Facts:
My client lived in St. Petersburg and had mental health and drug issues. She was being taken advantage of by a male friend who would steal from her. One evening, he went to her home demanding drugs and money and they fought. He refused to leave and my client grabbed a kitchen knife and slashed him with it. She then called 911.
The Investigation:
St. Petersburg Police Department responded to the scene and saw the knife wound. They arrested my client for aggravated battery, which is a second degree felony. When they searched her, they found cocaine and charged her with possession of cocaine, a third degree felony. She was taken to the Pinellas County Jail and was bailed out by her mother.
The Case:
She and her mother hired me to help. These were very serious charges. I recommended immediate treatment for the drug issue. She went to a 5 day detox program and then into a sober living facility. She stayed in the sober living facility for over two months. The case was then sent to the prosecutor for investigation.
The Result:
After I sent over a letter explaining my client’s position about self defense, the prosecutor agreed to drop the aggravated battery charge. So, all that was filed was the possession of cocaine. I was able to get that charged dropped to a misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia, but the prosecutor wanted her to do a year of probation. My client asked me to get her a fine, which I did. So, the entire case ended up with simply $550 in fines and court costs. My client was thrilled with the result and cried and hugged me after court. It could have been a lot worse.
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