New York, New York — Hamilton Clarke LLP congratulates Managing Partner Lance A. Clarke and Associate Ethan Van Buren on securing a significant trial result following a jury trial and nearly a week of deliberations, after which the jury returned verdicts of Not Guilty on every count contained in the indictment.
The prosecution had charged the defendant, a music entertainer, with gang assault and a host of related violent offenses arising from an incident they alleged was captured on video. Throughout the trial, Clarke and Van Buren built the record challenging any basis for acting in concert, ultimately preventing its submission to the jury.
In a rare and decisive move, once it became clear the prosecution would not call the complaining witness, Clarke secured the witness’s production from federal custody and called him to testify for the defense, providing context to the video and enabling the defense to obtain a justification charge without calling the defendant to testify.
The verdict underscores Hamilton Clarke LLP’s continued commitment to delivering strategic, disciplined, and results-driven advocacy in complex criminal matters.