Client was charged with Murder in the Second Degree and Armed Criminal Action after allegedly stabbing her boyfriend at a party in front of multiple eyewitnesses. The initial offer was 25 years in prison. After a vigorous investigation, we were able to persuade the prosecutor to reduce the murder charge to manslaughter and to dismiss the armed criminal action charge altogether. As a result, client will be eligible for parole within the next three years.

Sometimes the toughest cases don’t make for the most sensational headlines. A client was on probation to a particularly tough St. Louis City Judge and probation officer. After multiple violations, multiple arrests while on probation, and a prior revocation, the judge and probation officer had vowed to send the client to prison for seven years. Despite these tough circumstances, attorney Brian Cooke was able to get the client into a drug treatment program, sober living housing, and Suboxone treatment. Through his contacts in the recovery community, Mr. Cooke was able to arrange for a grant which paid for all of the aforementioned, at no expense to the client. During the revocation hearing, Mr. Cooke presented the plan to the judge, forcefully arguing over the P.O. that it would do much more to “further recovery than playing spades in the penitentiary for seven years”. The judge reluctantly agreed, reducing the client’s bond from “no bond allowed” to a personal recognizance. After successfully completing the treatment program, the judge agreed to continue the client on probation instead of prison sentence. As a result of client’s outstanding progress, client will be discharged from probation shortly.

A St. Louis man was charged with burglary Second Degree and Felony Stealing after being accused of stealing appliances from a home. Through a thorough investigation, we found witnesses who could testify that our client was helping someone move and had no idea that the appliances were not supposed to be removed from the home. Realizing that we were well prepared and ready to fight, the prosecutor dismissed the case.

Our Client was charged with felony possession after police claimed he dropped a heroin capsule on the ground while being arrested for warrants. Through careful cross examination, Attorney Brian Cooke forced the officer to admit that he didn’t actually see him drop the capsule, and therefore he couldn’t say for certain how it got there. We also challenged the justification for the initial traffic stop. Realizing that this was a weak case and the officer had some credibility issues, the judge ruled that the initial stop was illegal. Therefore, all evidence after the stop was suppressed. The state had no choice but to dismiss the case.

A St. Louis County man was charged with Assault 2nd/DWI after allegedly flipping his car and causing the passenger’s hand to be nearly severed.

A St. Louis man was accused of DWI after allegedly swerving, failing all field sobriety tests, and blowing a .14 on a breath test machine. Attorney Brian Cooke filed a motion to suppress the results of the breath test. Through a careful cross examination, we were able to show that the officer had failed to follow state regulations when administering the breath test and did not know how to perform the field sobriety tests correctly. As a result, the judge ruled that the breath test was inadmissible at trial. The state made an offer for a reduced charge which our client turned down. On the day of trial, the prosecutor dismissed the case. We also won the DOR license hearing. As a result, our client was able to walk away with completely clean record.

A Jefferson County woman was charged with possession of methamphetamine after police claimed that they found methamphetamine in her bedroom, as well as numerous items of paraphernalia and meth-making chemicals throughout her home. To complicate matters, the police claimed they found our client hiding right next to where the meth was found. During the trial we were able to create reasonable doubt by undermining the credibility of the officers involved. The jury returned a quick not guilty verdict.