Spousal Rape: Not Guilty Jury Verdict (First Trial)
In Georgetown, DE a former husband was accused by his wife of spousal rape that allegedly occurred years before. The charges were only filed when the wife learned that her husband had introduced their children to his new girlfriend. The client was facing a minimum mandatory term of 30 years incarceration. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on both counts after only 55 minutes of deliberation. Tom Pavlinic and Kate Aaronson tried the case together.
Child Sexual Abuse: Not Guilty Jury Verdict
In Lancaster, VA the husband of a day care provider was accused of touching one of the children for whom the wife was providing day care. The defense requested a taint hearing that was only partially granted by the court. The case was favorably concluded with a not guilty jury verdict. Jud Colliers was the lead attorney. Tom Pavlinic served as co-counsel and conducted the cross-examination of the minor children.
Rape: Not Guilty Jury Verdict
A Virginia police officer and a number of his colleagues went to Ocean City, MD to celebrate a bachelor party. While at one of the local nightclubs, the officer met and shared drinks with a young lady. She went back to his hotel, and they engaged in sexual intercourse. She claimed rape; he maintained it was consensual. The case proceeded to a jury trial. Evidence lifted by the defense team off of a MySpace account was shown to the jury. The officer was found not guilty on all counts. Tom Pavlinic and Charlotte Weinstein tried the case together.
Child Sexual Abuse: Case Dismissed
A man previously convicted of child sexual abuse was charged in Virginia Beach, VA with having abused the 4-year old twins of his girl friend. The allegations were brought by the girl friend’s former husband in the context of a custody matter. Experts were retained to show that the twins’ statements to social workers were the product of suggestion. Case was dismissed on all counts before trial. Tom Pavlinic and Melinda Glaubke worked the criminal case together. Melinda followed through and won a dismissal of all civil findings at an appellate administrative hearing.
Sexual Abuse: Case Dismissed
A sailor in Norfolk, VA was charged with having sexually abused the 5-year old daughter of a shipmate. The defense requested and received permission from the court to conduct a full “taint” hearing to establish that the child’s statements were the product of suggestion. At a hearing that was scheduled for November 2009, the prosecution offered a misdemeanor plea which was accepted without any jail time or sexual abuse registry. Tom Pavlinic and Melinda Glaubke handled this case of first impression together.
Child Molestation: Not Guilty Jury Verdict, Other Charges Dismissed
In Annapolis, MD a 19-year old was tried for having repeatedly molested his 2 younger step-brothers. The charges were severed for trial. The first trial resulted in a not guilty verdict on the most serious charges and a hung jury on the remaining ones. Defense presented evidence from a dozen witnesses to refute the timeline that the prosecution tried to establish. After the first verdict, all of the remaining charges in the first trial as well as the charges brought by the other child were dismissed. Tom Pavlinic and Charlotte Weinstein tried the case together.
Possession of Child Pornography: Full Acquittal
A man in Bristol, VA was accused of having possessed hundreds of images of child pornography. Extensive cross examination of the Commonwealth’s “expert” resulted in the court granting a motion for judgment of acquittal at the end of the prosecutor’s case. The defense did not have to present any evidence. Tom Pavlinic and Jeff Coale handled the defense.
