Kidnapping Cases

Kidnapping cases are among the most difficult to defend in front of a jury, and they are among the most difficult to reach a reasonable settlement. The consequences are dire. Depending on the type of kidnap that is charged, the result can be life in prison. Conviction does not only almost assuredly result in a prison sentence.

 If you need to hire a lawyer for a kidnapping case, you need a lawyer who has experience with kidnapping cases and has won a kidnapping case before a jury. I have not only done two kidnapping trials, I have won the kidnapping charges that would have carried a life sentence in those two trials.

My kidnapping trial successes and experience:

Anthony S., 1434089

• Anthony Solis
• Charges: Murder (Penal Code § 187(a)), There was a hung jury, and the case was then settled for dismissal of the first-degree murder charge in exchange for a no-contest plea to kidnapping with a gang allegation with nine years in prison.
• Exposure: A.J. was facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.
• Outcome: There was a hung jury, and the case was then settled for dismissal of the first-degree murder charge in exchange for a no-contest plea to kidnapping with a gang allegation with nine years in prison. 
  

Below is the newspaper article on A.J.'s outcome.

Eugene F., RIF134818

• Charges: Torture (Penal Code § 206), robbery (Penal Code § 211), residential burglary (Penal Code § 459), auto theft (Vehicle Code § 10851), assault (Penal Code § 245(a)(1)), kidnapping (Penal Code § 207) and false imprisonment (Penal Code § 237(a)).
• Exposure: Eugene was facing twenty-six years, eight months to life in prison.
• Outcome: Eugene was acquitted of the kidnapping charge and the lesser included offense of attempted kidnapping; he was convicted of the lesser included offense of false imprisonment, assault charge, the kidnapping charge, and the lesser included offense. He was convicted of the rest of the charges. He was sentenced to ten years to life. He'll have his first parole hearing after serving eight and a half years.
  

Carl C., RIF132797

• Charges: Kidnapping (Penal § 209(b)(1)) with use of a weapon (Penal Code § 12022(b)(1)), two counts of rape (Penal Code § 261(a)(2)) both with two special allegations of kidnapping (Penal Code §§ 667.61(d)(2) and 667.61(e)(1)) and both with two special allegation of use of a weapon (Penal Code §§ 667.61(e)(3)) and 12022.3(a)), forced oral copulation (Penal Code § 288a(c)(2) with two special allegations of kidnapping (Penal Code §§ 667.61(d)(2) and 667.61(e)(1) and two special allegations of use of a weapon (Penal Code §§ 667.61(e)(3) and 12022.3(a)), two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object (Penal Code § 289(a)(1)) each with two special allegations of kidnapping (Penal Code §§ 667.61(d)(2) and 667.61(e)(1)) and each with two special allegations of use of a weapon (Penal Code §§ 667.61(e)(3) and 12022.3(a)), child endangerment (Penal Code § 273a(a)) with use of a weapon (Penal Code § 12022(b)(1), assault (Penal Code § 245(a)(1), lewd touching while restraining (Penal Code § 243.4(a)) with a weapon (Penal Code § 12022(b)(1), false imprisonment (Penal Code § 236) with a weapon (Penal Code § 12022(b)(1)) and criminal threats (Penal Code § 422) with a weapon (12022(b)(1)).
• Exposure: Carl was facing 107 years and four months to life in prison.
• Outcome: Carl was acquitted by the court of the kidnapping charge and all ten kidnapping special allegations, he was also acquitted by the jury of one of the counts of penetration with a foreign object, so the weapons allegations on that count were not reached because of the not guilty verdict, he was convicted of all the charges. He was sentenced to twenty years to life.
  

• Have you done a kidnapping trial before?
• This question is important because a kidnapping trial involves complex legal concepts and is inevitably extremely emotional.  Somewhat like a murder trial, it requires specialized knowledge and experience.
• Addison has done three kidnapping trials and beat all the kidnapping counts in all three of those trials, getting acquittals in two of them and a hung jury in the third.
• What were the results of your kidnapping trials?
• This question is important because, in a kidnapping, the defense has to be aggressive in order to do as I've done and win so the client can go home.  If an attorney has won kidnapping trials, that attorney has the experience and skills to handle the level of complexity involved in a kidnapping trial.
• Addison won all the kidnapping counts and all the kidnapping special allegations in two of the kidnapping trials he's done and had a hung jury in the third trial he's done.
• Do you train other lawyers in your techniques for winning kidnapping trials?
• This question is important because, typically, only the leading lawyers in a field are invited to conduct training for other lawyers.
• Addison was a speaker at the California Public Defenders Association (CPDA) homicide defense training in 2011 to train on his winning trials by humanizing the client method.  He has also given that same training at the Riverside County Public Defenders Office, the Riverside County Barristers, the Santa Clara County Public Defenders Office, the Santa Barbara County Public Defenders Office, and the San Francisco County Public Defenders Office.  He was a speaker at the CPDA homicide defense training in 2012 to train on utilizing a neuropsychologist in a homicide case.  All these skills and techniques that he teaches are easily utilized in kidnapping trials.
• How long were the kidnapping trials you've done, and how many days of defense did you present?
• These questions are important because although some cases just call for a short trial, a short trial can also mean that the prosecution was not sufficiently challenged or that no defense was presented.  A kidnapping trial that lasts five or even ten court days is reason for concern because it's an indicator that the prosecution is not being thoroughly challenged and a complete defense is not being presented.
• Addison has spent 121 court days in kidnapping trials. I have a success rate in kidnapping trials that is really unparalleled.