DISCLAIMER:  Past success does not guarentee similar results in future cases.  Each case is unique and outcomes vary.


CIVIL CASES

Case:  Simpson v. Cameric International Developments, et al.

Type of case:  Commercial landlord-tenant

Verdict:  $1,344,184 award for Dr. Simpson.

Facts of the case: Dr. Simpson rented medical offices from defendants Fombe and Cassandra Ndiforchu, a husband and wife team of medical doctors doing business as Cameric International Developments. At the conclusion of the first written lease, the defendants insisted that Dr. Simpson sign a new lease increasing the rent to an amount far in excess of the amount authorized by the controlling lease. Dr. Simpson refused to sign the new lease so Dr. Cassandra Ndiforchu shut off the electrical power to Dr. Simpson's medical offices for a period of 28 days. After a trial of nearly three weeks, all 12 jurors found that the defendants were liable to Dr. Simpson for his past and future lost earnings and rendered a verdict in Dr. Simpson's favor in the amount of $1,344,184. After the defendants appealled the case all the way up to the California Supreme Court (which denied review of the Court of Appeals decision upholding the damages award), the judgment grew, with interest, to just over $1.7 million dollars.

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Case:  Greer & Jackson v. MTA

Type of case:  Personal injury - Bus v. auto

Verdict:  $156,825 award for the plaintiffs

Facts of the case:  While stopped at a traffic light in an older VW bug, Mr. Greer and Ms. Jackson were rear ended by an MTA bus.  Both plaintiffs suffered moderate soft tissue injuries.  The jury awarded Mr. Greer $96,415.25 and Ms. Jackson $60,413.75.

CRIMINAL CASES

Case:  People v. Daniels

Type of case:  Gang MURDER (two defendants)

Verdict:  Case DISMISSED in the middle of the trial!

Facts of the case:  On a late June afternoon, two young black males came from the area claimed by the Fruit Town Brim Blood gang and walked into the area claimed by the Rollin' 30's Harlem Crips.  The two youths opened fire, one shot into a parked car killing the driver, while the other youth fired towards an apartment building.  Both shooters fled back into the Fruit Town Brim neighborhood.

At trial, the prosecution called a number of eye witnesses to testify.  After vigirous cross-examination of the witnesses, and before the People called any police officers to testify as to their investigation leading to the arrest of the defendants, the prosecutor DISMISSED the case against both defendants.

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Case:  People v. Nunnery

Type of case:  Attempted murder (2 counts) and felon in possesion of a firearm.

Verdict:  NOT GUILTY on all counts!

Facts of the case:  In the early morning hours outside of the Flying Fox Restaurant two former employees were shot by a Rolling 20s gang member - one in the head and one in the chest.  The Defendant was arrested based on an identification by one of the victims from an LAPD Rolling 20s gang book.  The other victim and a witness also identified the Defendant as the shooter.  This was an "Identification" case.  At trial the defense challenged the victim and witness ID of the Defendant.

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Case:  People v. Torres

Type of case:  Lewd act on a child under 14 (5 counts)

Verdict:  NOT GUILTY on all counts

Facts of the case:  Mr. Torres was married to Eleanor and was the step-father to her daughter, and the father of three younger daughters.  Mr. Torres was accused by his step-daughter and the oldest of his three daughters of sexual abuse spanning many years.  Mr. Torres was not accused of abuse by either of his two youngest daughters or his two nieces, whom he lived with from time to time.  At trial, the defense was able to prove that in retaliation for a nasty divorce with Eleanor, which resulted in Eleanor losing Section 8 housing and substantial child support, that Eleanor used the two older daughters, now adults, to fabricate false allegations of sexual abuse against Mr. Torres.  The jury deliberated for only 2 hours, 20 minutes before finding Mr. Torres NOT GUILTY on all counts.  Had Mr. Torres been convicted on all five counts, he was facing a minimum of 30 years to life in state prison.

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Case:  People v. Johnson

Type of case:  Rape (3 counts, single "victim"; rape by force, of unconscious person, of intoxicated person)

Verdict:  NOT GUILTY on all counts

Facts of the case:  Mr. Johnson was a student at a local university and went to a frat party with a male friend and three girls he had recently met on campus. All five rode together in Mr. Johnson's car. While at the party, the "victim" consumed a number of shots of alcohol and became so intoxicated she passed out.  Having given the "victim" a ride to the party, Mr. Johnson felt responsible for her and took the young (18 year old) girl back to campus. Once on campus, the "victim" was unable to tell Mr. Johnson in which dorm she lived, so Mr. Johnson took her to his room where she could "sleep it off". They both fell asleep.

Some time during the night, Mr. Johnson woke up and began petting and kissing the girl and she responded in kind. During the amorous contact, Mr. Johnson rubbed the girl between the legs making her "wet".  Eventually, the girl said she was tired, so they both stopped and fell asleep.  Mr. Johnson denied having intercourse with the girl.  Some time after daybreak, Mr. Johnson woke up.  As he got out of bed, the girl awoke.  Confused where she was, or how she got there, she said she wanted to go to her room.  The girl borrowed Mr. Johnson's sweater and walked back to her dorm where she lay down and fell asleep. Later that morning, the girl met with some friends and had breakfast. The girl then told her friends that Mr. Johnson had raped her and the police were called. The girl was taken to the hospital where she was examined by a S.A.R.T. nurse who notice injuries she considered consistent with forcible sexual assault (rape). Swabs were taken for DNA testing. Mr. Johnson was then arrested and also given a S.A.R.T. exam and swabs were also taken for DNA testing. The DNA tests revealed the girl's DNA on his penis and scrotum.

At trial, the girl claimed that she awoke to "sharp pains" in her vagina and Mr. Johnson on top of her having sex. When she protested and tried to get up, he forced her down onto the bed and continued raping her until she began to cry. Mr. Johnson denied these allegations.  Further, Mr. Johnson testified that after touching the girl's vagina earlier that morning, he went to the bathroom (thereby transfering her DNA to his penis). The jury deliberated for 1 hour and 15 minutes before finding Mr. Johnson NOT GUILTY on all three counts.

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Case:  People v. Washington

Type of case:  Felon in possession of ammunition

Result:  Case DISMISSED on the eve of trial

Facts of the case:  Searching for evidence and witnesses connected to a murder investigation, the L.A.P.D. got a search warrant for Mr. Washington's girlfriend's residence; the previous residence of one of the targets of the warrant.  Upon searching the location, officers located a magazine inside a safe which contained live rounds of ammunition.  During the search, police also located what they believed to be evidence connecting Mr. Washington to the location.  On the theory of "constructive possession", a criminal case was filed against Mr. Washington.  Then, on the eve of trial, the prosecution dismissed the case admitting that they had insufficient evidence to secure a conviction.

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Case:  People v. Woods

Type of case:  DUI - Marijuana

Verdict:  NOT GUILTY

Facts of the case:  Mr. Woods, the holder of a valid medical marijuana card, was stopped by an L.A.P.D. motorcycle officer for allegedly making an illegal U-turn.  Upon stopping Mr. Woods, the officer told Mr. Woods why he stopped him.  Mr. Woods responded by calling the officer a LIAR!  Immediately thereafter, the officer told Mr. Woods that he "smelled pot" and asked Mr. Woods if he had been smoking marijuana.  Mr. Woods admitted to smoking marijuana approximately 10 hours earlier.  The officer, a Drug Recognition Expert, then administered the Standard Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) which he opined Mr. Woods failed.  After being arrested and taken down to the station, Mr. Woods elected to give a blood sample.  The blood sample tested at 7ng/ml.

At trial, the prosecution relied on the officer's testimony alone, even though a second officer arrived at the scene to transport Mr. Woods to the station.  In his defense, Mr. Woods took the stand and testified about the stop.  The defense also called an expert witness to testify as to the propriety of using the SFSTs (designed for use in alcohol intoxication cases) when the suspected drug was marijuana and not alcohol.

After deliberating for only one hour, the jury found Mr. Woods NOT GUILTY.

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Case:  People v. Green

Type of case: Assault with a deadly weapon (gun)

Verdict: NOT GUILTY on all counts!

Facts of the case: Four local gang members were driving up the street when they saw a lone rival gang member standing on the corner.  One of the gang members in the car called out to the rival gang member on the corner and words were exchanged.  The car pulled immediately into a parking lot where a fight ensued.  A number of other rival gang members rushed into the parking lot when suddenly shots rang out.  Two of the gang members from the car were shot; one was shot twice in the chest and one was shot once in the back.  All four gang members were alleged to have told the police that the shooter was Mr. Green.  At trial the gang members denied making the identification but the police testified that all four gang members positively identified Mr. Green as the shooter - all four saying they knew him from the neighborhood.  The defense challenged the credibility of the police officer who took the original report and the Detective who used that report as the basis of his investigation and ultimate arrest of Mr. Green.

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Case:  People v. McGarrah

Type of case: Attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon (gun)

Verdict: NOT GUILTY on all counts!

Facts of the case: Mr. McGarrah was with a friend when he recognized a couple of friends from school across the street.  Mr. McGarrah called out to his friends, who happened to be gang members from a different neighborhood, and went across the street to talk to them.  A fight broke out and the young man who had also crossed the street after Mr. McGarrah shot one of the other young men.  This was considered a gang bang gone bad case by the District Attorney.

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Case:  People v. Sanders

Type of case: Attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon (gun)

Verdict: Hung jury

Facts of the case: Mr. Sander's adult daughter befriended an older gentleman who fancied himself a "preacher" and who liked to do favors for her.  On one occasion, according to the daughter, the "preacher man" took her to buy marijuana.  When they got back to his house she lit up a joint, smoked it, and then he made unwanted sexual advances towards her.  She fled his house immediately.  A few days later a truck with three passengers came to the "preacher man's" house, called the "preacher" out and after a brief argument between the driver of the truck and the "preacher" shots rang out striking the "preacher" several times.  The District Attorney filed charges against Mr. Sanders on the "vengeful father" theory.  After two trials, both of which ended in a hung jury, and on the first day of the third trial, medical evidence was discovered that showed that the "preacher man" had lied about where and how he had been shot.  After discussions with the District Attorney regarding this new evidence, instead of risking a third hung jury, or worse, an aquittal, the District Attorney decided to drop the attempted murder charges and Mr. Sanders pled to the assault with a firearm charges. Mr. Sanders was released later that day for time served.

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Case:  People v. Thompson

Type of case:  Battery (Against Norwalk City Councilman JESSE LUERA)

Verdict:  NOT GUILTY!

Facts of the case:  Mr. Thompson went to Luera's Cleaners shortly after they opened to get a jacket cleaned for a wedding. He asked Mrs. Luera for same day service, even offering to pay extra money when she said they could not accommodate him. Mr. Thompson continued to insist they help him when Mr. Luera, City Councilman for the CIty of Norwalk, told Mr. Thompson they could not help him and ordered him to leave the store; an argument ensued. Mr. Luera claimed that Mr. Thompson spat in his face before leaving the store. As Mr. Thompson exited the cleaners Councilman Luera threw a telephone at Mr. Thompson striking him in the shoulder. Mr. Luera called the local Sheriff's Department and reported the crime. Mr. Luera was not charged with battery.