Gun Crimes

The High Stakes of Firearms Prosecutions

In the Washington, D.C. and Maryland region, few offenses are prosecuted with as much political zeal and aggressive enforcement as gun crimes. The penalties are notoriously severe, frequently involving mandatory minimum sentences that strip judges of their discretion.

Successfully defending a gun case requires a mastery of rapidly evolving constitutional law, an aggressive approach to search and seizure violations, and a deep understanding of the forensic science surrounding ballistics and DNA.

Representative Defense Strategies

Constructive Possession Defenses

A staggering number of firearms cases are built on the legal fiction of "constructive possession"—where a gun is found in a car, an apartment, or a shared space, and the government attempts to attribute it to whoever happens to be nearby. Proving that our clients lacked the requisite knowledge or intent to control the firearm is a cornerstone of our trial strategy.

Fourth Amendment Violations (Search & Seizure)

Guns are frequently discovered during traffic stops, street encounters, or residential raids. If law enforcement lacked reasonable suspicion to initiate a stop, prolonged a stop unlawfully, or searched without probable cause or a valid warrant, the recovery of the weapon is fruit of the poisonous tree. We relentlessly litigate Motions to Suppress to exclude illegally obtained evidence.

Forensic & Evidentiary Challenges

The government relies heavily on forensic links—fingerprints, touch DNA, and operability testing. We aggressively cross-examine government experts and scrutinize lab reports to expose flawed methodologies, contaminated evidence, and reasonable doubt.