Appeal Denied for Man Convicted of Armed Robbery

A man found guilty of armed robbery attempted to have the verdict reversed recently by the Michigan Court of Appeals. D.W. had been convicted of two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possessing a firearm while committing a felony in connection with a robbery attempt in 2009. He had allegedly attempted to rob a sportswear store but was thwarted by the store's owner. The owner of the store testified that he managed to get the gun away from D.W. and then used his wrestling training from his youth to subdue D.W. until police arrived. Have you been charged or convicted of a crime? Speak with a Michigan criminal defense lawyer right away to find out what your legal options are.

Appellate Judges Reject Argument for Appeal

The basis of D.W.'s appeal was that it was an error for the prosecution to have allowed jurors to hear the details of another robbery he had been convicted of. The argument was that the prosecutor intended to convince the jury that the defendant had done it before, would probably do it again and so probably is guilty this time. The appeals judges, however, disagreed that there was any such intention and the actual purpose was to show the similarities in the details of how the robbery was conducted then as being similar to the one in 2009. The ruling was unanimous by the three-judge appellate court panel that D.W. continue to serve his current sentence. Unless another appeal is successful, D.W. may remain in prison until 2044, possibly longer.

Do you need the help of a Michigan criminal appeal lawyer?

Your chances for a successful criminal appeal may be much greater if you start off with a skilled appeals attorney. There is hope after a criminal conviction and a lawyer with us at the Law Offices of Freedman & Freedman may be able to help. More and more appeals cases are being won and more and more wrongfully convicted individuals are able to regain their freedom or at least be given more reasonable sentencing. Filing an appeal requires a thorough understanding and competence in the area of criminal law and appellate law. This is not something that can just be slapped together and put before the Michigan Court of Appeals. We do the investigation and legwork necessary to find that valid reason why the client's case should be reviewed. Don't settle for anything less than 100% drive and dedication when it comes to your appeals case!

Contact a Michigan appellate attorney on our team to see what may be done about your case. It may be possible to get the verdict or sentence reversed.