A long-time girlfriend accused client of domestic violence during an argument about changing an oil filter! Client needed to drive to work, was going to use girlfriend’s car, but girlfriend said he couldn’t use it until it had an oil filer change (mind you, not an oil change, just the filter, which probably no one does and may not even be possible). Girlfriend alleged that client grabbed her by the shirt and she laid down on the ground.
Client declined to speak with law enforcement (good man!) but was adamant to others that he didn’t do anything. At trial, girlfriend’s story changed repeatedly to the point where “she was covered in bruises” and “he was on top of me choking me” and so on. In other words, complete and total lies that she was telling for the first time. She also said a bunch of other wild stuff that really made the jury dislike her. She was possibly one of the least credible witness/victims that we’ve cross-examined.
No surprise, but the jury didn’t buy girlfriend’s story either and quickly found client not guilty. Good lessons to be learned here about not making statements to police (i.e., exercising your constitutional right to remain silent) and about not prejudging a case based on a seemingly credible “victim.”
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