When Experts Matter

We prosecuted a hard-fought trial in Pennsylvania involving the death of a woman.  We obtained a full acquittal after almost two years of motions practice and battling with the prosecution.  Although the trial lasted four days, the jury deliberated less than thirty minutes before reaching a verdict.  Amazingly, the prosecutor's office had not lost a case prosecuted under the drug-delivery-resulting-in-death statute in over seven years. 

The Right Expert Witness

We had the opportunity to interview a couple of jurors after the trial. We learned that a critical factor in the case was the testimony of our expert witness, a forensic pathologist.  Our expert was able to explain the actual cause of death was the deadly interaction of prescription medications.  Hearing this information from jurors was a strong confirmation for us.  It proved that having the right expert witness is crucial in many cases.  Additionally, ensuring their testimony is presented in a focused, easily understandable way is often critical to success. 

Effective Communication

In a case, the time of death is critical for determining guilt or innocence.  In that case, a statement like, “In my expert opinion, the cause of death was mixed substance toxicity consistent with the introduction of multiple substances in levels of concentration that exceed the metabolic system’s ability to process those substances” is of very little value because the jury or court-martial panels reaction is “so what.”  Contrast that with a statement from an expert like, “the deadly combination of two prescription drugs caused the heart to stop beating and the individual would have died within several minutes of injecting the drugs, therefore the time of death assumed by the prosecution's expert is inaccurate and not consistent with the available medical and forensic evidence.”.  Consequently, these examples demonstrate the difference between an expert effectively communicating and providing data ineffectively. 

An Experienced Legal Team and the Best Expert Witnesses

If you face serious charges, you need access to the right experts.  Having a legal team that crafts a solid strategy to ensure that the expert communicates effectively is critical.  After sixteen years of trying cases, we have developed strong relationships with some of the best expert witnesses in the country. We have worked hard to become effective at distilling high-level scientific and medical information into clear and accessible information for jurors.  Far too often, experts and the attorneys working with them fail to put in the time and time necessary to ensure they have an answer to the question, “So what,” If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges, please get in touch with Crisp and Associates, LLC, for a free consultation and to learn about our strategic approach to criminal defense.