Violent Crime Case Results

Charge Dismissed

• Charges: First Degree Murder N.C.G.S. §14-17
• Facing: Mandatory life sentence
• Result: Charge Dismissed
• Case Name: Confidential per client request
• Our client was charged with First Degree murder after using his concealed carry weapon to defend himself and his young child in an altercation. Despite only conducting a short investigation, police charged our client with First Degree Murder just a few hours after arresting him. If convicted, our client would have been sentenced to life in prison. We acted quickly to point out to the District Attorney the inconsistencies in the investigation. We presented evidence that our client acted in self-defense and the District Attorney dismissed the case.

Case Dismissed

• Accusation: Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer Inflicting Serious Injury, N.C.G.S. § 14-34.7.
• Facing: 59 months in prison.
• Result: Case Dismissed by Court after Successful Motion to Dismiss for Selective Enforcement/Racial Discrimination
• State v. S.S.: Our client was at a park with her spouse and was detained by law enforcement for trespassing. During the detention, our client defended herself against an officer who was attempting to tackle her. In the process of the self-defense, our client allegedly inflicted serious injury on the officer. Although our client was trespassing, so were many other people at the park who were not detained. The only distinction between our client and those other individuals who were not detained was the color of their skin. We filed a pre-pretrial motion to dismiss for selective prosecution (racial discrimination). After a hearing where we pointed out many inconsistencies with the officers’ testimony, the Court ultimately granted our motion to dismiss and threw-out the felony assault case against our client.
• Attorney: APR

No Charges Filed & Civil Settlement

• Accusation: Discharge of Firearm; Injury to Personal/Real Property; Carrying Concealed Weapon
• Facing: 60 days in Jail and Possible Loss of Job if Charged
• Result: No Charges Filed and Civil Settlement
• North Carolina v. R.H.: Our client had potential civil liability and was the subject of an investigation by law enforcement after he unintentionally discharged his open-carry pistol after reaching for it during a fight in a local restaurant. Our firm acted quickly to communicate with the assigned detective and the attorneys for the restaurant chain. We negotiated a civil settlement that allowed the client to avoid any criminal charges and settled any potential civil liability that he may have had for the damage to the restaurant.
• Attorney: KMM

Charge Dismissed

• Charges: Felony Assault Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury (N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-32.4)
• Facing: 16-32 Months in Prison
• Result: Charge Dismissed
• North Carolina v. R.L.: Our client was falsely accused of a serious assault in which the client's former roommate was badly beaten to the point of losing sight in one of his eyes. After spending the necessary time to track down the alleged victim, our firm secured a sworn affidavit from the alleged victim who recanted his previous statement implicating our client in the assault. As a result, the District Attorney's Office dismissed all charges against our client.
• Attorney: KMM

Charge Dismissed

• Charges: Attempted Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon (N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-87)
• Facing: 25-42 Months in Prison
• Result: Charge Dismissed
• North Carolina v. Q.M.: Our client, who was only 17 years old at the time of the alleged offense, was charged with participating in an armed robbery of an illegal gambling house in an incident where one of the co-defendants was charged with murder in the death of a co-conspirator while fleeing the scene. After presenting persuasive evidence that our client was an unwitting participant in a scheme that he never agreed to join in, all charges were dismissed against our client by the responsible Assistant District Attorney.
• Attorney: KMM

Dismissal/Negotiated Plea

• Charges: Common Law Robbery, N.C.G.S. § 14-87.1
• Facing: 31-47 months.
• Result: 24 months probation with 7 days in jail.
• State v. A.K.: Our client robbed a local bank with a BB pistol, and stole over $30,000 from the bank as a result of the offense. After being detained, our client confessed to the robbery. Initially, no plea offer was tendered by the State. The firm then began to obtain our client's psychiatric records, which revealed that our client was suffering from mental health disorders. Upon discussing the medical records with the State, the District Attorney's Office agreed to allow our client to plead to the reduced charge of larceny. The common law robbery charge was dismissed. For robbing a bank with a mock-pistol, our client received 7 days in jail and probation.
• Attorney: APR

Dismissal

• Charges: Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, N.C.G.S. § 14-87.
• Facing: 160 to 204 months in prison.
• Results: Charges were dismissed.
• State v. R.J.: Our client was accused of stealing over $70,000 in cash and jewelry worth more than $15,000 while wielding a semi-automatic pistol. Even though our client had a lengthy arrest record, including a prior assault on a female conviction, the State ultimately dismissed the charges against R.J.
• Attorney: APR

Charges: Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury (N.C.G.S. § 14-32)

Facing: 25-42 Months in Prison
Result: Dismissed

North Carolina vs. A.O. - Our client was accused of assaulting a woman with the broken leg of a bar stool and inflicting serious injuries. We were able to convince the prosecutor that there was insufficient evidence to proceed against our client, and the charges were dismissed.

Attorney: KMM

Charges: Felony Abuse/Neglect of Elder Adult Causing Injury (N.C.G.S. § 14-32.2) and Felony Extortion (N.C.G.S. § 14-118.4)

Facing: 16-29 Months in Prison
Result: Dismissed

North Carolina vs. D.M. - Our client was accused of abusing his severely disabled wife by an estranged family member who was seeking to ruin our client's reputation. After completing the type of thorough investigation that the police should have completed before issuing felony charges, including taking a compelling video statement from the victim which directly refuted the allegations, the charges were promptly dismissed by the District Attorney's Office.

Attorney: KMM

Charges: Misdemeanor Assault on a Female (N.C.G.S. § 14-33(c)(2))

Facing: 60 Days in Jail
Result: Not Guilty

North Carolina vs. R.E. - Our client was accused of assaulting his girlfriend's former lover, who entered the couple's home unannounced and provoked a physical altercation with our client. At trial, we argued that our client acted in self defense to evict an intruder from his home, and the judge found our client not guilty.

Attorney: KMM

Charges: Assault with a Deadly Weapon Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury

Facing: 73-100 months
Result: Dismissed.

State v. F.B. - Client was involved in a verbal altercation with a stranger at a gas station that turned violent. The stranger attacked our client, at which time our client used a pocket knife to stab his attacker. Law enforcement charged our client, alleging that he used excessive and unnecessary force. We investigated the incident and found that the alleged victim had a history of violent crime convictions on his record. We were also able to find a bystander who recorded most of the incident on her cell phone. We obtained the cell phone recording and presented it to the District Attorney, along with a copy of the attacker's criminal history. We were able to persuade the district attorney that our client stabbed the man in self defense. Our client's charge was dismissed.

Attorney: MJM

Charges: Robbery with a Deadly Weapon (N.C.G.S. § 14-87), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery with a Deadly Weapon (N.C.G.S. § 14-87)

Facing: 128-178 months
Result: Dismissed

North Carolina v. M.W. - Our client was accused of participating in a robbery with her boyfriend. We argued that our client had no financial incentive to participate in the robbery and that the boyfriend sought to avoid prison by placing the blame on our client. The Assistant District Attorney dismissed the case against our client.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Misdemeanor Death by Motor Vehicle (N.C.G.S. § 20-141.4(a2))

Facing: 2 months
Result: Unsupervised probation with a 60-day suspended sentence

North Carolina v. E.E. - Our client was charged with misdemeanor Death by Motor Vehicle after she hit and killed a pedestrian as a result of failing to reduce her speed. We negotiated a plea that resulted in no prison time. Our client received 24 months of unsupervised probation with a suspended sentence of 60 days.

Attorney: APR

Charge: First Degree Murder (N.C.G.S. § 14-17)

Facing: Life Without Parole
Result: Not Guilty

North Carolina v. B.S. - Our client was indicted on a charge of First Degree Murder for his alleged role as the driver in a drive-by shooting. At trial, the State presented video footage and multiple witnesses. We were able to discredit the State's witnesses by pointing out inconsistencies in their stories. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty for our client.

Attorney: APR

Accusation: Child Abuse (N.C.G.S. § 14-318.4)

Facing: 64-89 months
Result: No charges filed

North Carolina v. R.S. - Our clients were under investigation for child abuse as a result of brain bleeding in their newborn child. Investigators believed our clients caused the child to suffer from shaken baby syndrome. Child Protective Services took the child and initiated its own investigation. We investigated and obtained information showing that the brain bleeding was caused by a medical condition. No charges were filed against our client and Child Protective Services dismissed its investigation.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Felony Probation Violation

Facing: 16-20 months in jail
Result: Probation extended

North Carolina v. K.H. - Our client violated the terms of his probation for five previous charges of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon. At the probation violation hearing, we were able to convince the judge to allow our client to undergo drug treatment and remain on probation, rather than serve an active sentence.

Attorney: APR

Charge: 1st Degree Burglary, Felony Breaking or Entering, Felony Larceny, Misdemeanor Larceny, Unauthorized Use of A Motor Vehicle, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Facing: 91 - 118 months
Result: 6-8 months in jail

North Carolina v. C.M. - Our client pled guilty to several felonies and several misdemeanors. We were able to convince the judge to place our client on probation. Shortly after being placed on probation, he was charged with first degree burglary. He pled guilty to a second charge of felony larceny and all charges, including his probation violation, were consolidated for one judgment.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Aid and Abet Robbery with A Dangerous Weapon, Aid and Abet Assault with A Deadly Weapon with Intent To Kill Inflicting Serious Injury

Facing: 89 - 125 months
Result: Dismissed

North Carolina v. K.G. - Our client was accused of helping to plan the brutal robbery of a pizza delivery person. The State's evidence included our client's statements as well as those of her co-defendants. We were able to convince the prosecutor that our client was manipulated by the real perpetrators and that she did not knowingly assist them in carrying out the robbery.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon

Facing: 64-86 months
Result: Misdemeanor Probation

North Carolina v. A.G. - The State alleged that our client stole a bicycle from another individual at gun point. Several eyewitnesses had positively identified our client. We argued that there was insufficient evidence to establish that our client possessed a real weapon during the commission of the crime. After initially offering a felony plea, the Assistant District Attorney reduced the charge to a misdemeanor and our client was placed on probation.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Possession of a Firearm on a Federal Installation

Facing: 12 months
Result: Dismissed

U.S. v. B.T. - After military police questioned our client regarding a previous incident, they searched his vehicle. Officers found a concealed weapon with no permit. After providing military officials with our client's medical records, which showed a long history of mental instability, they decided not to prosecute the case.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Attempted First Degree Murder, Assault with A Deadly Weapon With Intent To Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, First Degree Burglary, Assault On A Female

Facing: 24 - 31.5 years in prison
Result: 25 - 39 mos.

North Carolina vs. J.A. - The State accused our client of repeatedly stabbing another man whom he suspected of having an affair with the mother of his child. In the process the woman was also assaulted. The client later confessed his involvement in the altercation. We were able to negotiate a dismissal of most of the charges. The client ultimately pled guilty to the reduced charge of felonious assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

Attorney: APR

Charge: Robbery with A Dangerous Weapon (4 Counts), First Degree Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery with A Dangerous Weapon

Facing: 12 - 17 years in prison
Result: Dismissed

North Carolina vs. M.W. - An incarcerated defendant accused our client of participating in the robbery of a group of young at a party. We were able to raise doubt as to the credibility of this individual. In the end, the prosecutor dismissed these charges, citing a lack of evidence.

Attorney: APR