State V. M.F.
County: Ramsey (12/2011)
Charge: Third Degree Assault
Outcome: Found NOT GUILTY. The State alleged that M.F. assaulted the alleged victim by head-butting his wife, breaking her nose.
M.F. maintained that he had to pin his wife down as she attacked him, and that while he was pinning her down, their heads accidentally collided, causing the broken nose. During the trial, the alleged victim expanded upon her original story, and Ryan Pacyga impeached her with the different versions of her story that she told to multiple parties. Ryan Pacyga also pointed out that she made a separate statement to his private investigator. Despite the alleged victim’s attempts to explain away every version of her story, Ryan Pacyga pointed out the inconsistencies one witness at a time, and summarized all of the differences to the jury during closing arguments. The jury quickly reached a NOT GUILTY verdict, saving M.F. from a felony conviction.