State v. L.R., Docket No. A-2882-18

Barry Evenchick and Zachary Levy, as Designated Pro Counsel for the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, successfully obtained a reversal of L.R.’s 17-count conviction, five of which counts were for first-degree attempted murder, carrying a sentence of 36 years. The Appellate Division held that the identification testimony of multiple police witnesses was unfairly prejudicial and presented a risk that the jury would infer L.R. was involved in prior criminal activity and was a person generally known to police. The court also held that the trial court was in error when it permitted a police detective, who was not an eyewitness to the alleged crimes, to narrate a recovered surveillance video and present his lay-witness opinion that video footage showed the defendant firing a gun. With the conviction reversed, OPD was able to negotiate a plea that resulted in L.R.’s immediate release based on time already served.

Our firm is proud of the results it has achieved for clients, some of which are noted here.  Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters.