Criminal Case Results
DUI Charges
State v. M.B.
Charges: Attempted First Degree Murder with a Firearm & Domestic Battery (1st Degree Felony)Â
Situation: Our client was in his home when his soon-to-be ex-wife and her paramour arrived at his home to pick up the child for the ex-wife’s time sharing. The ex and new boyfriend arrived at our client’s home and entered the home to allegedly get some things for the child. The ex-wife and paramour then went through different areas of the home verbally berating our client. Our client stayed calm through the incident until his ex-wife grabbed his cell phone out of his hand. Our client lunged toward his ex and tried to retrieve his phone. At that point, the paramour attacked our client. The client’s mother then kicked the paramour in the groin causing him to release our client. At that point our client was able to escape to his bedroom and retrieve his .45 caliber Glock handgun and return to the room. Upon entering the room, our client fired four shots with three of those going into the paramour’s back. The last shot lodged in the door frame as the paramour was running out of the home.
Outcome: Not Guilty on all counts (one week trial & the jury deliberated for one hour)
State v. P.W.
Charges: DUI (1st degree misdemeanor)
Situation: Client was involved in a two car crash. Witnesses who helped him out of the car said he smelled of alcohol. Client performed field sobriety exercises poorly and was arrested for DUI. Before trial, the State offered a reduced charge of DUI; however, client rejected this offer and we went forward with a day-long jury trial. We argued vigorously that the validity of the field sobriety tests was flawed due to the age of our client, and his condition as a result of the accident. We also brought forward witnesses to testify that the accident was not his fault.
Outcome: Not Guilty verdict from a jury. Client was fully acquitted of the charge and his Personal Injury case against the other driver is pending.
State v. S.B.
Charges: DUI (1st degree misdemeanor)
Situation: Police stopped our client when she was seen driving with no headlights and swerving at 3 am in Pinellas County. Deputies found a cup with vodka in it that the client admitted belonged to her. Police also found a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle after searching, incident to arrest. Our client performed poorly on the field sobriety exercises and refused a breath test.
Outcome: SB pled to the reduced charge of Reckless Driving (RD) & to a withhold of adjudication and court costs on the misdemeanor marijuana charge.
Felony Charges
State v. R.I.
Charges: Possession of a Firearm by a 3x Convicted Felon (1st degree felony, Punishable by Life)
Situation: Police arrested our client after a large fight broke out in a south St. Pete neighborhood and a police officer claimed he saw our client hide a firearm under his truck. Client was facing a potential life sentence after trial. During a three-day jury trial, we argued that the State’s evidence is not reliable because it depended solely on the testimony of one police officer. On cross-examination, that officer admitted that he did nothing to corroborate what he claimed to have saw. The officer was in possession of a camera but he failed to take any photos of the gun before he physically retrieved it; he did not bring in another available officer to witness the gun before moved it; and his testimony was not consistent pertaining to the details of the event.
Outcome: Not Guilty verdict from a jury. Client was fully acquitted the charge and soon released.
State v. B.V.
Charges: Attempted Murder, 4 counts (1st degree felonies)
Situation: Client was charged with 4 counts of attempted murder and was facing the possibility of a prison sentence of over 20 years. After researching the case and working with a ballistics expert, we were able to convince the State that client lacked the intention to murder anyone. The charges were reduced to 3rd degree felonies and we persuaded the judge to sentence client as a youthful offender.
Outcome: Pled to Aggravated Assaults (3rd degree felonies) as a youthful offender. Client spent less than one year working in a youthful offender camp and then served a two-years of probation.
State v. E.P.
Charges: Aggravated Battery. 2F
Situation: Client was arrested for an aggravated battery which alleged she stabbed her live-in boyfriend with a knife while he was in the shower. Client admitted to getting into a heated argument with boyfriend but denied the stabbing.
Outcome: After speaking with the prosecutor and convincing them that the case was weak based on a lack of credible evidence, the charges were dropped.
State v. C.T.
Charges: Aggravated Battery 2F (PRR)
Situation: Client was in a bar when he was attacked by a drunken patron. Client, who had been recently released from prison, defended himself by punching the aggressive patron in the face. Unfortunately the alleged victim was blinded by the punch and client was charged with aggravated battery. State insisted on at least 10 years in prison for a plea.
Outcome: After a day-long motion for Immunity from prosecution under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, the Judge found that our client was justified in defending himself and granted the motion for immunity. The State then dismissed the case.
State v. E.D.
Charges: Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (3rd Degree Felony)
Situation: Client’s wife reported to police that our client pulled out a sword and raised it towards her during a family dispute. Our client admitted to police that he was very angry and did grab the sword while making a threat to his wife. Police arrested client and he was officially charged soon after.
Outcome: Client was accepted into the Pre-Trial Intervention program, finished the program, and all charges were dismissed by the State
State v. M.C.
Charges: Trafficking in Amphetamine (1st degree felony)
Situation: Client was pulled over by Pasco Sheriff’s deputies who found a large amount of Methamphetamine in her trunk. Client was facing a minimum 3-year prison sentence up to a maximum of 30 years.
Outcome: We filed a motion to suppress the traffic stop as there was no legal basis to pull our client over. The court agreed, our motion to suppress the evidence was granted and the case was dismissed.
State v. W.B.
Charges: Fleeing & Eluding (3rd degree felony)
Situation: Officer arrested our client for Fleeing and Eluding after he supposedly drove his motorcycle at speeds over 90 miles per hour in an attempt to escape. Officer claims shortly after our client got away, he just happened to spot in a neighborhood over a mile away. Client denied any knowledge that an officer tried to pull him over. Stated he had his helmet speakers on loud and never heard the sirens or saw the lights.
Outcome: Client was found Not Guilty of Fleeing and Eluding by the jury.
State v. D.L.F.
Charges: Burglary Vehicle 3F
Situation: Client was arrested after riding away on his bicycle after he allegedly accidentally locked himself into the back of a car he was in the process of burglarizing. The car’s owner stated the burglar used a cable box to smash out the car window to unlock the car and then escape on his bike. The owner immediately identified our client as being the perpetrator when the police did a show up. Had our client been convicted he would have been sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison because of his lengthy prior record.
Outcome: After trial, our client was released from jail after being found Not Guilty.
Misdemeanor Charges
State v. J. P.
Charges: Domestic Battery (1st Degree Misdemeanor)
Situation: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to our client’s house after her and her boyfriend were involved in a physical altercation. When the client admitted that she did strike her boyfriend, she was arrested for Domestic Battery. Client hired Hendry & Parker to represent her before charges were officially filed by the State.
Outcome: The State did not file any formal charges.
State v. S.A.
Charges: Domestic Battery (1st degree misdemeanor)
Situation: Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene where our client got into a dispute with her son and her son’s girlfriend, who lived with our client. Police were called after our client was reported to have hit both alleged victims with her car when she was pulling out of the driveway. Hendry & Parker argued to the State that this act was not intentional and called into question the motives and credibility of the alleged victims.
Outcome: The State declined to file any formal charges.
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Don Hendry, Esq.
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Kris Parker, Esq.
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