Florida Criminal Defense Blog | Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group

Tampa Bay Area Pharmacists Get Probation in Fraud Case

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jul 30, 2010 | Uncategorized

Pharmacists Satender Singh and Rajnish Mehta were sentenced to probation on Friday in a federal health insurance fraud case prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's office in Tampa. Both Singh and Mehta previously pleaded guilty and received credit for cooperating with the investigation into federal health insurance fraud. The investigation is believed to be on-going and now includes numerous physicians.Singh admittedly stole more than $99,000 from Tricare, the military health insurance program, and Medicaid. He was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to making false...

Hardin Found Guilty of St. Petersburg Murders, Sings to Jury and Avoids Death Penalty

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 15, 2010 | Uncategorized

On Thursday, a Pinellas County jury convicted Cordaro Hardin of first-degree murder in the 2007 shooting deaths of two St. Petersburg men. The penalty phase of the capital murder trial occurred on Friday. The jury declined to recommend that Hardin by sentenced to death, instead recommending the only other alternative sentence - life in prison. Hardin himself communicated to the jury through the song he wrote. From the witness stand, Hardin sang, "God, I need a little assistance, will you be with me? By my side when I leave here, where do I go from here?" Hardin was represented by Tampa Bay...

Hung Jury, Mistrial in New Port Richey Death Penalty Trial (Videos)

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 14, 2009 | Criminal Law

A Pasco County jury deliberated for almost 10 hours after listening to several days of testimony in the capital murder trial of John Ditullio Jr. They were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, even after being sent back to the jury room earlier by the judge to keep trying. They reached an impasse - 10 jurors voting "not guilty" and 2 jurors holding out for a guilty verdict. The judge declared a mistrial. Ditullio remains charged with capital murder and attempted murder. He faces the death penalty if convicted. Ditullio is represented by Tampa Bay area capital murder defense attorney Bjorn...

Brunvand Wins Motion to Have Murder Defendant’s Tattoos Covered During Trial

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 7, 2009 | Capital Murder, Criminal Law

A circuit judge in Pasco County granted defense attorney Bjorn Brunvand's motion to have his client's tattoos covered during a murder trial scheduled to begin Monday. A makeup artist will apply makeup to cover several potentially offensive tattoos on the face and neck of murder defendant John Allen Ditullio, Jr. before each day of the trial. Ditullio is charged with first degree murder and attempted murder in the 2006 killing of Kristopher King and assault on Patricia Wells. Ditullio has been incarcerated since his 2006 arrest and is facing the death penalty if convicted. At the time of his...

Ship Captain Acquitted of Smuggling 3.5 Tons of Cocaine

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Oct 28, 2004 | Drug Charges

Criminal defense attorney, Bjorn Brunvand, represented a Ukrainian ship captain who was accused of smuggling $1 Billion worth of illegal drugs into the US. The defendant was acquitted. The odds were against a Ukrainian ship captain and his crew who spoke little English. At 56, a drug smuggling conviction for Yuri Chakhrach would have amounted to a life sentence. Still, he and 15 crewmembers gambled that their government-appointed attorneys could convince a jury of their innocence. 3.5 Tons of Cocaine Confiscated Odds certainly seemed to be in the prosecutors' favor. Drug defendants face a...