Featured Case Studies

CASE: Gill

Charged:

Assault in the first degree with serious physical injury, a class A felony with punishment upon conviction of 10-to-30 years or life in prison under Missouri law.

Allegations in charges were very unusual. The accusation was that Mr. Gill forced a cell phone into Ms. Abel’s throat, nearly causing her death.

Verdict:

The trial of this case was covered by the international media. It was mentioned in telecasts by David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Howard Stern.

After a week-long trial, the jury deliberated for 14 hours. A unanimous verdict could not be reached. The jury vote was nine not guilty and three guilty.

The States’ Prosecuting Attorney re-indicted Mr. Gill with a new theory of the facts. Mr. Gill was now charged with domestic battery in the first degree, a Class A felony with punishment upon conviction of 10-to-30 years or life in prison and domestic battery in the third degree, a Class C felony with punishment upon conviction of 1-to-7 years pursuant to Missouri law. After a week long trial the jury deliberated for 12 hours. A guilty verdict was returned by the jury to the Class C felony.

CASE: Downs

Charged:

Armed robbery, a level 3 felony, with punishment upon conviction of 4.5-to-20.5 years.

Verdict:

Allegations in charges were that Mr. Downs acted with others to commit robbery with a handgun. After a three day trial, Mr. Downs was found not guilty of this crime.

CASE: Jackson

Charged:

Murder in the second degree, a Class A felony with punishment upon conviction of 10-to-30 years or life in prison pursuant to Missouri law.

Verdict:

Allegations in charges were that Ms. Jackson stabbed her stepfather in the heart with a kitchen knife. After a week-long trial, the jury deliberated for nine hours. Ms. Jackson was found not guilty of this crime by reason of self defense.

CASE: Summers

Charged:

Murder in the first degree, punishable upon conviction of life in prison.

Verdict:

Allegation in charges were that Mr. Summers shot the victim in the head with a handgun during the commission of a drug transaction. After a week-long trial, the jury deliberated for eight hours. A unanimous verdict could not be reached.