Chicago Federal criminal attorney, Michael Leonard, obtained his client’s immediate release from custody and dismissal of ALL federal charges against him after a three year battle.
On May 12, 2022, in Federal District Court in Chicago, the Court – Judge Blakey – entered an Order dismissing with prejudice all charges against all Leonard Trial Lawyer’s (attorney Michael Leonard) client in a federal criminal prosecution that had been pending since 2019. This was done after the United States Attorney’s Office filed a Motion seeking that Order of dismissal from the Court. The US Attorneys Office filing a Motion to dismiss all charges against all Defendants rarely ever happens. This victory occurred as follows:
After substantial delays attributable to the pandemic, the District Court held a two-day evidentiary hearing in March 2022 on Motions to Suppress filed by the Defendants in which the electronic surveillance, car search, and house search were all challenged as Constitutionally flawed. During cross-examination at the evidentiary hearing, leading Chicago federal criminal attorney Michael Leonard obtained the admission from the Government’s Agents that they had never obtained consent to search the house. More importantly, a former DEA Agent offered testimony during the hearings allowing an inference that prohibited race-based motives may have underlied certain investigative decision-making. On May 12, 2022 – prior to the parties appearing for the next scheduled date to complete the evidentiary hearing – the United States Attorneys’ Office for the Northern District of Illinois filed a Motion to Dismiss all charges against all four of the Defendants, with prejudice, which was then entered by the District Court. Mr. Leonard’s client was released from custody late Friday night and was able to enjoy the sweet Summer air as a free man for the first time in years.
The case is docketed at 19 CR 00096 (ND IL) (Judge Blakey).C