Bennett & Bair LLP

Post conviction relief, the mainstay of the firm, has been obtained for numerous individuals. Some of those who have obtained relief through the firm’s representation are set forth below:

State v. Kevin Baker. Sentence reduced from life to life suspend all but 25 years on remand from the Court of Special Appeals to the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.

State v. Ira Brownlow. Sentence reduced from 13 years to 8 years after post-conviction hearing in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.

State v. Lawrence Cassell. Sentence reduced from life to life suspend all but time served after a belated Motion for Reconsideration was granted in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

State v. Eatric Simpson. Mr. Simpson was granted the right to file a belated Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence.

State v. Jeffrey Edley. Mr. Edley was granted the right to file a belated Application for Review of Sentence.

State v. William Blakeney. Post-conviction relief granted from a guilty plea in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. As a result, Mr. Blakeney’s sentence was reduced from 15 years suspend all but 10 years to 15 years suspend all but 4 years.

State v. Eduardo Vilchez. Conviction vacated and sentence set aside due to an insufficient waiver of rights on a guilty plea in the District Court for Frederick County.

State v. Abdul Williams. New trial granted for Mr. Williams after the Circuit Court for Montgomery County determined that his previously entered guilty plea should be vacated.

State v. Francis Kordell. Sentence reduced from 30 years to 25 years after post-conviction hearing in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County.

State v. Severino Alcantara. On post-conviction, Mr. Alcantara was granted the right to file a belated Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence.

State v. Donald Hall. On post-conviction, Mr. Hall was granted the right to file a belated Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence.

State v. John Landon. On post-conviction, in the Circuit Court for Talbot County, Mr. Landon's sentence of 35 years was reduced to 25 years.

State v. Stewart-Bey. At post conviction, Mr. Stewart-Bey was granted the right to file a belated application for three-judge review of sentence.

State v. Andrew Brissette. Fifteen (15) year sentence for possession with intent to distribute vacated and case remanded to Circuit Court for Baltimore City to impose only a five-year sentence on Mr. Brissette.

State v. Curtis Alston. Post-conviction relief granted; a new trial awarded in murder case in Circuit Court, Prince George’s County, Maryland.

State v. David Flowers. Motion to Vacate Sentence granted in federal court (District of Columbia). Sentence reduced from 235 to 120 months.

State v. Roger Hauth . New trial granted in Circuit Court for Cecil County, Maryland.

State v. Raymond Adams . New trial granted in rape case on Petition for Post-Conviction Relief in Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland, based on ineffective assistance of counsel.

State v. Douglas Robinson. Mr. Robinson was granted the right to file a belated appeal in the Circuit Court for Charles County.

State v. William Fagan, Sr. Life sentence vacated and new Violation of Probation hearing ordered in the Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland.

State v. William Michael Busby. Motion to Reopen granted and defendant allowed to file a belated Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence.

State v. Melvin Davis . Post-conviction relief granted by allowing Mr. Davis to file a belated Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence.

State v. Ernest Joe Ellis . Writ of Error Coram Nobis granted, striking conviction and sentence which will result in reduction of federal sentence from life to thirty (30) years' imprisonment.

State v. Ian Henry . Post-conviction in death penalty case in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Mr. Henry, on death row for more than eight years, was granted a new trial in the Circuit Court on a Brady violation. He pled to second-degree murder and was released on a “time-served” sentence. Mr. Henry is free and back in Jamaica.

State v. Russell Smith . Post-conviction relief granted in Calvert County, Maryland, on ineffective assistance of counsel. Sentence reduced from life to 35 years.

State v. Joseph Kyle Kirby . Post-conviction relief granted in Charles County, Maryland on ineffective assistance of counsel. Sentence reduced from life, with all but 35 years suspended, to 35 years with immediate parole eligibility.

State v. Thomas Jones . Post-conviction relief granted in Prince George's County, based on ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel. New trial awarded in first-degree murder case.

State v. Raoul Hughes . Post-conviction relief granted in Prince George's County based on ineffective assistance of trial counsel. New trial awarded in first-degree murder case. Mr. Hughes was later acquitted at his re-trial and released from confinement.

State v. Stephon Wilson . Post-conviction relief granted in the Circuit Court for Charles County, Maryland. Sentence reduced from 40 years to eight years.

State v. Arvel Alston . Post-conviction relief granted. Defendant's sentence reduced from life without parole to life, suspend all but 25 years.

State v. Jerry Jenkins . Post-conviction relief granted and sentence reduced from life to forty years on first-degree rape case in Charles County.

State v. Barry Walker . Post-conviction relief granted and sentence reduced from 17 years to 10 years in Allegany County.

State v. Larry Jordan . Post-conviction relief granted and sentence reduced from 20 years to 10 years in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County.

State v. Lester Fletcher . Post-conviction relief granted by the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. New trial ordered and Defendant immediately released on bond. Charges were later dismissed by the State.

State v. William Bruce . Post-conviction relief granted. Defendant's sentence reduced from life without parole to life, suspend all but 25 years.

State v. Glenn Rosenberg . Post-conviction relief granted. Defendant's sentence reduced from 20 years imprisonment to 10 years imprisonment.

State v. Donald Williams . Post-conviction Relief granted in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. Defendant’s murder convictions set aside and new trial ordered. Alford plea entered on remand and sentence reduced from life without parole to 10 years.

State v. Raymond Diamond . Post-conviction relief granted in the Circuit Court for Harford County, Maryland. Defendant obtained sentence reduction, making him eligible for mandatory release from incarceration.

State v. Voncelle Blackwell . Post-conviction relief granted in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County and Defendant’s sentence reduced from 40 years’ incarceration to 20 years’ incarceration, making Defendant eligible for mandatory release.

State v. Spencer Hurst-Bey . Post-conviction relief granted by the Circuit Court for Harford County, Maryland. Defendant allowed to file a belated Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence and for Three-Judge Panel Review of Sentence.

State v. Darris Alaric Ware . Post-conviction relief granted in death penalty case by the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Defendant awarded a new capital sentencing hearing and a belated appeal to the Court of Appeals of Maryland.

State v. Boyd Brooks . Post-conviction relief granted in Harford County and sentences reduced by 20 years.

State v. James Sipes . Post-Conviction relief granted in Circuit Court for Carroll County, Maryland. Defendant re-sentenced to time served.

State v. Aaron Mathis . Post-conviction relief granted by the Circuit Court for Harford County, Maryland. Sentence reduced from 115 years, all but 20 years (without parole) suspended, to sentence of 20 years with parole.

State v. Marc Sandy . Post-conviction relief granted by the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. Sentence reduced from 60 years to 30 years.

United States v. Tyrone Clark . Federal habeas relief granted on gun count on retroactivity of Bailey v. United States, Sentence reduced by five years.

State v. Michael Corley . Reduction of sentence granted in Baltimore County, Maryland, after favorable ruling on post-conviction petition; sentence reduced from life to life, suspend all but 40 years, enabling Mr. Corley to be released immediately.

State v. Billy Moss . Motion to Reopen Post-Conviction case granted. Sentence reduced from 90 years to 30 years – Defendant immediately eligible for parole.

United States v. Shahid Omar . Federal habeas corpus relief granted. Defendant's sentence reduced from 84 months to 53 months’ incarceration.

State v. Lisa Rubin . Federal habeas relief granted in murder case and new trial ordered. State appealed and District Court’s grant of relief was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

State v. Patrick Lane . Motion to Reopen granted. Sentence reduced from 14 years to time served in Wicomico County, Maryland

United States v. Sherwin Duckett . Federal habeas corpus petition granted vacating Defendant’s federal convictions and 235 month sentence.

State v. Samuel Davis . Motion to Reopen granted and sentence reduced in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

State v. Clarence Anthony . Motion to Reopen granted in Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland. Convictions and sentences set aside, and defendant allowed to plead to time-served sentence. Defendant released from all Criminal Justice Act sanctions, and released from Patuxent Institution.

State v. Michael Stennett . Reduction of sentence granted after post-conviction hearing. Sentence reduced on kidnaping and armed robbery convictions from thirty (30) years to twenty (20) years, making the defendant immediately eligible for release on parole.