Three Strikes

The defendant in this case was in a dire situation. With two attempted murder convictions, for which he had served over 11 years in prison, he already had two strikes on his record.

When he was released from prison, he began attending San Diego State University. During his senior year, police came to his apartment responding to a dispute he was having with his neighbors. An altercation ensued, where he was pepper sprayed and taken to the ground by two officers. He was arrested and charged with felony resisting arrest-his third strike.

With a twice-convicted felon as the defendant, this was going to be a tough case. However, the defense carefully picked apart the prosecution’s evidence. Utilizing the audiotape of the 911 call, the defense proved that the officers did not tell the truth about the confrontation and successfully convinced the jury of the defendant’s innocence. The jury found him not guilty.