Miami Domestic Violence Lawyer Reports: Denver Broncos Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall Found Not Guilty in Domestic Violence Battery Case
In yet another criminal defense case involving a National Football League (NFL) player, an Atlanta jury has found Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall to be not guilty of domestic violence battery against his former girlfriend. The verdict was annouced on Friday, August 14, 2009, after just about one hour of jury deliberations.
Marshall had been facing two counts of simple domestic violence battery stemming from a March 4, 2008, argument with his then-girlfriend Rasheedah Watley at the Atlanta condominium the couple shared. After the verdict, Marshall admitted that he was nervous when jury deliberations started, but was confident in the hard work of his criminal defense lawyers.
Marshall stated, "I'm just happy that now legally and emotionally we can all move past this." He added that he greatly appreciated all of the support from both teammates and fans, as said that he intended to celebrate on Friday evening by watching his fellow Broncos play in a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Marshall's lead criminal defense attorney, Harvey Steinberg, expressed his gratitude to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for waiting for a verdict before deciding to take any league action. Goodell is viewed by many as ruling the NFL with an iron fist... and for good reason. In recent seasons, he has dished out increasingly severe sanctions for bad off-the-field behavior. Just recently, Goodell suspended wide receiver Donte Stallworth for the entire 2009 season due to his recent Miami-Dade DUI manslaughter conviction. Please refer to our many previous Miami Criminal Lawyer Blog entries for more information about Stallworth's controversial Miami DUI case.
This is not Marshall fist disciplinary problem with the NFL. He was suspended for last season's opening game after a series of alleged domestic disputes, and Goodell had indicated that a conviction in the Altanta domestic violence case would have resulted in a second (and likely more serious) NFL suspension.
Before the verdict was announced, the presiding judge cautioned that no outbursts would be tolerated and asked anyone who might not be able to comply to leave the courtroom. A similar warning is commonly given in most Miami-Dade criminal defense trials before the verdict is announced. Watley, who was sitting with her family members, stood up after the verdict and left the courtroom quietly. However, it appeared ths she and her family members were visibly disappointed by the jury's verdict.
It should be noted that this 2008 incident was not the first time that Marshall had faced domestic violence criminal charges involving Watley. In March of 2007, Marshall was arrested after Watley alleged that he used his vehicle to block her taxi cab as she attempted to leave his home after a heated domestic dispute. That domestic violence case was dismissed prior to trial.
Marshall has also had other brushes with the law. For example, he was arrested in October 2007 for driving under the influence (DUI). He eventually pled guilty to a reduced charge of driving while ability-impaired and was sentenced to one year of reporting probation.
If you or a loved one is facing a Miami domestic violence charge and are in search of an experienced Miami domestic violence lawyer, please don't hesitate to call us at (305) 571-9800 for a free case evaluation. We here at Pensky & Kim, P.A., pride ourselves on our success in defending against domestic violence charges. Over the years, our experienced Miami-Dade criminal defense attorneys have handled hundreds of domestic violence cases and have succeeded in getting many of them dismissed. Don't believe us? Come meet with us and give us an opportunity to prove our many successes to you. Unlike most other criminal defense law firms, we are happy to show our results to you... in writing... and with actual case numbers!
I'm not exactly sure how the Atlanta criminal justice system works, but in Miami-Dade, Broward, or anywhere in Florida, two counts of domestic violence battery are punishable by two consecutive sentences of 364 days in the county jail. Domestic violence cases are treated very seriously these days, so it is definitely a good idea to get yourself an experienced Miami criminal defense lawyer if you are facing any kind of domestic violence charge.
Once again, the attorneys at Pensky & Kim, P.A., are available by telephone 24/7 at (305) 571-9800. In the alternative, please feel free to check out our Miami domestic violence attorney website for more information or to request a free case evaluation through our online form.
