Client was charged with first degree murder under Penal Code § 187 after allegedly chasing a man through a public park, running him down in front of dozens of witnesses, and then fleeing to Mexico for over a month. He was facing 25 years to life in prison. Despite overwhelming facts, we got him released on bail and ultimately secured a dismissal of the murder charge. The case resolved with a plea to voluntary manslaughter.

Client was accused of intentionally killing another man with his SUV during a crowded Thanksgiving Day softball game. According to police and multiple eyewitnesses, our client got into his vehicle, chased the man across a public park—driving over the grass—and ultimately struck and killed him in the middle of Arey Drive. Immediately after the incident, client fled the scene and crossed the border into Mexico, where he remained for more than a month.

He was later arrested and charged with first degree murder under Penal Code § 187. The prosecution argued the killing was deliberate, intentional, and aggravated by the fact that client fled the country. If convicted, client faced a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.

We approached the case head-on. We retained top-tier accident reconstruction experts and investigators to analyze the physical evidence, scene dynamics, and witness accounts. Our team reconstructed the incident and identified key facts that undermined the prosecution’s theory of intent.

At the same time, we litigated the bail issue over the course of three contested hearings. Citing In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135, we argued that our client was entitled to release on non-monetary conditions. The court ultimately agreed, granting release on GPS monitoring without requiring any posted bond—an extremely rare outcome in a murder case.

After months of litigation, we dismantled the prosecution’s case. The murder charge was dismissed. Client pled to voluntary manslaughter and served just three years in prison.