Posted on April 16,2012 in Assault & Battery

My client was accused of having inappropriate contact with a fellow gymnastics instructor and former student.    At trial, I successfully argued that the mental state required in the proving the offense of Battery was not present and that the credibility of the witnesses weighed in favor of my client.   After a trial, a judge acquitted my client of the criminal Battery Charges placed against him.    This protected my client from a punishment that ranged up to one year in jail and would have had a devastating effect on his future coaching career.

Criminal defense trial attorneys should always examine the elements of criminal charges carefully to expose weaknesses in the prosecution's case.    Criminal cases involving sexual assault, battery, and other allegations of personal harm will always involve a complaining victim.   Careful consideration must be given to credibility of these alleged victims in evaluating a criminal case.

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 Posted on April 10,2012 in Child Pornography

Recently, I represented a defendant on charges of possession of child pornography charges.  After a three day trial, a jury in Kane County delivered a verdict of Not Guilty on all charges.  Even though my client reportedly admitted to the police that  illegal images were on his computer, and a search resulted in images being found on a computer under his sole control, I convinced the jury that the evidence was still insufficient for a guilty finding.   By obtaining a not guilty verdict, my client avoided possible punishment of up to five years in prison and a life long obligation that he registed as a sex offender.

Computer Crimes are being charged much more often and often times law enforcement has difficulty in proving knowledge and intent when it comes to alleged images on a computer.  In my  practice I carefully analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the prosecution's case, and require them to prove beyond a resaonable doubt the criminal charges

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