Stanziano & Catron Law Office Opens,
Focuses on Trial Advocacy

When it comes to criminal law cases, an experienced and effective criminal defense attorney can mean the difference between a prison sentence and a reduced or even dismissed charge. Even in a less serious case, a good defense attorney can make a serious impact on the outcome of the case by ensuring the rights of the accused are protected throughout the legal process. For these and other reasons, it is vital that those accused of a crime select the most competent, experienced and effective attorney available.

Read the full news release.

Barren County Minister Exonerated...

Barren County Ky
June 24, 2008
Reporter: Ryan Dearbone
Email Address: ryan.dearbone@wbko.com

The Barren County Commonwealth Attorney's Office has officially cleared minister Steve Wilson of allegedly sexually abusing his two former step-children.

The ruling comes after Wilson spent more than two years behind bars.

Full story from WBKO in Bowling Green, KY can be viewed here: http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/20728054.html

Building a Better Bombshell

Cloquet, Minnesota
February 21, 2007

Mr. Stanziano has finally completed work on his latest paper: Building a Better Bombshell: Considerations for Mixing the Ingredients of Your Story Correctly. The paper deals with the proper mix of Notion and Narrative within the telling of the client's story of innocence or reduced culpability and has been submitted for publication. You can find it here, first.

Juvenile Charged with Murder After Car Accident, Not Transferred to Adult Court, Pleads to Reckless Homicide and is Released!

Pulaski County, Kentucky
November, 2007

It didn't take long for the joint venture agreement between Somerset attorney Robert Norfleet and Persuasion Consultants to bear fruit. Pulaski County (Ky.) District Court Judge Scott Lawless accepted the plea of Norfleet's juvenile client to Reckless Homicide, thereby ending an eight-month case, where the juvenile was originally charged with Murder and threatened with transfer to Circuit Court to stand trial as an adult. Read more about the case here.

Evelyn Ball Acquitted in Death Penalty Murder Case!

Williamsburg, Kentucky
September 30, 2006

In a stunning turn of events that courthouse observers said would never happen, Evelyn Ball walked out of the Whitley Circuit Courtroom at 6:15 p.m., a jury acquitting her of charges of Murder and Robbery in connection with the death of Edward Perkins; charges which could have brought the death penalty had Ball been convicted of them.

Defense counsel Mark J. Stanziano, of Persuasion Consultants, Cloquet, Minnesota and Brenda Popplewell of Somerset, Kentucky celebrated the verdict with their client and her family outside of the courthouse before everyone set off for a dinner celebration.

What shocked most courtroom observers was that Ms. Evans, who was charged only as an accomplice to Ms. Ball–she was only charged with assisting Ms. Ball in the killing and robbery of Mr. Perkins–was found guilty by the jury of being the principal–the person who actually killed and robbed Mr. Perkins–in the crimes. Indeed, Ms. Evans was unable to stand after the verdict was read and sobbed uncontrollably as the jury later read its recommendation of life in prison for the murder and 20 years for the robbery. The jury recommended that the sentences be served consecutively, one after the other, but Kentucky law prohibits a sentence longer than "life." She will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years in prison.

Ball, who had been held in custody for 28 months before the verdict, had been charged along with co-defendant, Loretta Evans, of brutally beating and strangling Mr. Perkins. Ms. Ball, who had not hugged her two adult sons during her incarceration gave each of the boys several bear hugs during the celebration outside the courthouse and afterward.

Stanziano, who was only able to become involved in the case thirty days before the trial was to begin, attributed the jury's verdict to several important factors. "First, the jury was the perfect fit for this case. They were well-educated, serious about their role and very attentive. Second, the defense experts (Dr. Steven Dunton [Medical Examiner] and Mr. Larry Dehus [Forensic Investigation]) were well-prepared as well as interesting and utterly believable on the stand. Third, Brenda never stopped believing in Evelyn's innocence. Her pre-trial preparation was extraordinary and made it very easy for me to get up to speed on the important issues in the case."

For her part, Ms. Popplewell said, "The jury was wonderful. But, and I have no trouble saying this, the day that Mark came on to the defense team, Evelyn won the lottery; and I told her so. If he had not been here to assist, I don't know that the verdict would have been the same and I am afraid an innocent woman would be headed to Death Row right now."

For more on this story, go to http://www.thetimestribune.com and enter either of the following names in the Archives Search link: Loretta Evans or Evelyn Ball. Or, see the following link: http://www.thetimestribune.com/apstorysection/local_story_270104332.html.