Criminal Defense

We have experience in the toughest criminal cases, going toe-to-toe with the prosecution in several high-profile capital murder trials and getting charges reduced. In State of Alabama vs. Everett Morton, the defendant’s armed accomplices shot and killed a drug dealer during a robbery. Morton was originally convicted and sentenced to life without parole. David won a new trial on appeal, and then persuaded a jury to return a verdict acquitting Morton of capital murder and convicting him of the lesser charge of felony murder. In State of Alabama vs Willie Charles Toney and State of Alabama vs. MichaelAllen Tharp, David reached agreements with the prosecution to allow the defendants to plead guilty to offenses eligible for parole. In State of Alabama vs. Jerry Jerome Smith, David got a  jury to deadlock on sentencing.

We have gotten juries to return “not guilty” verdicts for clients charged with the most serious of crimes, such as rape, robbery, and sexual abuse, as well as those charged with less serious crimes, such as assault, theft, and driving under the influence. In other cases, we have gotten reduced charges for our clients, such as capital murder reduced to felony murder.

“How can you represent someone you know is guilty?” we are sometimes asked. The answer is simple: Prosecutors and law enforcement officials sometimes overcharge defendants with crimes more serious than they actually committed. In such cases, our job is to make sure the client is not convicted of the wrong crime. Everyone charged with a crime should have an advocate to make sure they are not punished more severely than they deserve.