Attempted Murder

Our client Brandon R. was charged with three counts of premeditated attempted murder. In addition, the District Attorney’s office had alleged numerous special gang and firearm enhancements. If convicted, Brandon was facing 35 years to life in prison.

At trial, the defense called fingerprint and DNA experts establishing the lack of physical evidence tying our client to the shootings. Defense experts were able to exclude Brandon as being the donor of DNA left on crucial items of evidence recovered from the scene; despite the State’s evidence being inconclusive on the issue. Defense also called an eyewitness identification expert discrediting the State’s contention that the ID of our client by eye-witnesses was reliable and credible.

After two days of deliberation, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on all charges. In addition to defense’s comprehensive case-in-chief, the jury credited Mr. Sterling’s cross-examination of the State’s gang expert and lead detective as the primary reason for disbelieving the State’s theory and motive behind the shootings.