Standing Up in the Face of Bad Cops for A Client Who Deserves

I’m just breathless this morning. Some months ago, this young Latina woman came into the office and told me a story that I could barely believe. I listened as I noticed the visible bruises up and down her arms.
She had recently been released from the hospital on a suicide watch and was at home with her family. Sadly, she was struggling and decided to go into the bathroom to attempt it again. So, her mother and sister not knowing what else to do called the police and told them her history and that she was suicidal. They thought that people would come and help her, stop her, do something, anything.

Rather than send trained and experienced professionals who deal with this, which is their required protocol, they sent to big giant cops who decided to show this young very troubled woman who is boss. Honestly the chest cam videos made me weep. Never seen anything quite like it. They then charged her with 4th degree assault of a police officer.

Well, today, standing in a courtroom beside this young woman in front of a Judge and this prosecutor, a very good man by the way, dismissed the case in its entirety. My client smiled. I tried to but something just stuck in my throat. Suffice it to say, a very good day.