Bellflower, Domestic Violence Between Boyfriend and Girlfriend, Entire Case Dismissed on First Day of Trial – Attorney Success # 19
Our client, age 19, and his girlfriend had a loud argument outside her apartment in the early morning hours. As the girlfriend reached for the keys to the apartment, held by our client, she yanked on the key and deeply cut her hand. The ruckus awoke the apartment manager, who called the police.
The police arrived and immediately focused on our client, as he appeared to be a gang member. They also saw the bloody hand of our client’s girlfriend. They then toured the inside of the apartment and saw clothes all over the floor as if a fight had occurred.
Our client was immediately arrested. According to the police report, our client admitted to being in a gang on his way to the police station. The police report also stated that our client pushed his girlfriend to the ground and bruised her arms.
Our client was charged with misdemeanor violations of Penal Code § 273.5 (domestic violence), 243(e)(1) (battery upon a co-habitant or spouse) and 242 (simple battery). While our client had no criminal convictions, his rap sheet showed nine arrests for felony charges and four other arrests for misdemeanor charges. The history involved allegations of grand theft auto several times, felony aggravated assault, felony possession of an unregistered firearm and felony burglary, both commercial and residential. In other words, there was a strong feeling within the courthouse of “now we got him. He’s not going to slip away this time! Now is time his comeuppance.”
Greg Hill met with the client and his girlfriend and picked apart the police report for all its inconsistencies. He elicited a declaration from the girlfriend disputing many parts of the police report and, most importantly, pointed out that our client holding onto a key when his girlfriend pulled it away was not a battery at all. While the Bellflower District Attorney bristled at this suggestion that the part of the case, the strongest part, was not a crime, she reluctantly agreed after Greg took the issue to her supervisor.
Greg then pointed out that if our client had really pushed his girlfriend to the concrete ground, her palms or at least her arms would have shown some injury. The photographs taken by the police of the girlfriend, however, showed no injuries to support this.
Greg then also showed how our client could not have bruised his girlfriend’s arms because the photographs showed no bruises.
The District Attorney heard these arguments, but stated they would not dismiss the action. They wanted our client in jail, they said. So Greg Hill pushed to trial, reminding the District Attorney that the apartment manager explicitly stated in the police report that she saw no pushing or hitting. Our client’s girlfriend also disappeared, discontinuing her cell phone number.
On the first day set for trial, the prosecution asked for a resetting of the trial date, seeking to elicit a plea from our client. We refused to plea to anything.
On the new day set for trial, the prosecution dismissed the case in the interest of justice. Our client was very happy.
Don't risk losing your employment or your reputation. Call us today at (310) 782-2500 for your free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you.
When payment is an issue, we have very competitive flat fee rates to represent you or your family member. In special circumstances, we will also consider payment plans where payments are spread out over time. We also accept all major credit cards.
The police arrived and immediately focused on our client, as he appeared to be a gang member. They also saw the bloody hand of our client’s girlfriend. They then toured the inside of the apartment and saw clothes all over the floor as if a fight had occurred.
Our client was immediately arrested. According to the police report, our client admitted to being in a gang on his way to the police station. The police report also stated that our client pushed his girlfriend to the ground and bruised her arms.
Our client was charged with misdemeanor violations of Penal Code § 273.5 (domestic violence), 243(e)(1) (battery upon a co-habitant or spouse) and 242 (simple battery). While our client had no criminal convictions, his rap sheet showed nine arrests for felony charges and four other arrests for misdemeanor charges. The history involved allegations of grand theft auto several times, felony aggravated assault, felony possession of an unregistered firearm and felony burglary, both commercial and residential. In other words, there was a strong feeling within the courthouse of “now we got him. He’s not going to slip away this time! Now is time his comeuppance.”
Greg Hill met with the client and his girlfriend and picked apart the police report for all its inconsistencies. He elicited a declaration from the girlfriend disputing many parts of the police report and, most importantly, pointed out that our client holding onto a key when his girlfriend pulled it away was not a battery at all. While the Bellflower District Attorney bristled at this suggestion that the part of the case, the strongest part, was not a crime, she reluctantly agreed after Greg took the issue to her supervisor.
Greg then pointed out that if our client had really pushed his girlfriend to the concrete ground, her palms or at least her arms would have shown some injury. The photographs taken by the police of the girlfriend, however, showed no injuries to support this.
Greg then also showed how our client could not have bruised his girlfriend’s arms because the photographs showed no bruises.
The District Attorney heard these arguments, but stated they would not dismiss the action. They wanted our client in jail, they said. So Greg Hill pushed to trial, reminding the District Attorney that the apartment manager explicitly stated in the police report that she saw no pushing or hitting. Our client’s girlfriend also disappeared, discontinuing her cell phone number.
On the first day set for trial, the prosecution asked for a resetting of the trial date, seeking to elicit a plea from our client. We refused to plea to anything.
On the new day set for trial, the prosecution dismissed the case in the interest of justice. Our client was very happy.
Don't risk losing your employment or your reputation. Call us today at (310) 782-2500 for your free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you.
When payment is an issue, we have very competitive flat fee rates to represent you or your family member. In special circumstances, we will also consider payment plans where payments are spread out over time. We also accept all major credit cards.