Criminal Law Case Studies

State v. Gomez: “The Wrong Julio Gomez,” murder charges dropped

The client was charged with First Degree Murder in the brutal homicide of a young drug informant.

• The defendant, an undocumented worker, was misidentified by a cooperating witness.
• Our investigation identified numerous co-workers and employers who confirmed that the client was in another part of the state and had never been to Palm Beach County.
• These co-workers traveled across the state to our offices one evening to meet with us, after working all day in the fields in central Florida. They each provided sworn affidavits through our bilingual investigator.
• Employers who remembered the client as a hard and consistent worker faxed his work records to our offices.

Result: Our findings were presented by the defense attorneys to the prosecutor, who dismissed charges against the client and ordered his release.

State v. Heartsong: “Cold Case” acquittal

The client was charged with first degree murder in a “cold case” homicide involving the violent death of his wife.

• Alibi evidence secured by our investigation reflected that the client was buying a car thirty miles away at the time of the homicide.

Result: That information, and lack of motive, led to acquittal at trial. This case received national publicity as featured on NBC’s “Dateline” and CBS’s “48 Hours”.

State v. Persad: 43 year sentence in “road rage” shooting overturned

The client was charged with shooting a woman who was riding on the back of her husband’s motorcycle during a “road rage” incident. During the subsequent trial, the client was convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm, and he was sentenced to 43 years imprisonment for the offense.

• Our investigation substantiated that the client was attending college classes in another part of the county at the time of the offense.
• The attorneys challenged the improper identification of the defendant in a line-up. Investigation disclosed issues in the process of identification and the possibility of a “tainted” photo line-up.
• The client’s conviction and 43-year sentence were overturned at a hearing on an ineffective assistance of counsel claim. The state subsequently dropped all charges, as there was no other evidence other than the tossed eyewitness identification.

Result: The client was released from jail after a several year ordeal, affirming his innocence all the time. He was restored to his family and completed his college education.