MANDATORY LIFE SENTENCE CASE REDUCED TO LEWD AND LACIVIOUS CONDUCT WITH PROBATION
Date: October 2019
Court: Walton County Circuit Court
Details:
The Client who was developmentally disabled was charged with the very serious offense of Sexual Battery with the Victim under 12 years of age. This was a case involving family members with the accusation that the older cousin had molested his younger cousin. The Client for an extended period of time was committed to the Florida State Hospital due to competency issues. The crime as charged carried a mandatory life sentence due to the nature of the offense and the ages of the client and the victim. We took over this case from another attorney.
Outcome: After over a year of court appearances and the discovery process, within days of trial we were able to enter into a negotiated plea which eliminated the mandatory life sentence. In fact, the client was placed on 15-years sex offender probation which although rigorous, is a heck of a lot better than serving the rest of your life in prison when you’re 18-years old.