In the criminal justice system, there is almost always a way for you to get a second chance. If you are convicted of a crime, you may be able to appeal your conviction. If your appeal fails, you may be able to appeal to a higher court. If you and your appeals attorney persevere, a decision may be made in your favor.
You may think it is easy to give up on your case, but you should not. Thanks to the appointment of two new California Supreme Court justices, you may have a better chance than ever to win your appeal.
California Supreme Court Sets Aside Death Penalty Against Defendant
More than 20 years ago, a defendant was convicted of murdering a homeowner during a robbery and burglary. An accomplice admitted that he acted alone when committing the murder and stated that the defendant was not in the same room when the murder took place. However, the judge at trial excluded these statements as evidence.
On appeal, the California Supreme Court recently ruled that excluding this evidence was a prejudicial error, and set aside the death penalty for the defendant.
The case will now be reheard, and the defendant will get a new chance in court with the proper evidence admitted in his favor.
How did the defendant get his second chance more than 20 years after the incident took place?
There Has Never Been a Better Time to Appeal Your Case
All of the defendant’s previous appeals were denied, including one to the California Supreme Court last year. So, why was his conviction recently reversed?
The court ruled in favor of the defendant in a narrow 4-3 decision. This is mostly due to California Governor Jerry Brown, who recently appointed two new Supreme Court justices to the seven-member court. The two liberal justices join another who was appointed by Gov. Brown, and one of the new justices took over a seat vacated by a very conservative judge.
This is the second time this new group of justices has set aside a death penalty punishment. With this new liberal majority on the California Supreme Court, you can have additional hope that your conviction may be overturned. There has never been a better time to appeal your conviction in California.
Speak to a Criminal Appeals Attorney at Wallin & Klarich
If you think you were treated unfairly by the California criminal justice system, it is important that you never give up on your case. You should speak to a skilled appeals attorney who can help you file a successful appeal. At Wallin & Klarich, our appellate attorneys have been winning appeals cases for more than 35 years. Let us help you now.
With offices in Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Victorville, Torrance and West Covina, there is a skilled and knowledgeable Wallin & Klarich appeals attorney available to help you no matter where you work or live.
Call us today at (888) 280-6839 for a free phone consultation. We will be there when you call.