous prior felony convictions. Defendant was arrested by police after fleeing the premises where he was loading his vehicle with scrap mental that he paid to haul. States position essentially amounted to the idea that if something looks like a duck and acts likes a duck, then it is a duck.
The Defendant had the truth on his side. And the truth was that he was not stealing. The jury agreed after only 7 minutes of deliberation. Defendant was his own best witness. In spite of 13 felony convictions, the jury (and the judge, and the court reporter, and the clerk, and the alternate juror...) all believed him. Advocacy can make a difference if the jury beleives that you believe in your cause.
On the web:
Published Law Reviews
