Against the Odds
Delgado recently won an acquittal in a Howard County jury trial.
His client was charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Samuel Delgado opened for the defense, telling jurors that the boy would indeed say that Kim did all of the things that he is charged with. Rather than using instincts, however, Delgado told jurors not to let emotions dictate their decision. This case, he said, was “like the boy who cried wolf. But there was no wolf.”
Delgado said that the boy—who, at the time of the alleged assault was 13 years old and “raging with hormones”—was being beaten by his father. After accusing Kim of rape, Delgado said, “Everything shifted at once. Now [the boy is] a victim.”
During his opening statement, Delgado also said that the allegations had ruined his client’s life.
“Welcome to the nightmare of Jung Gon Kim,” he said.
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Delgado said that the boy—who, at the time of the alleged assault was 13 years old and “raging with hormones”—was being beaten by his father. After accusing Kim of rape, Delgado said, “Everything shifted at once. Now [the boy is] a victim.”
During his opening statement, Delgado also said that the allegations had ruined his client’s life.
“Welcome to the nightmare of Jung Gon Kim,” he said.
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Kim did not take the stand in his defense, but he did stand in front of the jury mid-way through his lawyer’s hour-long closing statements.
“Take a good, hard look at an innocent man,” Samuel Delgado told jurors.
Delgado in his closing statements, implied that the accuser had much to gain – from diverting his father’s strict disciplinary measures after he had been suspended for a day for stealing at school -- to getting free hair cuts.
Delgado also took aim at the Howard County police department, which failed to try to lift fingerprints from a table that the alleged victim said he touched during the assault.
Delgado also attacked all of Ritter’s “corroborating evidence,” calling it “non-evidence,” and telling the jury that they corroborate assertions all the time, every day. “If I say I have a beautiful silver ring,” he said, what do you do? “You look at my hand, at least three of you there did.” He paused.
“Corroboration.”
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“Take a good, hard look at an innocent man,” Samuel Delgado told jurors.
Delgado in his closing statements, implied that the accuser had much to gain – from diverting his father’s strict disciplinary measures after he had been suspended for a day for stealing at school -- to getting free hair cuts.
Delgado also took aim at the Howard County police department, which failed to try to lift fingerprints from a table that the alleged victim said he touched during the assault.
Delgado also attacked all of Ritter’s “corroborating evidence,” calling it “non-evidence,” and telling the jury that they corroborate assertions all the time, every day. “If I say I have a beautiful silver ring,” he said, what do you do? “You look at my hand, at least three of you there did.” He paused.
“Corroboration.”
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No Case is Too Tough or Too Grim.
Often, a criminal defense attorney's job is to be the voice for understanding. No matter what crime a man commits, everyone deserves to be seen and heard as a human being, not just a case number.
In May, 2012, Delgado spoke eloquently on behalf of his client who pleaded guilty to First Degree Murder, after stabbing his blind neighbor to death.
Often, a criminal defense attorney's job is to be the voice for understanding. No matter what crime a man commits, everyone deserves to be seen and heard as a human being, not just a case number.
In May, 2012, Delgado spoke eloquently on behalf of his client who pleaded guilty to First Degree Murder, after stabbing his blind neighbor to death.
At Wednesday's sentencing hearing, Graham's defense attorney, Samuel Delgado, started first, requesting a "fair and just" sentence and suggesting Carr give his client a life sentence, with all but a set amount of years suspended. He also said when he first met Graham, Delgado was expecting an "indifferent" young adult who didn't care about what had happened.
He was wrong about Graham, Delgado later said, adding that Graham has accepted responsibility for his actions and that he, Delgado, found a young man who does "feel."
Delgado read aloud several letters Graham wrote to the court, Mr. Ward himself and Mr. Ward's parents. In the letters, Graham said he had attempted suicide secretly and felt that killing himself would be the only way to repay what he did to Mr. Ward.
"Since that day, I have cried for a whole month. I couldn't eat or sleep," Delgado read from a letter to the court.
Graham could not say enough to make it right, Delgado said, who later added that the fact Graham was not indifferent to the crime was of "little consolation" to Mr. Ward's family.
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He was wrong about Graham, Delgado later said, adding that Graham has accepted responsibility for his actions and that he, Delgado, found a young man who does "feel."
Delgado read aloud several letters Graham wrote to the court, Mr. Ward himself and Mr. Ward's parents. In the letters, Graham said he had attempted suicide secretly and felt that killing himself would be the only way to repay what he did to Mr. Ward.
"Since that day, I have cried for a whole month. I couldn't eat or sleep," Delgado read from a letter to the court.
Graham could not say enough to make it right, Delgado said, who later added that the fact Graham was not indifferent to the crime was of "little consolation" to Mr. Ward's family.
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