Fighting False Murder Plot Allegations

April 13, 2015
Fighting False Murder Plot Allegations

A Los Angeles skin care guru has sued Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives for conducting a shoddy investigation that resulted in her being jailed for 10 months prior on allegations she was plotting a murder.

Dawn DaLuise, skin care guru to stars such as Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Aniston, and Alicia Silverstone, alleges that investigators claimed they had a “solid case,” when in fact their evidence was completely reliant on a witness that was later arrested on suspicion of stalking DaLuise.

Murder Plot Allegations

Last year DaLuise was arrested for allegedly plotting to kill her West Hollywood business rival, Smooth Cheeks owner Gabriel Suarez. She was arrested on text message evidence that showed she had a “serious” plot to have Suarez killed. According to authorities, DaLuise had approached a former NFL player to carry out the task.

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Not Guilty Ruling

In January it took a jury only an hour to find DaLuise not guilty of solicitation of murder and solicitation of assault charges. And a search of her 6,000 text messages, performed by authorities, found only two text messages that related to Suarez. One of which ended in the phrase LOL — meaning “laugh out loud.” Accordingly, the suit claims that the messages were not intended to be taken seriously. In fact the texts mention “taking out” Suarez but actually refer only to “hurting his hands (tools of his trade) not to kill Suarez.”

According to DaLuise’s attorney, DaLuise was just venting to a friend and never had any serious intentions to hurt the business competitor. As the suit notes, the NFL player that allegedly had plans to help DaLuise carry out the plan later told a detective he was never asked to kill anyone.

Origins of Allegations

According to the suit, DaLuise began noticing lewd emails, fliers, and at least one craigslist post that targeted her in 2013. The craigslist posting alleged that DaLuise wanted to take part in a rape fantasy. The post resulted in several men knocking on her door.

Feinstein told detectives that DaLuise was colluding with him to make it look like Suarez was targeting her. According to the suit, Feinstein provided detectives with the texts that were ultimately used as evidence against DaLuise.

Arrested on Stalking Charges

Last year Feinstein was arrested on suspicion of stalking DaLuise. He was released and has not been charged. The suit accuses sheriff’s officials of failing to conduct a proper investigation of Feinstein before they arrested DaLuise on the murder charges.

Current Lawsuit

Sheriff’s Capt. Shawn Mathers, along with the sheriff and two others investigators, were named in DaLuise’s suit. Following DaLuise’s acquittal in January, Mathers defended the investigation. He said at the time that the department believed it had a strong case against DaLuise despite the jury’s not guilty verdict.

According to the lawsuit, prosecutors offered DaLuise a deal prior to the murder allegations trial: Plead guilty to felony solicitation for assault and go free. DaLuise insisted on her innocence and turned down the offer.

The current suit seeks unspecified damages for DaLuise, and alleges that the skin care guru suffered financially and emotionally as a result of her arrest and prosecution. During her time spent in jail, waiting for her trial, she alleges she lost two businesses and suffered humiliating strip searches — and body cavity searches.

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Fighting False Allegations

Being accused of a crime should not be taken lightly. You might think “I have obviously been falsely accused of a crime, this will work itself out, a court will see my innocence,” but that is not always the case. You will need to prove your innocence. Because of that it is crucial to secure the services of a qualified and experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as you have been falsely charged with a criminal offense. A criminal defense attorney will be able to evaluate your case and determine the best way to protect and maximize your legal interests.

What to Do if Falsely Accused of a Crime?

Realize the importance of false accusations. Being falsely accused of a criminal offense can carry very serious consequences. A lot of people who are falsely accused experience denial about the magnitude of the charges. It’s not uncommon to think, “I didn’t do it, so the charges can’t be serious.” Unfortunately, the charges should not be taken lightly. You need to take the necessary and important steps to avoid significant legal ramifications in the future.

Prepare for the legal costs. If you have been falsely accused of a serious crime like: rape, murder, sexual abuse, or domestic violence, you will be facing criminal charges that have a high risk of conviction. It will take time and money to build a strong defense. You can expect a lawyer to need to build your case by interviewing expert witnesses or administering special psychological tests, in addition to acquiring and compiling other evidence to support your innocence. Your defense will need to be strong to ensure that the court does not convict you of a crime you didn’t even commit!

Document your case. Writing down as many details as possible about your case. This means all the details you are aware of. Time and date of when the event was that you are being accused of taking place in. You will also need to keep and track any information about your whereabouts at that time.

Compile a list of possible witnesses. You have the legal right to gather witnesses for your defense. Make sure you sit down and come up with a list of potential witnesses as soon as you are accused. Create a filing system for the witnesses. Experts suggest uses 3×5 or 5×7 cards to keep track of witnesses. Each card is used for each witness. It should include the following information: name, address, phone number, place of employment, brief background, and what they might be able to provide through testimony. Your criminal defense will take this information and decide which witnesses will help your defense.

Detailed information. All this information will be extremely helpful to you and your team of defense attorneys. Be as detailed as possible. Let your attorney determine the importance of the information, meaning that if you aren’t sure about any information, make sure you record it and present it to your attorney. They will decide if it can be used for your defense. This record keeping will save time and money and will be an amazing asset to your defense and proving your innocence.

Educate yourself. It’s important that you have an understanding of what is happening. You will want to educate yourself about the legal system and how it works. If you have any questions, do the research online, or ask your criminal defense attorney. You will not be able to defend yourself if you don’t understand the process. A criminal defense attorney can and will handle many legal particulars of your case, but it is important to learn about the allegations you face. There are an infinite amount of sources that provide detailed information about criminal offenses, your rights, and the legal system. Ask questions if you don’t understand something. Ask your defense team. Learn as much as you can about the allegations you are facing and the process that will be used to defend you. Be proactive, it’s your best chance at securing favorable results.

Know your rights. You do not need to say anything if you are questioned by police. You are also able to leave a place of questioning if you are not begin arrested – the only exception is if you are temporarily detained. If you do get arrested, you still do not have to say anything beyond providing your name, address, and birthday. It’s important to remain silent. Explaining your side never improves your condition. Leave the explanation for later after you have consulted with an attorney. You are guaranteed the right to competent legal representation by the US constitution.

Working with a Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been falsely accused of a crime, you should immediately contact a criminal defense attorney. The Law Offices of Peter Berlin is dedicated to helping those who have been charged with almost any kind of criminal activity. A criminal defense attorney will be able to advise you on your case, as well as provide a strategy for defending you in a court of law. At The Law Office of Peter Berlin we understand the difficulties that criminal charges can bring, and we know that without your freedom, nothing else matters. If you have been charged with manslaughter of any kind, then you will benefit from the legal aid of an Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer from our firm. We offer a free initial consultation as well as 24/7 contact availability so that you may receive legal advice at any time without any financial commitment.

The Law Office of Peter Berlin – Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
16130 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 570, Los Angeles, CA 91436
(310) 289-5418
(310) 289-5418
https://losangelescrimelawyer.com

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