Corporate Criminal  -  Appeals Courts

South Florida Jeweler Found Not Guilty on 8 Counts of Money Laundering Charges

After three weeks of trial, Roy Black and Howard Srebnick left federal prosecutors stunned as a Miami jury found this South Florida Supply Corporation, its owner and sales manager not guilty on all eight counts of money laundering. The prosecution charged that the company and its employees had knowingly accepted more than $8,000,000 in drug cash as payment for gold bullion.  The company is one of the largest jewelry supply companies in the country, servicing  customers in the southeast United States and Latin America.  Due to having a large clientele of gold customers from Colombia who paid in cash, the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies targeted the company for three years, orchestrating a taped sting operation - dubbed by the government as "Goldstar" - in which an undercover agent and confidential informant posed as customers interested in buying gold.

40-year-old Accountant Charged with Manslaughter in Shooting Death of 16-Year-Old Prankster

This 40-year-old accountant was charged with Manslaughter following the highly publicized shooting death of a 16-year-old boy who was playing a late-night prank on the doorstep of the accountant's home. The accountant maintained that he had acted in self-defense as he opened his front door and saw what he believed to be a gun in the boy's hand. No gun was ever discovered and an eyewitness claimed that the boy was running away when the gun was fired. After a solid year of intensive investigation, forensic trace evidence analysis and interrogation of prosecution witnesses, the defense team was able to build a strong case for Levin's justifiable use of deadly force. These factors, in conjunction with four very intense days of jury selection, resulted in a particularly favorable resolution negotiated only minutes prior to the commencement of opening statements.

Miami Police Officer Found Not Guilty in Overtown Video Arcade Shooting

This City of Miami Police officer fatally shot a patron of a Miami Overtown video arcade when he moved suddenly as if to go after a weapon. The shooting sparked days of riots, burning and looting. After a 9-week trial, the jury took only two hours to find the police officer not guilty.

Miami River Cops Case

The trial lasted four months, and resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial.

Alleged "Queen of Cocaine" Cleared After Case Dismissed

The Defendant was alleged to be the "queen of cocaine." After a week-long proceeding, the Judge suppressed all the evidence and the case was dismissed. The government subsequently dismissed its appeal.

Florida Man Found Not Guilty in Charges He Murdered His Girlfriend

The Defendant was charged with first degree murder of his girlfriend. The indictment charged him with shooting her in his apartment and then taking her body out and placing it in a car at a drive-in teller location at a local bank. They say that he then called her in as a missing person. He later confessed to shooting her. He was found not guilty.

Alleged Crime Boss Cleared After Case Dismissed

The Defendant was alleged to have been an organized crime figure. He was the subject of several months of wiretaps. After extensive hearings, the trial court suppressed all the wiretaps. The state appealed. The suppression of the wiretaps was affirmed by the Third District Court of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, and the United States Supreme Court. The case was subsequently dismissed.

Death Row Inmate's Sentence Vacated

In 1974, the Defendant was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and given two death sentences. He was subsequently convicted of the first degree murder of a guard on death row. In 1981, this case was taken as a pro bono case. On December 8, 1988, the Eleventh Circuit vacated his death sentences.

Retrial of Miami Police Officer in Highly Publicized Manslaughter Case

After 5 years, 241 depositions, 10 interlocutory appeals, and 3 change of venue hearings, this Miami Police Officer was acquitted. At the second trial, Mr. Black made the very difficult decision of not putting on a defense, but rather getting his entire case out through the cross examination of the witnesses called by the State.

President of Largest Hispanic Bank in U.S. Acquitted

The defendant, president of the largest Hispanic bank in the United States, was charged with bribery and money laundering. He was acquitted of all charges.

Public Figure Found Not Guilty in Highly Publicized Rape Case

A highly publicized rape case. After 3 weeks of jury selection and 9 days of trial, the jury reached a verdict of not guilty after only 77 minutes of deliberation.

Former South Florida Mayer Charged with Hobbs Act Violations, Conspiracy and Tax Violations

The Defendant was indicted while he was serving as Mayor of the City of Miami Beach. The indictment alleged approximately 45 counts of Hobbs Act violations, conspiracy and tax violations. After a 3-month jury trial, Mayor Daoud was acquitted on 9 counts but convicted on 1 count. The jury was also hung on more than 30 counts where the vote was 11-1 or 10-2 for acquittal.

Not Guilty Verdict Found in Hurricane Andrew Insurance Fraud Case

A 2-week trial based on allegations of insurance fraud stemming from insurance claims exceeding $350,000, made after Hurricane Andrew, resulting in a not-guilty verdict on all counts.

Former U.S. Justice Department Official Acquitted on RICO Charges

The defendant, a former Justice Department official, was indicted for RICO violations and accused of conspiring with his drug-lord client. The government's motion to disqualify Howard Srebnick and Roy Black as trial counsel was denied.  Following a 6-month federal trial, the jury acquitted the defendant on the RICO charges and hung on the remaining counts.

Nationally-Known Sportscaster's Charges of Sodomy and Assault Dismissed

The Commonwealth of Virginia charged this nationally-known sportscaster with forcible sodomy and assault of a long-time intimate acquaintance. Unlike most states, oral sodomy between consenting adults, a lesser included offense of forcible sodomy, is still a felony punishable by a minimum of 5 years in jail. After challenging that consensual oral sodomy should not be a crime, based on constitutional rights to privacy, and after four days of trial, the case ended with a deferred finding with no adjudication on the misdemeanor assault, with all charges being dismissed one year from the sentencing hearing.

NFL Super Bowl Wide Receiver Found Not Guilty

NFL Super Bowl wide receiver was accused of laundering drug money for a childhood friend. Following a 3-week federal criminal trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on all counts.

Felony Customs Fraud and Tax Evasion Charges Against Cuban-American Businesswoman Dropped

Successful Cuban-American businesswoman indicted on 18 counts of felony customs fraud and tax evasion. Filed a motion for severance arguing that she needed the testimony of her co-defendant husband to support her innocence. The trial judge granted a dual-jury on the eve of trial and the government dropped all felony charges against her.

South Beach Nightclub Owner Released on Bond

Florida South Beach nightclub owner indicted in New York for RICO, felony murder and bank robbery. Government sought pretrial detention. Following a 2-hour bail hearing, federal magistrate rejected the government's motion and granted bail.

Six Cuban-Americans Charged with Conspiring to Assassinate Fidel Castro

Six Cuban-Americans accused of conspiring to assassinate Fidel Castro while he was delivering a speech in Venezuela.  Three of the men were arrested on the high seas in possession of two .50 caliber assault rifles and high tech commando gear, and one of them supposedly confessed.  Nevertheless, a Puerto Rico jury acquitted the men on all charges.

South Florida Attorney Charged with Knowingly Engaging in Graphic Online Sex Chats with 13-Year-Old Girl

After a week-long trial, a jury acquitted this 35-year-old lawyer in a case where the government alleged that he knowingly engaged in graphic online sex chats with a 13-year-old girl, and drove to a Broward County park to meet her to entice her to engage in sexual activity or lewd and lascivious behavior.  After arriving at the park, the LEACH task force detective who had been the one operating in an undercover capacity as the 13-year-old girl arrested the Defendant.

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