In this case, Mr. Alimouri defended a man in his early 20s who faced charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and attempted murder. The trial took place at the Pomona Courthouse in Los Angeles County, a venue known for being conservative and favoring the prosecution. Local attorneys, judges, and police officers saw the prosecutor as one of the best in the area, and Mr. Alimouri believed the prosecutor had never lost a case.
The prosecution argued that Mr. Alimouri’s client was an accomplice in what looked like a planned attack at a strip mall near his home. Security cameras showed the client riding his motorbike to a liquor store with his co-defendant sitting behind him, holding an automatic pistol. As they passed the store, the co-defendant got off and fired at two young men standing outside. One was killed, and the other was left paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
The prosecution brought in a government informant who was also involved in the crime. This person testified that Mr. Alimouri’s client was part of the plan. In exchange for his cooperation, the informant received significant leniency. During cross-examination, Mr. Alimouri was able to seriously damage the informant’s credibility.
In the end, the jury decided that Mr. Alimouri’s client was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and found him not guilty on all charges. The client thought he was simply giving his co-defendant a ride to the liquor store for a beer run. Verdicts like this are uncommon in Pomona, and many members of the Pomona Police Department present in the courtroom were clearly disappointed.