Sometimes, a case walks in your door and you have almost no time to prepare in order to achieve the best outcome. That’s exactly what happened to one hero attorney, Preston Edwards. With only four hours to prepare, he was able to secure a not-guilty verdict in a complicated Assault on a Female case in Guilford County.
The Case: An Argument Between Dad and Daughter
This case truly began a decade earlier with an escalating custody dispute between our soon-to-be client and his ex. Unfortunately, their daughter was caught in the middle. In this instance, the sixteen-year-old child wanted to see her boyfriend one night. Our client refused her request and a normal father-daughter argument ensued. However, as the night progressed, the concerned dad began to suspect his child planned to sneak out after hours. He tried to take her car keys, as most stern responsible fathers would. A tussle ensued, but eventually, he was able to get the keys out of his daughter’s grip. She then lunged for the keys, sending them both toppling down the stairs. She filed charges against her dad for assault as a result of this exchange.
Attorney Preston Edwards Rescues Dad in Dire Straights
On this particular day, our imminently soon-to-be client was denied a continuance on this Assault on a Female case that was set for trial. At the same time, Criminal Defense Attorney Preston Edwards was leaving court. The father had seen him in court earlier, approached him in the hallway, and retained his services right then and there. Attorney Preston Edwards had only four hours to familiarize himself with the case and prepare his client’s defense. With massive heroic effort, he got to work and did just that.
The Evidence: Falsified
The daughter presented as evidence a series of pictures indicating the injuries that she had sustained. The pictures were allegedly taken four days after the events in question, and all but one of the pictures matched the expected healing process of a bruise after four days. However, one was remarkably different. It was a gruesome-looking, fresh wound that was used by the State as evidence. Unfortunately for the daughter and the State, Attorney Preston Edwards has extensive experience in basic triage through his time in the Boy Scouts and in the Army. Immediately, he began to question the daughter concerning the nature of the offending photograph. As it turns out, it was a faked injury that was done the day they took the other pictures to make it “more believable” that she was assaulted.
The Verdict: Not Guilty
Her credibility was destroyed. The presiding judge issued a Not Guilty verdict and our client walked away a happy man. Defense Attorney Preston Edwards acted quickly to not only save this caring father’s reputation from false accusations but also to give him the time to repair the relationship with his child that he needs.
Contact Us
This father’s situation could happen to anyone. False accusations are often used during custody disputes to gain a perceived upper hand or even to try and punish the other party. It’s imperative, should false accusations happen to you, that you find an experienced defense attorney like Preston Edwards to stand staunchly at your side. Contact us at Dummit Fradin today and let a team with over 30 years of Defense experience help you.