Notable Cases

Kravis, Graham & Zucker win habeas corpus petition overturning 20 year old murder conviction and life sentence in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

In a petition for writ of habeas corpus in Los Angeles Superior Court, KGZ partner Ian Graham argued that newly discovered evidence (an eyewitness to the crime) demonstrated that his client, Michael Anderson, did not commit the murder he was convicted of in 2003, and that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel at trial by failing to make reasonable efforts to locate this eyewitness and present his testimony at trial. After a week long evidentiary hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court in early 2023, the Court GRANTED the petition and vacated Mr. Anderson’s conviction and life sentence.

Kravis, Graham And Zucker Secure Full Reversal Of Client’s Conviction And Nullification Of His 90-year-to-life Sentence

In a direct appeal before the Sixth District Court of Appeal, attorney Randy Kravis raised numerous arguments as to why the defendant’s right to a fair trial was violated. Specifically, Mr. Kravis argued that both the prosecutor and the trial judge committed misconduct and other types of errors that cumulatively prejudiced the defendant and vitiated his right to due process. The Court of Appeal agreed with Mr. Kravis’s arguments and completely reversed the defendant’s conviction in full, thus voiding what was a 90-year-to-life prison sentence.

Kravis, Graham & Zucker wins appeal in Senate Bill 1437 and Senate Bill 775 resentencing case!

KGZ attorneys, led by partner Randy Kravis, successfully appealed the trial court’s denial of our client’s SB 1437 petition. The trial court had denied the petition on the ground that SB 1437 does not apply to attempted murder cases. The California Court of Appeal, in a published opinion, ruled that SB 775 applies SB 1437 to our client’s attempted murder conviction, and reversed the trial court’s denial of his petition for resentencing pursuant to SB 1437. This is a victory for our client, and for all those who have had their SB 1437 resentencing petitions denied on the grounds that the law does not apply to attempted murder.

Read the Court’s Opinion here.

Presidential Commutation of 25-years-to-life sentence for Death Row Records Founder.

In a highly publicized case, KGZ attorney Bruce Zucker successfully petitioned the White House for a commutation of Michael “Harry O” Harris’s 25-years-to-life sentence for drug trafficking. Mr. Harris, the founder of Death Row Records, was released from prison in January 2021. The commutation efforts on behalf of Mr. Harris received significant support from Snoop Dog and Alice Johnson.

330-year-to-life sentence overturned on appeal.

People v. Lorenzo Casimiro, # B300831
The Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six agreed with KGZ attorney Randy. Kravis’s argument that Mr. Casimiro’s 330-year-to-life sentence should be vacated due to the trial court’s interference with Mr. Casimiro’s constitutional rights at sentencing.

Denial of SB 1437 resentencing petition overturned on appeal.

People v. Benigno Morales, #G057628M
The Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three agreed with KGZ attorneys Ian Graham and Randy Kravis that the superior court committed error in denying Mr. Morales’s petition for resentencing pursuant to SB 1437. It ordered the superior court to reopen the petition.

Conviction and life sentence overturned on appeal

People v. Jose Legaspi, # F065549
Mr. Legaspi was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. After new favorable Supreme Court law was decided, KGZ attorney Randy Kravis took it upon himself to get Mr. Legaspi’s case reopened. After it was reopened, the Fifth District Court of Appeal agreed with Mr. Kravis’s arguments that Mr. Legaspi’s constitutional rights were violated. It reversed Mr. Legaspi’s entire conviction and sentence.

Evidentiary hearing ordered on Petition for Habeas Corpus

In re Michael Flores # TA086229
After the victim of a shooting recanted his testimony, stating had been influenced by law enforcement to identify Mr. Flores, KGZ attorney Ian Graham filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus raising the claim of newly discovered evidence of actual innocence. The Los Angeles Superior Court issued an Order to Show Cause on the writ, and an evidentiary hearing is scheduled to take place in 2021.

Order to Show Cause issued on Petition for Habeas Corpus

In re Michael Anderson #BA226007
Following the discovery of a new witness whose eyewitness account of the crime conflicted with the testimony of the prosecution’s witnesses at trial, KGZ attorney Ian Graham filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in Los Angeles County Superior Court, raising the claims of newly discovered evidence of actual innocence and ineffective assistance of trial counsel. The Court issued an Order to Show Cause on the writ, and formal briefing is underway

Certificate of Appealability Granted by Ninth Circuit

Tyquan Knox v. Raymond Madden # 19-55111
Following the denial of a writ of habeas corpus and denial of a certificate of appealability by the federal district court, KGZ attorney Ian Graham successfully petitioned the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal for a certificate of appealability. The case is now fully briefed in the Ninth Circuit and oral argument is scheduled for April 2021.

Parole Granted

KGZ attorney Bruce Zucker successfully represented two clients at their lifer parole board hearings. Mr. Zucker’s clients were granted parole dates by the parole board; one at his first board hearing on a 16-years-to-life sentence, and the other serving a 15-years-to-life sentence.

Watson v. California

The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari on a petition arguing that the defendant’s sentence was illegal because the judge, not a jury, found facts that elevated the sentence.

Naya v. California

The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari on a petition arguing that the defendant’s sentence was illegal because the judge, not a jury, found facts that elevated the sentence.

People v. Alvarado

Several serious felony convictions ordered reversed by the Fifth District Court of Appeal on grounds that the charges were improperly amended during the trial.

Unites States v. Davis, 428 F.3d 802 (9th Cir. 2005)

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the guilty plea of the defendant vacated on grounds that he received ineffective assistance of counsel from his trial attorney.

Campos v. Stone

A federal judge in the Northern District of California granted the defendant’s federal habeas corpus petition and ordered the conviction vacated on the ground that his admissions made during a police interrogation were coerced.

People v. Diaz

The Fifth District Court of Appeal fully reversed the defendant’s convictions on the ground that his waiver of a jury trial was invalid because it was not knowingly and intelligently made.

People v. Flynn

The Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed several sex offenses on the ground that the defendant was improperly denied the right to present certain evidence at trial.

People v. Woren

The appellate division of the Los Angeles Superior Court reversed most of the convictions on the ground that the record on appeal was not sufficiently preserved denying the defendant meaningful appellate review of his case.

People v. Valle

The Second District Court of Appeal fully reversed the defendant’s convictions on the ground that the judge improperly told the jurors what a preliminary hearing is. The Court of Appeal agreed with Mr. Kravis’s argument that this improperly influenced the jury.