Local Success: Trial Court Successes: June, 2016

Following are trial court victories of our subscribers as reported on SADO’s Forum—an online community for criminal defense attorneys. Subscribers are encouraged to submit their stories of success on SADO’s Forum and/or directly to Associate Editor Neil Leithauser at nleithauserattorney@comcast.net. SADO’s CDRC Subscription information is available by contacting Heather Waara at hwaara@sado.org.

Mitchell T. Foster secured a 20-month reduction in the minimum sentence for his client at a resentencing in the 48th Judicial (Allegan County) Circuit Court.

Thomas M. Loeb won a not guilty verdict from a jury in a resisting and obstructing case in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court.  Mr. Loeb was assisted by second-chairs Jeffrey Kaplan and Erica A. Vicari.

Marc E. Hart won a post-conviction motion for directed verdict of acquittal in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court; his client had earlier been convicted in a bench trial of assault with intent to do great bodily harm.

Michael A. Faraone obtained a five-month sentence reduction from the minimum sentence for his client in a resentencing in the 30th Judicial (Ingham County) Circuit Court. 

Timothy J. Livingston won a motion to suppress evidence in the 53rd Judicial District Court; without the evidence, which was seized in a traffic-stop, the prosecutor dismissed the charges.

David R. Cripps won not guilty verdicts in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court in a case charging two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, two counts of felonious assault, and felony firearm.

Jennifer J. France won suppression of video-evidence in the 50th Judicial (Chippewa County) Circuit Court due to a discovery violation.

SADO attorneys had multiple successes.  Assistant Defender Jacqueline C. Ouvry, sought withdrawal of a guilty plea in the 16th Judicial (Macomb County) Circuit Court due to the failure to advise the client of SORA registration requirements.  An agreement was reached for a plea to assault with intent to do great bodily harm, with no SORA registration.

Assistant Defender Erin Van Campen, at a resentencing in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court, secured a two year minimum sentence reduction for her client convicted of felon in possession of a firearm.

Assistant Defender Malika Ramsey-Heath, at a resentencing in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court, obtained a new minimum sentence for her client of 365 days in jail, down from the original 16-month minimum prison sentence.  The client had credit for 390 days and was immediately released from custody.

Assistant Defender Marilena David-Martin, with the help of Social Worker Katherine L. Root, obtained a five year minimum sentence reduction and a four year maximum sentence reduction in a torture case at a resentencing in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court,

SADO’s Valerie R. Newman, Kim M. McGinnis, Linda Borus and Katherine L. Root, working over many years with others, including the Dykema firm, Dave Moran and the Michigan Innocence Project, and the Northwestern Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth, secured the release from prison of Davontae Sanford, who had been wrongfully convicted of multiple murders at the age of 14 and was released after spending 9 years in prison.

by Neil Leithauser
Associate Editor