Chris Clark, criminal defense attorney and partner at Patton | Pittman, successfully convinced the State of Tennessee to drop first degree murder charges on October 24, 2016. The client was charged in a single count indictment with the first degree, premeditated murder of a Clarksville man. The case had been pending since August, 2014 and was set for trial on October 24, 2016. “Our criminal defense team worked this case extensively for two years.” Clark said. “Our goal has been dismissal since the beginning. We began preparing for trial immediately and never let up.” The team’s hard work paid off when the state dropped the charges without a trial.

This was not Clark’s only case set for trial this October and it was not his only dismissal. He also had a complex white-collar embezzlement case involving the general manager at a local Clarksville business. Like his other October case, “the goal from day-one was dismissal,” Clark said. “We created a clear action plan, did our own investigation, and subpoenaed company records that the police failed to request. We also tracked down company records held outside of the company by its agents. Like we expected, the records that we uncovered painted a much different picture than the evidence we were initially provided.” Associate attorney Zach Talbot created a series of spreadsheets with the complete data (that collected by the defense as well as the government) to be used at trial. A few of these spreadsheets were ultimately provided to the State prior to trial. After reviewing the evidence disclosed by the defense, the State dropped all charges against the firm’s client before trial.

Of both cases, Clark went on to say, “I find it important to spend quality time with the client setting goals. Once we understand the client’s goals and the client understands which goals are reasonable, we can create a detailed action plan to best position our client for success.”

This was Clark’s second case of First Degree Murder to be dismissed without a trial this year.