Given the demographics of Santa Barbara County, one might have expected more hostile jurors than in say, Compton - so due credit must be given to Michael Jackson's attorney - Thomas Masereau Jr.
http://www.cmrylaw.com/frame_tom.htm
In a one-year period, Mr. Mesereau obtained seven (7) acquittals and two (2) hung juries in cases involving murder, drive-by shootings, robbery, assault and illegal weapon possession.
Mr. Mesereau has obtained numerous acquittals in criminal jury trials involving murder, the death penalty, securities fraud, health care fraud, business fraud, sex crimes (rape, child molestation, etc.), conspiracy, drugs, assaults, three strikes, gang violence, weapons violations and other alleged crimes. He has successfully defended and prosecuted civil cases through trial involving business fraud, legal malpractice, sexual harassment, real estate fraud and personal injury. Mr. Mesereau has successfully defended licensed professionals, including physicians and attorneys, in administrative licensure proceedings.
Sample cases defended by Mr. Mesereau include:
· Thomas Mesereau is currently defending music legend Michael Jackson against conspiracy and child molestation charges. Mr. Mesereau says Mr. Jackson is innocent and will be acquitted and vindicated.
· Mr. Mesereau defended actor Robert Blake against charges that Mr. Blake murdered his wife. He was successful in obtaining bail for Mr. Blake in a "murder with special circumstances" case - a result legal experts called impossible. He also obtained a dismissal of the "conspiracy to murder" charge prior to trial. Mr. Mesereau was credited with changing public opinion nationwide regarding Mr. Blakeís innocence. "Irreconcilable differences" with Mr. Blake led to Mr. Mesereau's withdrawl from this case, despite all of these victories.
· Following the successful preliminary hearing in the Robert Blake case, Mr. Mesereau acquitted a man who had spent six years on Alabama's death row for a double homicide in Alabama v. Wesley Quick. Mr. Quick had been convicted while represented by another lawyer. This case was tried before a jury in Birmingham, Alabama after a successful appeal.
· Mr. Mesereau recently traveled to Bessemer, Alabama to defend a man charged with capital murder. He was facing the death penalty. On the day the trial was to start, the defendant was permitted to plead guilty to a marijuana charge and go home! This was a remarkable result in a death penalty case.
Thomas Mesereau has won numerous acquittals in sexual assault cases. Examples include the following:
· Firefighter/paramedic charged with sexually assaulting two women in the ambulance during a twenty-hour shift: acquitted.
· Husband/father charged with sexually assaulting daughter’s sixteen year old girlfriend in home: acquitted
· Swimming instructor at YMCA charged with molesting child/student: acquitted.
· Husband/father charged with molesting child in his garage. The child lived across the street and claimed four acts of molestation: acquitted
· Three hundred and fifteen pound football player charged with raping a college student in her apartment: acquitted
· Mr. Mesereau was local counsel to boxer Mike Tyson and his legal team was successful in persuading the San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office not to file rape and sexual assault charges against Mr. Tyson.
· Mr. Mesereau represented former CBS news anchorman, local celebrity, and currently KFWB broadcaster Larry Carroll who had been falsely indicted by a San Bernardino Grand Jury for securities fraud. After 11 weeks in a jury trial in Rancho Cucamonga, California, the trial judge dismissed the case against Mr. Carroll “in the interest of justice,” resulting in a complete acquittal for Mr. Carroll.
A few weeks after Carroll victory, Mr. Mesereau defended a woman from San Bernardino, California who was charged with traveling to Los Angeles and murdering her ex-husband. The verdict was not guilty
· Mr. Mesereau defended local comedian and film actor A.J. Johnson who was charged with various felonies, including, kidnapping and assault with knife and firearm. Towards the end of the trial, the prosecutors agreed to allow Mr. Johnson to suffer no jail time and probation.
· Mr. Mesereau defended a Los Angeles man charged with committing murder behind a nightclub in Gardena, California. The claim was self-defense. The jury verdict was not guilty.
· Mr. Mesereau traveled to Bessemer, Alabama to defend a 24 year-old mother charged with murdering her 22-month old infant daughter. She was facing the death penalty in a very high-profile case. Mr. Mesereau’s client was found not guilty of murder and convicted on a lesser charge of manslaughter.
· In a three-strikes case that has received media attention, Mr. Mesereau defended a former Los Angeles gang member who was facing a 25-year to life sentence for drug possession. The case went to a jury trial in Torrance, California and the verdict was not guilty.
· Mr. Mesereau traveled to Birmingham, Alabama to defend a homeless black man who was facing the death penalty for allegedly shooting a beautiful, 21-year old white woman to death during a robbery. This case was the lead story on the evening news in Alabama throughout the trial. Mr. Mesereau was asked by two local white lawyers to assist in this case because they needed help and were receiving death threats. Mr. Mesereau cross-examined all of the witnesses who had identified his client as the killer and, for the first time in Alabama history, Mr. Mesereau called an eyewitness identification expert to testify about the problems of cross-racial identification. Mr. Mesereau’s client was acquitted of all counts. This case continues to generate controversy.
· Mr. Mesereau defended an alleged Los Angeles gang member, allegedly known as “Little Hit-Man,” who was charged with murdering a rival in broad daylight at a major intersection. Three eyewitnesses identified the defendant as the killer. The verdict was not guilty.
· He defended a former choir member at the First A.M.E. Church, who was charged with murdering her mother, a First A.M.E. Trustee. The prosecution claimed that the murder weapon, a handgun, was located in the dresser drawer of the defendant’s bedroom and that she had repeatedly lied about the facts on a 911 call and to police officers. The first trial resulted in a hung jury. In a re-trial, the defendant was acquitted of first and second-degree murder. She was convicted on a lesser charge of manslaughter.
>From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>Subject: RE: [lbo-talk] MJ gets off!
>Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 18:32:34 -0400
>
>I don't really know, of course, but it is striking that Shanley was
>convicted solely on the basis of recovered memory, and MJ got off despite
>actual testimony.
>
>How
>
>Doug
>
>Joseph Wanzala wrote:
>
>>Do you have an opinion on whether he is in fact guilt of the charges? I'm
>>just wondering since I personality have not seen any evidence to allow me
>>to form a fair opinion one way or the other.
>>
>>
>>>From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
>>>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>>>To: lbo-talk <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
>>>Subject: [lbo-talk] MJ gets off!
>>>Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 17:29:02 -0400
>>>
>>>Jacko not guilty on all counts!
>>>
>>>Is this a great country or what?
>>>___________________________________
>>>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>>
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>
>
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