Tag: jury trial

2 NFG’s in 1 Day

GRL was busy yesterday doing what we enjoy most – Jury trials.  Bobby Rehkemper was in Ames, Story County and Matt Lindholm was in Corning, Adams County.  Both client’s were charged with operating while intoxicated accusations and declined to submit to the evidentiary breath test at the station.  The prosecution claimed that the defendant’s demonstrated observable impairment after drinking which was hotly contested.  Bobby and Matt aggressively defended each case and were successful in securing GRL’s most recent batch of NFG’s!  Cheers to the Daily NFG Double!

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OWI Blood Test Result – Not Guilty

Indianola, Warren County, Iowa.  A Warren County Jury found GRL’s client NOT GUILTY at trial.  In an unusual case, GRL’s client was prosecuted for OWI after another driver who was high on methamphetamine, crossed the center line and hit him in a head-on collision.  GRL’s client was taken to the hospital for medical treatment and even though officers did not observe any evidence of impairment, a search warrant was obtained and his blood was withdrawn.  The test result was .084 nearly four hours after the accident.  After careful consideration of all of the evidence the jury found GRL’s client NFG.

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NFG! First Three-Word Verdict of 2023 in Guthrie County OWI

A unanimous Guthrie County jury returned the first NFG of the year yesterday following a two-day OWI trial. It took just under 30 minutes for the jury to say GRL’s client was not guilty. Two seasoned Guthrie County Sheriff deputies testified that they believed the driver was intoxicated based on their training and experience. And the State argued the jury could consider his eventual refusal to submit to breath testing was a tacit admission that he would blow over the legal limit. As you have come to expect, GRL took another very difficult defense case and turned it on its […]

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Objections to Inadmissible Evidence in Drug Crime Trials Must be Specific

On September 21, 2022 the Iowa Court of Appeals affirmed felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and drug tax stamps in State v. Hansel. The ruling provides a great reminder to drug crime attorneys on the proper way to object to evidence, especially “prior bad acts” testimony. In this case, the arresting officer volunteered the defendant had numerous outstanding warrants including one for assault.  Defense counsel simply interjected, “Your Honor,” without making a specific objection.  It was enough to prevent any further prior bad acts from entering the record, but the toothpaste was obviously now out of […]

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Jury exonerates man of sexual abuse allegation from 20 years ago

HAMILTON COUNTY – Client was charged with Sex Abuse in the Second Degree based on an allegation claimed to have occurred 17 years prior.  After being initially charged, the Assistant County Attorney who was handling the case filed a Motion to Dismiss the case.  Before the motion could be granted by the Court, the head County Attorney, who was personally affiliated with the complaining witnesses father, withdrew the Motion to Dismiss.  Months later the case was turned over to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office to continue with the prosecution.  Three years after the charge was brought against him, the case […]

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