State of North Carolina vs. CM
Charges: First-Degree Murder, Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, First-Degree Burglary, Firearm by Felon, Habitual Felon
The State alleged that CM conspired with his girlfriends and others to rob her father – a drug dealer – and that the father was killed during the robbery. The girlfriend turned state evidence and became the State’s chief witness.
The girlfriend indicated that CM was an integral part of the robbery and murder of her father. Attorney Snow conducted a blistering cross-examination, destroying her credibility. CM did not testify – and the defense called no witnesses. The jury deliberated for several hours and returned a verdict of not guilty on all charges.
State of North Carolina vs. LOP
Charges: First-Degree Murder and First-Degree Burglary
LOP had an extensive criminal history for drug trafficking, larceny, and breaking and entering. The deceased was a known drug dealer. The State alleged LOP broke into the victim’s house for the purpose of robbing him of drugs and shot him to death in the presence of his wife and son. The State argued that LOP had motive and opportunity – and presented fingerprint evidence that matched LOP.
Attorney Snow skillfully obliterated the State’s cross-examination – obligating the State’s position that LOPl left fingerprints at the scene of the murder by using the State’s own expert to demonstrate that the fingerprints could have been left at the scene months before the murder.
The jury declared a mistrial shortly after the start of jury deliberation, and the State was persuaded to dismiss the charges after the jury indicated they would vote not guilty had the deliberations continued.
State of North Carolina vs. RAT
Charge: First-Degree Murder
The State alleged that RAT killed the deceased as revenge for a prior accusation wherein the deceased attempted to shoot RAT with a firearm.
The defense was able to show and persuade a majority of jurors that RAT befriended the deceased and sought to assist him improve his life. After several hours of deliberation, the jury was hung, and a mistrial was declared. The State was persuaded to dismiss the charge rather than seek another trial.
State of North Carolina vs. HM
Charges: First-Degree Murder and Larceny of a Vehicle
Law enforcement launched an investigation relative to a mission person report. According to the State, the mission person was last seen leaving a Goodwill store with HM.
During the investigation, law enforcement – on multiple occasions –went to an apartment where HM had previously resided. They had told a supposed roommate of HM’s they were looking for him relative to a missing person. Ten days after that initial conversation, the roommate claimed he had helped HM place an object – wrapped in a blanket – into a car. The victim’s blood was later found in the apartment – and the victim’s body discovered in the trunk of her own car.
At the trial, Attorney Snow tore into the State’s chief witness. During the cross-examination of the roommate, Attorney Snow unwrapped his credibility, showing the jury that his story simply didn’t make sense. Later, in cross-examining a key police officer, Attorney Snow demonstrated that his testimony had been inconsistent based on prior reports, and that it was deliberately changed to support the prosecution’s narrative.
Attorney Adrienne Satchell picked apart the State’s voluminous DNA and fingerprint evidence. During Attorney Satchell’s cross-examination of the crime scene investigator’s DNA expert and fingerprint expert, she reduced their testimonies to a “mountain of nothingness.” Satchell showed the “volumes” of DNA and fingerprint evidence failed to implicate HM– and he was found not guilty.