Recent Cases

Washington Post - September, 2006

Federal Prosecutors announce they will not pursue federal civil rights charges against the 6 men charged in the slaying of Jamahl Jones.

PRINCE GEORGE'S SLAYING CASE UNRAVELS AS WITNESS IS HELD.

Washington Post - September 25, 2006

Greed Drove Offer to Recant, Lawyers Say

In short order, Widmer [the witness] went from star witness to perjury defendant. Prosecutors dropped the murder charges against [HoulonBerman client] and his attorneys, Richard A. Finci and Debra A. Saltz are now prosecution witnesses against Widmer.

“I believed [Widmer] was lying all the time” about seeing the killing, Finci said.. “All the witnesses I spoke to said ‘He’s a liar. You can’t believe a word he says. . . ‘”

HOOPS STAR STILL SITTING IN D.C. JAIL

Washington Post - August 19, 2006

But Baxter’s Attorney, Richard A. Finci. . . told Magistrate Judge J. Dennis Doyle that they wanted to . . . challenge [on United States Constitutional grounds] a recent change in D.C. bond law that presumes that anyone charged with carrying a pistol without a license is dangerous. The charge was enacted last as part of the emergency crime law.

Associated Press - August 23, 2006

Former NBA Player . . . was sentenced to two months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of carrying a gun and firing it into the air a few blocks from the White House.

[The Judge] said he imposed the jail sentence [and rejected the probation agreement] because of . . . the previous firearms charges [of which he was convicted.]

Tactics to Get DNA Disputed-Md. Teen Indicted After Swabbing

Prince George's County
Washington Post - May 20, 2006

The case of a 14 year old Prince George's County Boy, linked to a sexual assault after police stopped him on a street corner and swabbed him for DNA, could break legal ground on when and how police secure such evidence from juvenile offenders, legal experts said...

[Defendant's] attorney, Richard Finci, has now filed a motion to throw out the DNA evidence and dismiss the indictment, saying his client did not give "knowing and voluntary" consent to the taking of the DNA sample...

"They claim he consented," Finci said. "I can only tell you from my gut reaction that consent has to be knowing and voluntary to be valid ... And how can you have knowing and voluntary consent when the officers tell you a [lie].

LAWYER CLAIMS DEAL IN MD. TEEN'S DEATH

Washington Post - March 19, 2005

[After months of work preparing for trial, the Houlon Berman client’s case was resolved when the client was subpoenaed to testify at trial]. . .”’and he is going to have the case against him dismissed said [client’s name omitted] Bradley’s attorney, Richard A. Finci. ‘As I have said time and time again, he never touched Mr. Jones,’ Finci said, referring to Jamahl Jones, the victim.”

BAIL LOWERED FOR 4 CHARGED IN TEEN'S DEATH

Baltimore Sun - November 16, 2004

District Judge Robert C. Wilcox’s decision to lower bail brought sighs of relief and abbreviated applause from relatives of the Defendants, as they scurried into the corridor to speak with lawyers about posting bond.

Richard A. Finci, (client’s name omitted) attorney, told Wilcox that his client. . .” never touched the victim.”

RAPE CHARGES AGAINST TAXI CAB DRIVER DROPPED AFTER DEFENSE UNCOVERS DNA EVIDENCE PROVING INNOCENCE

May 1, 2003

WIFE OF VICTIM WANTS JUSTICE

Man Receives Suspended Jail Sentence, Five Years Probation
The Prince George's Journal - November 6, 2001

"One of the defense lawyers, Alan D. Levenstein, said that when
[his client] made the decision in the 'heat of the moment' to beat [the
victim], he believed he was defending his family."
"Levenstein and Gutrick's other lawyer, Richard A. Finci, said
they were satisfied but not surprised by the sentence.  'It was a hard
call for the judge,' Finci said."

"Finci said the defense was not allowed to introduce evidence -
including duct tape and additional weapons found in Morrison's car -
indicating Morrison could have been the [serial rapist]."

JURY ACQUITS MAN OF MURDER

The Prince George's Journal - August 6, 2001

"Finci said the verdict, handed down Friday, showed the
jury probably believed [his client's] testimony that he was trying
to apprehend [the victim] and did not intend to hit him in the
head when he swung the bat.

CHARGES REDUCED FOR FOUR ACCUSED IN U-MD. FIRES

The Washington Post - May 23, 2001

"Richard A. Finci, an attorney for [omitted], said the initial
charges against his client and the other students were excessive. 
'Now the State's Attorney is ratcheting it down to the proper level,'
Finci said."  Page B-4.

FELONY CHARGES DROPPED FOR FOUR UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND STUDENT ATHLETES ARRESTED IN FINAL FOUR FIRES

Prince George's County
Maryland Newsline - May 17, 2001

Felony charges have been dropped for all four University of Maryland athletes arrested in connection with the fires set in College Park following the Terps Final Four Basketball loss...

I don't believe that there was malicious intent towards anything or anybody, concurred Richard Finci, an attorney for 20 year old [name omitted], one of the four students charged...

Finci said the fact that the students weren't arrested on the spot may become a consideration at trial [on misdemeanor charges]. "I think from a legal prospective, it's more a question of whether a crime was actually committed," Finci said. "If the officers witnesses a crime in their presence, they're supposed to do something about it."

[All charges against the HoulonBerman client were later dismissed and the student was permitted to return to class.]

GYM TEACHER ACQUITTED OF MURDER

The Prince George's Journal - September 17, 1999

"[The client], who testified in his own defense, was charged with
the Aug. 27, 1998, shooting death of [omitted] in Chillum. [The victim]
was in the driver's seat of a car when, according to testimony, [the
client] struggled with . . ., another passenger, to rest a gun from [the
passenger].  The gun discharged three times, striking [the victim] in
the head.

"'There was blood everywhere in the car, except for the right
rear seat,' said [the client's] attorney, Richard A. Finci."
[The client] says he was sitting in the right rear seat of the vehicle
when the gun went off.  The State's evidence showed the bullets came from
directly behind [the victim] in the left rear seat of the vehicle. . . .

EX-OFFICER GETS ONE DAY SENTENCE IN DEATH

Prince George's Case Ends in Guilty Plea
The Washington Post - November 20, 1998

"Defense attorney Richard Finci said [his client] agreed to
have his attorneys propose a plea bargain because 'he just could not
bear the thought there was even a slim possibility his daughter would
be without both parents for any amount of time.'"

.  .  .

"'It's a fantastic result, everything you could hope for when
you start out with a First-Degree Murder Charge,' Finci said ."

CASE DISMISSED

Officer Charged in Slaying Still May Face Trial
The Prince George's Journal - April 24, 1998

"[The client's] attorneys said they still were not satisfied and
wanted the case removed from Prince George's County.  Richard A. Finci
has said because Johnson tries to appear tough on police, his client
could not receive a fair trial here."

ATTORNEY SAYS 911 TAPE BACKS OFFICER

Self-Defense Argued in Girlfriend Slaying
The Washington Post - November 6, 1997

"'The tape establishes that our client acted in self-defense.  I
think from the tone, the content and the speed with which he made
those statements, it's clear he didn't make that up.  No one could
question that,' Finci said."

OFFICER ASSERTS SELF-DEFENSE IN FATAL SHOOTING

Policeman Free On Bond in Slaying of Girlfriend
The Washington Post - September 9, 1997

"The Prince George's County police officer charged with murdering
his girlfriend Sunday morning in Laurel was released on bond last night
a few hours after his attorney told reporters he fired his gun in self-defense
when the woman sprayed him with mace and attacked him with a knife."