On Friday January 14, 2011, criminal defense trial attorney Max A. Keller of Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys won a jury trial victory in Hennepin County. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on the sole count of the complaint in a Violation of an Order for Protection (Violating an OFP) case. The Hennepin County Jury Trial involved forensic computer evidence, cell phone records, alibi witnesses, and impeachment of the key witness for both sides by transcripts of prior testimony under oath. After 3 days of testimony, and one day of pre-trial arguments, and only 1.5 hours of deliberations, the jury returned a not guilty verdict. Needless to say, Max A. Keller’s client was very pleased. (File # 27-CR-09-56269)
Defendants in Minnesota may plead guilty or accept deals without understanding the hidden cost of a guilty criminal plea. A guilty criminal plea, regardless of how appealing it appears, can leave you dealing with substantial lifelong consequences. You may skip lengthy trial proceedings and likely get a lenient sentence, but end up with a criminal record. The record can lead to various financial and collateral consequences, including difficulty in securing employment, loss of housing rights, license revocation, and immigration issues.