Our client, John, approached Steven Epstein, furious about a baseless police stop that occurred on a New York City street. The police claimed John's headlights were out late at night, which he vehemently denied. Steven explained to John that if the headlights being off was indeed false, they could suppress all the evidence in the case. John insisted on his innocence, and Steven believed him.
Conducting an immediate investigation in his office, Steven utilized Google Earth, a tool frequently used with clients, to analyze the stop and arrest location. Astonishingly, just one block before the stop, there was a bank—a bank with a street level ATM equipped with video surveillance capturing customer activities. To strengthen their case, Steven subpoenaed the bank's footage from the night of John's arrest, revealing undeniable evidence: the police officer's marked blue and white car, with emergency lights on, following John's car—with his headlights ON!
Making a copy of the recording, Steven submitted it to the District Attorney (DA) and demanded justice. However, a divergence emerged between Steven's view of justice and the DA's perspective. The DA sought a reduced charge plea from John, but Steven vehemently opposed this resolution. He firmly believed that the police should not be allowed to lie without facing repercussions, emphasizing the importance of trust in law enforcement.
As a result of Steven's relentless efforts, John's case was ultimately dismissed—a remarkable victory for justice in this criminal defense and civil rights case. The successful defense not only challenged the false police stop but also upheld the principles of civil rights, ensuring that the police are accountable for their actions.