Charge was Providing a Place for Minors to Consume Alcohol. Allegation was that the client, a mother, was allowing minors to consume alcohol in her home while under her care. Police officers testified that they believed the client was drunk when they arrived at the home. Placed the client on the stand to testify that she wasn’t drunk and didn’t know the children consumed any alcohol on the premises. Client had a “shunt” in the back of her skull that accounted for a sever speech impediment that made her speech extremely slurred. Additionally, the client had undergone numerous surgeries for scoliosis in the past and as a result she had extremely poor balance, which the police mistakenly attributed to her being under the influence of alcohol. Jury was out less than 15 minutes and returned a not guilty verdict.
