• The following 2015 news clips show television coverage of defense attorney Matt Pavone speaking to the court and the press on behalf of one of his high profile clients; a correctional officer who is accused of excessive force resulting in the death of a Santa Clara County jail inmate (NBC (KNTV) Bay Area News at 5; KTVU Channel 2; and KPIX 5 News at 6).

 

  • Cop Caught Lying During DWI Trial Facing Perjury Charge. Although an extreme case, involving a police officer who certainly should have known better, this case underscores the importance of preparing for testimony in court.  To the extent video and audio recordings are available for review, along with the incident report, the professional officer should take the time to review them fully before providing sworn testimony about an enforcement operation such as an arrest or a search.  As more and more of a police officer’s conduct becomes subject to being caught on video or audio due to cruiser cameras, body cameras and civilian cell phones, the prudent officer would do well to monitor his or her conduct more closely.  In addition, insist on having the prosecutor review your recollection of any event you are being asked to testify about before you take the stand.
  • For my many police clients, and for those of you who are generally interested in this hot topic about the use of body cameras by law enforcement, here is a recent article on the subject, Congressional Hearings Examine Policing Strategies and Body Camera Use. Though not likely to be the total solution that people are seeking for misbehavior by police officers, it is gaining a lot of traction as a good next step.  Interestingly, many police departments are embracing the practice as a way to demonstrate the extraordinarily professional way that the vast majority of law enforcement personnel go about their jobs.
  • My clients frequently ask me to predict what a judge will do in their case. Clients also often feel that the judge handling their case has some predetermined notion of how he or she will rule on a matter, The clients are even sometimes convinced that the judge will decide the case based on personal feelings about the parties rather than strictly based on the law. Having spent over thirty years appearing before judges at all levels of the judicial system, and having clerked for a judge, I try to reassure my clients by describing to them how judges work, using many of the types of comments made in this article by attorney Michael Lumer, Judges Are People Too. I recommend it to anybody worried about how a judge will approach their legal matter.
  • The following KRON News Center 4 video clip spotlights Matt in his capacity as the Chief of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force for the Northwestern United States during the years that he served in the United States Attorney’s Office in San Francisco: