Upper Marlboro prosecutors announced their successful conviction of a Prince George's County man for stalking his ex-wife. The man refused plea deals and went to trial to refute the state's claims. He testified at trial that he did not send the messages. In the end, however, his criminal defense strategy failed and he was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The man's conviction will be followed by his sentencing next month.
According to reports, the trial centered on the alleged threatening and profane text messages his ex-wife received. Though the defendant tried to argue that he did not send the texts, it was undisputed that they stopped after the man was arrested for his crimes, which included reckless endangerment along with the stalking charges.
While the accused have every right to defend themselves in a trial, it may behoove a defendant to seek professional legal counsel. Criminal charges can, and often are, based on insufficient facts or the result of an improper or unconstitutional search and seizure of evidence. Experienced defense attorneys know how to utilize these deficiencies in a prosecutor's case to negotiate a plea. Plea negotiations are a valuable tool for the accused to avoid an "all or nothing" trial, which can be quite risky.
But, if the circumstances warrant, these same criminal defense attorneys can be helpful in the event of a trial as well and may be able to protect the accused from a wrongful conviction. They know how to communicate with juries and pick apart the rationale of the prosecutor's case. More than anything, these defense attorneys can provide the accused with some sort of reassurance and support as they go through the emotional and legal challenge of proving their case.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, "Pr. George's man convicted of stalking ex-wife," June 13, 2013
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