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Criminal Defense
Circuit Court Judge Acquits Couple Charged with Theft and Conspiracy
Your4state. WHAG TV. 04 May 2012.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD - A Washington County Circuit Court Judge acquitted a Washington D.C. husband and wife on charges of theft and conspiracy for allegedly stealing employee health funds a couple of years ago. The couple, married for nearly 30 years, was arrested outside their D.C. home last year and detained for several days. However, the judge said he didn’t find any evidence of criminal intent to commit theft.
The couple’s attorney, Douglas Sparks, spoke with reporters after his clients’ acquittal. “The judge did the right thing. My clients and a lot of other people [reacted with tears] because their lives have been turned upside down for almost a year now.”
Herald-Mail. 04 May 2012.
After four days of testimony, a Washington County Circuit Court judge last week acquitted a Washington, D.C., couple accused of misusing employee health-premium contributions two years ago while working at the Hagerstown Hotel and Conference Center. . . . . The jury trial began Monday, with the prosecution concluding its case Thursday. Defense attorneys Douglas R. Sparks and Bernard W. Semler then introduced a motion for judgment of acquittal. Judge Daniel P. Dwyer granted it, saying there was no evidence of intent to commit theft and, because there was no evidence of intent to commit theft, there could be no conspiracy to engage in a theft scheme.
"The biggest victims in this case were [my clients], the ones who were charged and jailed," Sparks said. The couple was arrested last year outside their home and detained several days before posting bail.
