Recent Blog Posts

Jackie Lacey for Los Angeles County District Attorney

Jeffrey Vallens — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:18:00 GMT

Jackie Lacey is running for District Attorney in Los Angeles County. I hope all Los Angeles County residents get out and vote for Jackie. She is clearly the best qualified candidate for the job. She has been a prosecutor with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for her entire career. She worked her way up to the number two position in the office under the guidance of Steve Cooley. She is endorsed by District Attorney Cooley and almost every other organization that gives endorsements for District Attorney.

Please visit Jackie's website at: http://jackielacey.com/pages/about.html

Please get out and vote. But don't just vote for anyone. Vote for an honest and ethical prosecutor who is looking to do justice and not just gain political momentum. Vote for Jackie Lacey for District Attorney.

If you have questions about this or any other criminal law matter:

www.4criminaldefense.com or call me: Jeffrey Vallens at (818) 783-5700 or email me: vallenslaw@yahoo.com

Trial in Killing of Riverside Police Officer off to a Rough Start for the Defense

Jeffrey Vallens — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:35:00 GMT

Riverside Police officer Ryan Bonaminio was killed by gunshot wounds in November of 2010. The suspect int he crime, Earl Ellis began trial today. The opening statement by his defense attorney caused me some great concern for the outcome of his case. The Los Angeles Times reported that Mr. Earl's defense attorney conceded the death by gunshot wounds and the fact that it was committed by Earl. The defense conceded that the death was a murder but disputed the allegation that it was premeditated.

A first degree murder of a police officer carries a potential death sentence. The approach of this defense attorney appears to be to try and spare her client's life by avoiding a first degree murder conviction. This is a noble attempt by a lawyer who works for the Capital Defense Unit in Riverside County. I wish her the best of luck in her trial, however, I fear her attempt may backfire.

If Ms. O'Rane, the defense attorney is successful and gets the jury to return a verdict of second degree murder, the defendant will still, likely serve the rest of his life in prison. This, to me, poses a great ethical and moral question: Does a lawyer try to win the case or save the human life? I believe that my job as a defense lawyer is to try to win, in each and every case. What is a win? A win is a dismissal or acquittal of all charges. What if the client is charged in a capital case in Riverside County? A county likely to actually seek the death penalty in the case of a murdered police officer? Does a win still mean the same thing? As a defense attorney in Los Angeles County, my views are likely quite different than those of Ms. O'Rane. I would likely ask myself, should I seek to save my client's "life" even though the result may still mean that my client spends the rest of his life in prison? Or, should I try for the win, even if it is likely futile, to attempt to "win the case"? As I go to sleep tonight, I am thankful this is not my case and not my decision.

These are very difficult questions that a veteran defense lawyer faces every day. To attorney O'Rane, I wish you the best of luck and hope you do save your client's life, even if it means that he spends years in prison. To the family of Officer Bonaminio, I extend my sympathies and I hope justice is served with the caviat that I am opposed to the death penalty.

If you have questions about this or any other criminal law matter, please contact me: (818) 783-5700

www.4criminaldefense.com

Pill Pushers Beware, The DA's Office and the DEA may be Watching You

Jeffrey Vallens — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:08:00 GMT

I was recently contacted by the Los Angeles Area Drug Enforcement Administration or DEA. Special Agents on a task force dealing with physicians over-prescribing pills called me because they wanted to talk to one of my clients. My client, who is under doctors care for chronic pain, has been getting prescription pain medication for many years. Although my client has done nothing wrong, DEA agents are investigating my client's doctors in an effort to determine if certain doctors are over-prescribing drugs.

Many of us are familiar with the recent trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. However, we may not be aware of the extent of the local and federal investigations regarding prescription drug abuse. The Los Angeles County District Attorney just filed charges against a local physician, Dr. Hsiu-Ying "Lisa" Tseng, alleging that she had deadly results stemming from her actions of over-prescribing drugs. Dr. Tseng is alleged to have killed at least three patients asa result of prescriptions she wrote to her patients.

If you have questions about this case or any other criminal law matter visit my site or call:

www.4criminaldefense.com or www.westlakecriminaldefense.com or call me: (818) 783-5700

It's a Bad Time for Police Officer Defendants

Jeffrey Vallens — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:19:00 GMT

If you are a police officer in California, it seems as if it is a bad time for you to commit crime. In two separate trials in as many months two different police officers were recently convicted of murder in Los Angeles County. In what is dubbed a "cold case" murder, former Los Angeles Police Department detective Stephanie Lazarus ws convited of beating and shooting the wife of a man for whom she had a love interest. Her defense contended that crime scene evidence was tainted, however, this did not stop the jury from quickly reaching a verdict of guilt.

In the other murder conviction, former California Highway Patrol Officer Tomiekia Johnson was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for killing her husband, Marcus Lemons. Johnson had claimed at trial that she was the victim of domestic violence perpetrated by her late husband, however, the jury did not accept that as a defense and found her guilty of first degree murder.

Both of these cases were prosecuted by members of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's elite Judicial System Integrity Division or JSID. This unit was started by District Attorney Steve Cooley and is staffed by veteran prosecutors who were hand picked by Mr. Cooley and the head of JSID.

Sentencing for Stephanie Lazarus will not likely occur for at least a month. A conviction for first degree murder requires a minimum sentence of 25 years to life in the state prison. Defendants in felony cases also have the right to appeal their convictions. They must file a notice of appeal within 60 days of their sentences. If I were either of these two defendants I would call a competent appellate lawyer immediately.

If you have questions about any criminal defense matter please contact me at: www.4criminaldefense.com

L. A. Unified Teacher Arrested for Multiple Child Sex Offenses

Jeffrey Vallens — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:42:00 GMT

Mark Berndt, a long time Los Angeles Unified School District teacher was just arrested and charged with multiple sex offenses against his students. The allegations include that he gagged the students, blindfolded them and fed them his own semen with a spoon. Witness statements indicate that the conduct had been ongoing for over ten years.

The investigation began in late 2010 after a photo technician called the police when he was asked to process some disturbing images depicting children. In January of 2011, the School District suspended Berndt and later fired him.

He was arraigned yesterday after being charged with 23 counts of lewd acts with a child under 14 in violation of California Penal Code Section 288. The charges date back to 2005. If convicted of all counts he would certainly spend the remainder of his life in prison.

The problem with the case, according the Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials is that the child victims are very difficult to to identify. Sheriff's officialsrecovered hundreds of photos depicting children during the alleged sexual abuse. Some of the victims had there faces covered with blindfolds or other items, making their individual identification very difficult for investigators.

The future does look very dark for Mr. Berndt who remains in custody with bail set at $23 million dollars. However, offensive sex offenses can be devastating things. This case reminds me of the tragic case of the McMartin Preschool. Some twnety years ago allegations surfaced that employees of a small South Bay preschool were sexually assaulting their students. The school later closed, the lives of several people were ruined and some years later, the defendants in that case were found not guilty. Please remember that in this country we are all innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If you have questions about this or any other criminal defense case please contact me:

www.4criminaldefense.com or call me: (888) 764-4340 or email any time at: vallenslaw@yahoo.com

Amnesty for Unpaid Traffic Tickets in Los Angeles County Superior Court

Jeffrey Vallens — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:00:00 GMT

The Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles will begin an amnesty program where offenders can get their traffic tickey fines cut in half. Any person whe had a traffic ticket fine that was due on or before January 1, 2009, will have six months to pay their new, reduced fine. This will be a 50% reduction in the total fine amount.

If you or someone you know has failed to pay a traffic ticket, this may be the best deal you will get for a long time. If your ticket was due on or before January 1, 2009, please contact the Los Angeles Superior Court location where your ticket was issued and make arrangements to pay your reduced fine amount.

Everyone should be aware that by paying the fine, you will be found guilty of the underlying offense and may suffer consequences such as points on your driving record or other sanctions. However, if you have failed to appear in court two times and are unable to release the hold on your driver's license, you now will get a big break.

If you still wish to have your day in court and/or you want to go to trial, you may get a different kind of break. If your ticket is from two or more years ago, it is often difficult to prosecute this old. Most officers will not have any recollection of the offense from two years ago. If this is the case and your ticket is set for trial, it could be dismissed. Then, we are only left with the collections fees or civil assessment and the failure to appear. The benefit of this is that neither failure to appear, nor civil assessment carries points for DMV purposes.

If you have questions about the Los Angeles County Superior Court Traffic Ticket Amnesty Program, or any other traffic matter, call me, Jeffrey Vallens at: (818) 7883-5700 or visit my site at:

www.4criminaldefense.com

Probation Sweep Results in 35 Arrests

Jeffrey Vallens — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:52:00 GMT

A multi-jurisdictional task force arrested 35 people this week for weapons violations in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Probation department in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration, The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Pasadena Police Department searched 158 probationers and their homes earlier this week. The officers found 23 firearms, drugs, and other contraband.

The Daily News reported that 250 law enforcement officials helped out in the sweep. Tony Bell, a spokesman for County Supervisor Michael Antonovich said that "this is one of the most cost-effective law enforcement programs that we have to protect the public safety..."This must be because Mr. Bell and Mr. Antonovich do not pay for the 250 officers involved in the sweep. It seems to me that when 250 police officers from local, county and federal agencies get together to search 158 probationers and their homes, they should come up with a lot more than 35 arrests. These officers must have had at least 1000 man hours in this undertaking which would amount to an actual expense in excess of $50,000.

The operation, entitled DISARM or Developing Increased Safety through Arms Reduction Management was developed by Antonovich in 2000 after a shooting at a Jewish Center in the North San Fernando Valley. It appears to have had greater success in earlier years.

This weeks search was spearheaded by the Probation Department and targeted probationers who were thought to have a history of possessing or using weapons to commit crimes of violence.

It should be noted that anyone in California who has been convicted of a felony is not allowed to own or possess a firearm or ammunition. This is a lifetime ban on both firearms and ammunition. Also, as a term and condition of being on probation, many people are not allowed to own firearms or ammunition as well as other dangerous or deadly weapons including knives or other weapons.

If you have questions about this or any other criminal law matter, call me: (888) 764-4340 or (818) 783-5700

www.4criminaldefense.com

Barry Bonds Gets House Arrest and Community Service

Jeffrey Vallens — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:59:00 GMT

Home run record holder Barry Bonds was senteced in Federal Court to 30 days house arrest, 250 hours of community service and a small fine after his conviction for obstructing justice. The Assistant United States Attorney who handled the sentencing, Matthew Parrella, was very upset at what he considered a light sentence and fine that was almost laughable.

United States District Court Judge Susan Illston, who presided over the Bonds trial and sentenced him indicated that because much of his earlier testimony denying steroid use was out of the public eye, she viewed his actions as less serious and used this as a basis for the arguably light sentence in federal court.

Federal sentencings are often highly influenced by both the Federal Probation Department's recommendations to the judge in the form of Presentence Report or PSR in conjunction with what is often heavy reliance on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The Sentencing Guidelines, which used to be mandatory for judges to follow in issuing sentences, are now only a suggestion to judges and can be used as a guide. However, many judges still follow the guidelines to the letter and chose not to stray from the often harsh sentencing recommendations that were developed many years ago.

To Mr. Bonds I say that you are roll model to many youngsters throughout our nation: Please act accordingly. You should be happy about the light sentence you have recieved and it is apparent that your lawyers did excellent work for you. Take this opportunity that Judge Illston has given you to be the positive influence that we know you are capable of being. She ordered you to perform community service with children. This is the perfect opportunity to set an example for the youths with or for whom you will working. Good luck.

Mr. Bond's conviction is presently being appealed by his attorneys.

If you have questions about this or any other criminal law matter, please call me: (888) 764-4340

www.4criminaldefense.com

Fighting Your Traffic Ticket

Jeffrey Vallens — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:26:00 GMT

FIGHTING YOUR TRAFFIC TICKET

Another common question that I get as a criminal defense attorney is:

How can I beat my traffic ticket?

My answer is almost always the same: Set every traffic ticket for trial. In the words of the great DUI defense attorney Charles Unger, "Good things happen when we answer ready for trial".

In order to prosecute most traffic cases, the police officer has to be present. If the officer is not present the case will be dismissed. In some specific cases, more than one officer must be present to prosecute the case. Whenever possible I like to set my tickets for just before a holiday weekend. I have had a great deal of success with this in the past.

If the officer is present, then, what I normally do is talk to the officer about the case. Without giving up our potential defense, we talk about any evidence or exhibits we have and discuss whether or not the officer is willing to dismiss the offense or reduce it to a non-moving violation. This would be something that does not carry a point for DMV purposes.

If the case involves the use of a "radar" device, I assess the merits of traffic radar survey where it is applicable. If there is no survey or the survey does not comply with the law for use with a radar device, I may earn a dismissal for this reason.

If I am unable to resolve the case then we may proceed to trial. Even if we lose at trial, many judges will still give the defendant traffic school if we make a good case at trial. Sometimes judges will even reduce or suspend fines for us.

Traffic school affords us the one time ability every 18 months to remove the point from our record. Currently, traffic school can be attended on the internet and is affordable and quick to complete.

The only reason not to set a traffic ticket for trial is because it does take some time. It often requires two court appearances and can be inconvenient. If your time is too valuable to set your case for trial, than hire a lawyer to handle it for you.

For questions about your traffic ticket, call me: (818) 783-5700 or (888) 764-4340 or visit me at:

www.4criminaldefense.com or email me at: vallenslaw@yahoo.com

Spy Plane Coming To Lancaster, California

Jeffrey Vallens — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:17:00 GMT

The Lancaster City Counsel just approved a spy plane to conduct aerial surveillance over Lancaster ten hours per day and seven days per week. The images captured by the occupied plane will supposedly be transferred directly to the Sheriff's Department and viewed by assigned deputies in the station.

Comments regarding the surveillance plane are mixed at best. Some residents, including the City Mayor, R. Rex Parris are happy about the crime fighting potential the plane may have. The ACLU has other concerns. Why should honest people who are not breaking the law be subjected to surveillance by the cops and to having their private activities subject to recording? I agree completely. Don't get me wrong, I am all for having an air patrol, I just don't want to be viewed and recorded.

The ACLU has already requested public records to get additonal information about the program. No doubt they want to find out the capabilities of the plane and extent of the program in order to determine how much of a privacy violation it really is.

Other Lancaster residents fear the plane will be misused on certain people or in certain areas. The Sheriff's Department in Los Angeles County misuse resources? Never. Captain Jonsen of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department commented that the plane will give his department the abiltity to "see what's going on at the scene of a crime almost instantaneously." How is that possible? Does Captain Jonsen or the pilot of the spy plane know when the next crime is going to occur in the city? Or the next accident?

If the idea of a manned spy plane in Lancaster offends you as much as it does me, please call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at:

Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 4700 Ramona Blvd. Monterey Park, CA 91754

Contact the Sheriff's Department or your local police
Complaints/ Commendations... (800) 698-8255 Questions... (323) 267-4800 News Media... (323) 267-4800

or better yet, contact the ACLU at www.aclu.org.

For questions about this or any other criminal law issue: Call me: (888) 78=64-4340 or (818) 783-5700

or visit my site at: www.4criminaldefense.com or email me at: vallenslaw@yahoo.com

Cities Can Ban Marijuana Dispensaries

Jeffrey Vallens — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:29:00 GMT

A three judge panel in the 4th District (Riverside) Court of Appeal of the State of California just ruled that cities and counties are free to ban medical marijuana dispensaries in their jursidictions. This case followed another case in Long Beach where the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal ruled that Long Beach could not make laws specifically authorizing medical marijuana dispensaries because the drug still remains illegal under federal law.

Taken together the new ruling are very damaging for the medical marijuana community. At least in so far as it pertains to dispensaries. While these new laws will have little effect on home growers and small co-ops, this may spell the beginning of the end of the store front pot shop.

Both sides of the debate seem destined to appeal the decision to the California Supreme Court. Based upon the facts of the new rulings, I'm not sure how anxious I would be to argue my case about medical marijuana dispensaries before the California Supreme Court. Currently the momentum seems to be in favor of the other side. But let's keep our eye on the ball. All of the attacks seem to be on the store front "sales" of marijuana. Not on an individual's use of the drug. We must remember that no law has ever made it legal to sell marijuana, only to use it with a medical recommendation. Further, even though a group can pitch in together to grow marijuana and share in its production costs and labor needs, the group cannot sell the product to its members or to others.

My advice has always been the same. Keep a low profile and you are much less likely to catch the attention of the media, law enforcement or even the IRS. If I open a store on Ventura Boulevard, I am expecting to get attention. If I open a small co-op in an industrial park in Van Nuys, or Chatsworth, I am a lot less likely to attract the attention of the government. And, If this model does not sound familiar to you, I am making reference to the porn industry that has long been operating in plain view right here in our own San Fernando Valley.

If you have questions about medical marijuana, dispensaries or any other criminal law matter call me:

(818) 783 5700 or email me at vallenslaw@yahoo.com or visit me:

www.4criminaldefense.com or www.westlakecriminaldefense.com

Pot Bust Near Pyramid Lake

Jeffrey Vallens — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Ventura County law enforcement busted seven people and confiscated an estimated 130 pounds of marijuana in a farm-like setup near Pyramid Lake in the Los Padres national forest. Sheriff's officials described a temporary camp-like setting where workers were using public land and water to cultivate there marijuana. Upon inspecting the area deputies found camping gear and food which apparently belonged to the marijuana growers. Police then discovered the drying marijuana plants and seized them. Shortly thereafter police located seven men a short distance from the camp. Unable to elude sheriff's deputies the suspects found themselves at the edge of a cliff and were apprehended.

Cultivating marijuana has long been known to occur on public lands such as this incident. However, this conduct is most often seen in the open forested lands of Northern California. In more suburban Southern California this type of activity is much less common. Government owned land actually accounts for the majority of the land in the State of California with agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management overseeing much of it. Such agencies lack the resources to inspect every inch of their vast property such that drug cultivators can take advantage of the vast open spaces for illegal activity.

For questions about this or any other criminal law matter, contact me:

www.4criminaldefense.com or email me at vallenslaw@yahoo.com or pick up the phone and call me for a free and confidential consultaton about any criminal law or DUI case: (888) 764-4340 or (818) 783 5700.

Hiring an Expert Criminal Defense Attorney

Jeffrey Vallens — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:39:00 GMT

How do you know that the lawyer you are hiring is an expert at criminal defense?

There are a lot of highly competent lawyers in our community. How do we know that the lawyer we pay is the right lawyer for the job? We can start by checking his references on certain legal web sites. For example: www.avvo.com or www.justia.com list attorney profiles and attoreny complaint as well as reviews by clients and by fellow lawyers. Read the reviews. If most of them aren't good, you should probably be looking in another direction.

Has your lawyer ever been quoted by the media for a significant case or asked to comment about an important legal issue before the media or in litigation in court? If not, maybe they do not have the expertise that your case requires in order to abtain the best result. I was asked for my opinion on a recent case to be heard by the United States Supreme Court. I have been admitted to the United States Supreme Court for about ten years now, an achievement that many lawyers never obtain.

By contrast, does your lawyer spend all his time advertising and as a media consultant such that he or she is never in court anymore and his or her best days of litigation are actually behind them? To that end, you must ask your lawyer certain questions. Are you the lawyer who will actually be handling my case? Will you personally be going to court for me? If the answers to these questions are not "yes", you may wish to find another lawyer.

I recently was hired by a new client in Ventura. She was referred to me by a business associate of mine who works in the insurance field. She told me before she hired me that her last experience with a lawyer was very negative. She went on to say that she "checked me out on www.yelp.com and after looking at my reviews, felt comfortable enough to meet with me and ultimately hire me.

Remember, don't be afraid to ask your lawyer questions. Don't leave your common sense at the door when meeting with your lawyer. And, always do your research on your lawyer and your case before meetin gwith the lawyer.

For questions about finding a great criminal defense or DUI defense attorney, call me:

Jeffrey Vallens (888) 764-4340 or (818) 783-5700 or email me at: vallenslaw@yahoo.com or vist me:

www.4criminaldefense.com

Should Your Client Testify at Trial?

Jeffrey Vallens — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:13:00 GMT

In the wake of the Conrad Murray trial, there has been a lot of talk in the media about the strategy of the defense in a criminal trial. To many people's surprise, Dr. Murray elected (it's ultimately his choice) not to testify in his own defense. Many people question why he did not testify. In Dr. Murray's case, he is represented by two highly skilled criminal defense attorneys. I met Michael Flanagan some 15 years ago when I took his multiple week DUI defense program offered through The University of Southern California's Law School. Mr. Flanagan and his partner, Charles Unger, are both veteran defense attorneys, each with hundreds of jury trials under their belts.

Why then did they not have Dr. Murray testify? And, more importantyly, how does a defendant in a criminal case decide if he should testify at trial? In the words of veteran Los Angeles County Public Defender Monnica Thelen, "the jury often wants to hear from the defendant in a criminal case." Here are some general rules I have developed to guide when a defendant might consider testifying:

1. Will he be subjected to impeachment based upon prior statements or actions?

2. Does he have an extensive criminal history that will come out?

3. What was the state of the evidence and do we "need" his testimony?

4. Does the defendant feel comfortable testifying?

5. Will the defendant be able to withstand cross-examination? And last, but not least,

6. How will the defendant really "present" to the jury?

In the Murray case, Dr. Murray is obviously a bright and articulate physican who could likely present well on the stand. Thus, the possibility of his testimony is very real and subject to other factors above.

In his case, there were prior statements which he made to law enforcement that could be used against him if he testified differently on the stand then his statements to the police. Further, some evidence in trial such as phone calls and text messaging near the time of jackson's death may be used to make the defendant look bad in front of the jury.

With Dr. Murray there is no issue of criminal history. However, we must also look at a defendant's potential impeachment for prior bad acts such as is often the case in criminal prosecutions. Under certain evidence codes, prosecutors could seek to admit acts which are not directly related to the charged crimes but tend to prove other facts at issue in the case.

When we look at whether or not we "need" the defendant's testimony, I think we need to look at two different things. First, we look at the state of the evidence. Do we need to try and refute any element of any crime charged? And Second, do we need to appeal to the emotions of the jurors and hope we can garner some sympathy by putting the defendant up on the stand. Then, we must balance these factors against the danger of cross examination. In Murray's case, I believe the danger of cross examination by a skilled prosecutor like David Walgren would likely outway the benefits of putting him up on the stand. Further, I am simply not sure that Dr. Murray would be able to garner much sympathy from the jury. Jurors often have difficulty relating to certain things. I think a jury might dislike the fact that Dr. Murray was getting paid so much money for his private treatment of Michael Jackson. Certainly, Dr. Murray would open himself up to attach based on his testing and phone calls near the time of Jackson's death.

Finally, before putting a client on the stand, I always like to conduct a mock examination. Usually, I play the prosecutor and have an associate perform the dirct examination. Together, the client, and the lawyers get to assess how they feel the client comes across on the witness stand. With this I am always conscious of the advice of one of my law school professors: "Don't leave your common sense at the door." As a criminal defense attorney, we have to use all of the tools we were given in order to achieve the best results for our clients. One of the tools that we have is our gut instinct or response to a situation. I ask my self how I feel about my client testifying. That usually answers the question for me and for my client.

If you have questions about jury trials or any other criminal defense matter, contact me:

www.4criminaldefense.com or email me at vallenslaw@yahoo.com or pick up the phone: (888) 764-4340.

Convicted Murderer Released After Judge Overturns Murder Conviction

Jeffrey Vallens — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:53:00 GMT

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kelvin Filer overturned the murder conviction of Obie Anthony and ordered that he be immediately released from jail. Anthony, age 37, spend 17 years in custody after his conviction for killing a man outside a South Los Angeles brother.

The judge was very critical towards prosecutors in the case because they failed to disclose to the jury that they made a deal with their main witness. The witness, John Jones agreed to testify in order to get a lighter sentence on his charges of pimping and pandering. Jones also testified against a co-defendant, Reggie Cole, who was releases months ago after his conviction was overturned on appeal.

The District Attorney's Office has not decided whether or not they will attempt a re-trial of Anthony's case. I think they might want to consider the trial testimony of Mr. Jones before they make their decision. Jones testified at trial that he did not receive any special treatment in his case in exchange for his testimony. Deputy District Attorney Scott Collins insisted to the media that this was not misinformation, and went on to say that Jones was mereley being rewarded for cooperating with law enforcement in helping to solve a homicide. Either way, I say the District Attorney has the obligation, both moral and ethical, to seek justice and to tell the jury the truth.

If you know someone who was wrongly accused, there may still be hope for them. I urge you to contact the amazing and caring individuals at The Innocence Project at: www.theinnocenceproject.org , or for indigant defendants, contact: www.lacap.com or www.capcentral.org, or www.capsf.org or www.adi-sandiego.com.

Or call me: Jeffrey Vallens (888) 764-4340 or email me: vallenslaw@yahoo.com

Or visit my site: www.4criminaldefense.com