Armed Habitual Criminal and Unlawful of a Weapon by Felon – NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES AFTER TRIAL

The Chicago Police Department were called to my client’s home because of a domestic dispute  that was occurring between my client and his wife. When the Chicago Police arrived at the home, my client’s wife started screaming to the officers that my client had a gun in the kitchen and he was hiding it in the stove. The officers then obtained consent from both my client and his wife to search the stove and any other locations in the kitchen. The police officers opened the stove and found the handgun in plain view within the stove. They recovered a .45 caliber HK handgun with 7 rounds in the magazine and one live round in the chamber of the gun. The officers then showed the firearm to my client and he admitted that it was his gun. Because this case was an Armed Habitual Offender, it was a class X felony which carried 6-30 years in prison. In addition, the armed habitual offender statute made this sentence an 85% time instead of day for day. The State offered 8 years in prison because of his extensive background. Like most other cases we fight, I said no to the State’s Attorney’s offer and set it down for trial. In the trial, the arresting officer testified that she was the one who found the firearm. She explained to the judge how she got consent and where she exactly found the handgun. On cross-examination I made her look like a liar. I showed the judge that her police report conflicted with her testimony. I got her to admit things that never even happened! The police officer just crumbled and was badly beaten on my cross-examination. After my closing argument, the judge quickly found my client NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES.