California criminal law Criminal Defense Attorney Ventura

Phil Spector was convicted in 2009 of second degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson. She was found dead in his home after a night of drinking with him. Five other women testified that Spector liked to play a terrifying game of Russian roulette and that Lana was the sixth and final person to play.

Spector was found guilty even though his lawyers argued that she had died at her own hand due to severe depression mixed with alcohol.

Spector and his attorney’s are now asking for a new trial stating that the judge made a mistake in allowing the testimonies of the five women and the fact that the prosecuting attorneys used the word ‘pattern’ forty times in the summations alone. They feel that swayed the jury to think the man was careless with the lives of women when nothing of the sort was ever proved.

“Asserting that a defendant has a ‘pattern’ of violent conduct is indistinguishable from arguing that he or she has a propensity or character trait for violence,” the attorneys wrote.

A murder trial is made more serious in California by the fact that this state allows for the death penalty. Do not place your life in the hands of an attorney who doesn’t have the experience or legal expertise to argue in favor of your very life. Instead contact the law offices of Attorney Robert Michael Helfend so that he can use every legal maneuver to try and keep you off of death row and out of jail. He has helped countless clients get the same out come.

In 2007 a young Mexican couple sneaked illegally across the border into the U.S.  Yaneth, the wife and mother had to leave her two young children in the care of their grandparents with the hopes of making a better life and coming back for them in a year or so.

However, even though she spoke with them everyday she missed them horribly and moved back soon after leaving. Yaneth and her husband decided that they would send her 4 year old daughter across the border in a car driven by a coyote, a group of unscrupulous individuals who specialize in getting illegal immigrants into southern California. Although the choice was nearly impossible to make she knew that the young girl wouldn’t be able to make the trip on foot across the border like she and her 11 year old son would do.

The plan fell completely through when she and her son were busted. Then the man who took her daughter wouldn’t give her back. After a terrible ordeal the Police finally found the little girl and the whole family was sent back to Mexico. The family is doing their best to move on now and allow their daughter who was beaten and sexually assaulted to heal. They don’t speak of the time she was with the coyotes family and what happened to her.
“She wants to forget,” Yaneth said. “I know she is moving forward. She is going to overcome this.”

The man who did this was caught and convicted and sent to prison for 14 months. If you or anyone you know is charged with any crime in the Los Angeles are you should immediately call Ventura County Defense Attorney Robert Helfend who has over two decades of trial experience and will fight for your rights.

On Monday at about 4 o’clock the LAPD received reports of four or five young men on the roof of a downtown hotel wielding guns. After playing around for awhile they disappeared down the stairwell and it looked like they stashed the guns away somewhere before exiting the roof.

When police arrived and found the youths they were questioned but not arrested. “From a technical standpoint, there is no crime,” said Lt. Paul Vernon of the LAPD. “But I would classify this as felony stupid. No one should be on the roof of a downtown hotel with handguns — real or not.”

Police took the air guns but didn’t pursue the issue any further.

At one point a sniper had his gun trained on one of the boys who was leaning over the side of the roof with a weapon which appeared to be a tech-9 machine gun. Officers say that the only thing that kept him alive was the fact that he didn’t point the gun directly at the officers.

“Had he pointed that gun at the officers, he would have lost his life,” An LAPD sniper by the name of Vernon said.

This situation worked out for all involved, but had anything gone differently like charges been filed, the best attorney would  have been the right call to make. Ventura Defense Attorney Robert Helfend is the best choice in any criminal case. He has been defending clients in the Los Angeles area for over two decades and in that time has seen many people have their charges lessened or dropped due to his legal expertise.

Three men robbed the United Commercial Bank on Valley Blvd. in Rosemead on Friday afternoon.

Witnesses say the three black men were clad in camoflage with masks covering their faces and put a sign on the bank door saying that it was closed due to an emergency before entering and robbing the bank. Although one of the thieves did jump the counter during the ordeal, no injuries were reported.

Spokeswoman for the FBI Lourdes Arocho said that no guns were seen by the employees or patrons but one of the robbers indicated that there was a gun in his pocket. They told people simply “Do not move. Put your hands up. Give me the money,” Arocho said.

They fled on foot with an unknown amount of cash they obtained by several registers. The FBI asked witnesses, employees, and patrons questions for hours after the brief incident and are reported to believe that these robbers may be serial bandits wanted for simular incidents in seven bank robberies in El Monte, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Oxnard, Westminster and San Clemente.

If you have committed a crime and are now on the run or in hiding because of your fear, contacting a great attorney who will fight for you is the first step to getting your life back.

Defense Attorney Robert Helfend is the lawyer who will meet with you and listen to your story and work to figure out the best plan for keeping you out of jail. If you are charged with a crime call Robert Helfend for the best chance at a real defense.

This week a man and two teens were taken into custody in connection with the murder of 69 year old Jesus Rocha of Helendale back in December.

Relatives of Jesus reported him missing on Dec 16th stating that he had been gone for four days. They then contacted authorities again on the 19th to say they had found human remains on the Rocha property. The remains were later identified as those of Jesus.

From there the investigation led homicide detectives to the home of a 17 year old boy where they arrested Edgar Gutierrez, 39, of Los Angeles and the boy. Another teenager was arrested at Santee High School.

Gutierrez is being held on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder while the boys have been booked at a juvenile center for kidnapping and murder. A motive has not yet been released.

Robert Helfend has tried and won many murder cases. He fully understands that, in California, trusting a defense attorney with your murder case is trusting him with your life. Robert Helfend has been an attorney in the Los Angeles area for over two decades and in that time has seen cases such as these have their charges lessened or even dropped through his hard work and legal manuvering. Contact his law offices the moment you find out you are being investigated as hesitating can mean that police and prosecutors may get months of extra time building their case before you start formulating your defense.

Don’t allow yourself to think that the case is too bleak and there is no hope, let Ventura County Defense Attorney Robert Helfend put together your case and walk beside you every step of the way.

Anyone can make a bad decision in the heat of the moment. But that snap reaction should not be something you pay for the rest of your life. Knowing that one of Los Angeles’ best attorneys, Robert Michael Helfend, is available for you is so important.

Back in 2008 budding rapper David Jassy was driving down Hollywood Blvd. when local jazz pianist John Osnes was crossing. Witnesses say that Jassy’s SUV rolled into the intersection almost hitting 55 year old Osnes. The pianist, who was very big on pedestrian rights, slapped the hood of the vehicle causing David to react irrationally. The story goes that Jassy jumped out of the car and punched John in the head and kicked him in the face when he fell, David then ran Osnes over when he was fleeing the scene.

Jassy stated during the trial that Mr. Osnes threw the first punch when he got out of the truck, “both me and him share a responsibility for what happens,” he testified.

After nearly a year long trial Jassy was convicted of second degree murder, a lesser charge than the first degree he was originally charged with. Today he was sentenced to fifteen years to life for his road rage crime.

“I’ve independently reviewed the evidence, and I agree completely with the jury verdict,” Judge Johnson stated during his sentencing when he doled out the maximum penalty.

This case could have gone better and Robert Helfend could help. Review his cases and see how he can get an outcome for you that is beyond what you thought possible. Mr. Helfend will use all the legal techniques he has learned in his twenty years of experience to keep you out of jail.

This Monday morning the Lakewood Country Club in Los Angeles found a crude 8 by 8 foot swastika carved into their putting green. Det. Theo Gekas of the Lakewood sheriff’s station said that the authorities are taking this situation very seriously. “Right now, it’s classified as vandalism coupled with a hate incident. Based on crimes that have happened in the past in that area, there’s a suspicion that it may be teenage kids.” He stated.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe will ask other county officials to approve a five thousand dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the swastika.

“The physical damage to the golf course may be repaired already, but the lasting damage that crimes like this leave on a community can be far more devastating,” Knabe told the LA Times.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Gekas at (562) 623-3500.

If you are responsible for a prank that was meant to be harmless and ended up making a lasting negative impression such as this, you need to call Los Angeles Defense Attorney Robert Michael Helfend.

Mr. Helfend has tried countless cases in his career and is known for being an excellent attorney. The fact that he is trustworthy to not only his clients but also his collegues should tell you that he is the lawyer to call in any situation where you find yourself in trouble with the law in the Los Angeles area.

Although his case files speak for themselves, you can also have a free initial consultation to meet with Robert Helfend face to face and see that he will work hard to get your charges lessened or dropped altogether as he has for many many clients.

Today 24 year old Sylvia Mardini  plead guilty to lying to the FBI and Police back in August. She stayed out all night and instead of telling the truth of her whereabouts, Sylvia sent text messages to her mother saying that she had been abducted and was in Utah. Her mother contacted local authorities and the FBI was brought in. The widely covered incident lasted three days when Mardini was found at a gas station in Colorado alone.

After being interviewed and telling a tale of an unknown man kidnapping her at gunpoint and forcing her to drive to fromCalifornia to Colorado. She now admits that all of those facts were completely false. Although what exactly she was doing for those three days was not publised, she noe has to pay over 20 thousand dollars to help pay for the investigation conducted by the FBI, Robbery and Crime division of the Los Angeles Police Dept, and the Colorado highway patrol. She will appear for sentancing and faces up to five years in a federal prison.

If you ever find yourself in a situation like this and you feel as though your seemingly innocent lies have painted you into a corner, a call to Los Angeles Attorney Robert Helfend can help. You need someone who can explain exactly what you are being charged with and what legal options you have. With 20 plus years of trial experience, Mr. Helfend will use every legal angle he can to get your charges reduced or dropped. He will do whatever he can to get you the best possible outcome and the least possible punishment.

A great trial attorney knows that getting a case thrown out and charges dropped is the best possible scenario. Ventura defense attorney Robert Helfend understands this and in his 20 plus years working for the people in the Los Angeles area he has seen this outcome many times.

As in the recent case of former CEO Henry Nicholas, where the lawyer was able to help facilitate seeing each charge against him thrown out, Robert Helfend can work to see your walk away from accusations unscathed.

The case against Nicholas had a large number of charges including

• Stock option backdating
• Creative bookkeeping
• Narcotics

On Thursday the judge in the case threw out the last of the charges and even set aside guilty pleas from two of the co-defendants. He was unhappy with the prosecution and how they obtained facts in the case. He accused them of tainting witnesses, failure to produce evidence and said they had “distorted the truth-finding process,”. His words in effect wiped the slate clean for Henry who had been facing possible years in prison.

Nicholas now goes free, however he has lost his job, his marriage has ended, and his reputation has been tarnished. This is a sad but too common occurrence in so many cases. Robert Helfend understands the toll a trial can have on a persons life and well being and therefore he will always strive to keep accusations from becoming charges and charges from becoming public whenever possible. Contact the law offices of Robert Michael Helfend should you or someone you know ever become entangled in such an unpleasant reality.

80 year old Doris Thompson appeared in court on Wednesday for charges related to the burglary at the Torrence Medical Center. Thompson apparently walked into court with her gray hair in pigtails and announced “I plead guilty”.  Although she was polite and truly a joy to have in court, she has been committing crimes since 1955.

The latest incident had her following an employee into the medical center and simply staying once he left. She then ransacked the offices and stole money from drawers.

Facing 12 years in prison Doris opted for a plea bargain which would get her out of the couty jail as soon as possible, as she let everyone know she does not enjoy.

When sentenced to three years in prison Thompson addressed the judge directly “I feel guilty for asking this,” loudly she asked “Is this a solid three years or is it just half time?” When the judge told her she would be up for parole in a year and a half she told him she deserved longer. He then granted her immediate transport to the prison because, she reminded him, she really doesn’t like it in county jail.

“Thank you,” she said as she left. “God bless you.”

Ventura Defense Attorney Robert Michael Helfend could help in this situation. Although Doris wanted to plead guilty and get out of county jail, he would have tried to have better options for her. If you or anyone you love finds yourself accused of burglary contact Robert Helfend for the best and most aggressive defense in Los Angeles.