Congratulations to Mike Pasano. Marissel Descalzo and Paul Cali on their big win in Puerto Rico. A jury found their client, the aid to Puerto Rico's former governor not guilty on all 9 counts including conspiracy, money laundering and lying to the FBI. Prosecutors presented 30 witnesses in the month long trial.  Congratulations again to Mike, Paul and Marissel. 

VICTORY!  

Justice has prevailed in the federal case against Dr. Shaygan who was charged with 141 counts of prescribing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. The doctor was facing a 20 year minimum mandatory sentence.  After less than 3 hours of deliberations, the jury found the doctor NOT GUILTY on all counts.  David Oscar Markus, Marc Seitles and Robin Kaplan did a fantastic job. Congratulations to the defense team! 

VICTORY! 

Another Victory in Judge Altonaga's courtroom this week. AFPDs Helaine Batoff and Sabrina Puglisi got a quick not guilty in thier felon in possession case where they cross examined the prosecution's star witness, Mr. police officer with his own voice on the police dispatch tapes. The recordings painted a very different picture than the one he testified about on direct.

VICTORY! 

Congratulations Brian Stekloff and Vince Farina.  Thier client, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm was acquitted yesterday, January 28, 2009 in Judge Altonaga's courtroom. 

Congratulations to Bill Matthewman who got a not guilty verdict in Fort Lauderdale Federal Court before Judge Marra.  The Defendant was charged with being a felon in posession of a firearm, facing a 15 year minimum mandatory sentence and a 25 year guideline sentence.  The Jury quickly found his client not guilty and Judge Marra released the man (who had been in custody) on the spot to his family. 

 VICTORY!  Congratulations to five of our kin:  David Oscar Markus, David Gerger (from Texas), Paul Calli, Mike Pasano and Marissel Descalzo.  David and David represented one of two who went to trial in a antitrust case in Palm Beach before Judge Hurley, Paul, Marissel and Mike had the other.  The prosecutors from DOJ were not without evidence; over a million pages of documents, incriminating e-mails and faxes, and to top it all off, video of a “conspiratorial meeting” in which the defendants and others who later pled guilty all sat in a room and discussed business.  The four week trial involved cooperating witnesses as well.  In the end, it took the jury about an hour and a half to acquit.   The jurors hung around to congratulate the defendants and the defense lawyers.