Raquinmercer Wins Reversal On Appeal In First Degree Murder Case

On January 14, 2021, in the Court of Special Appeals, Isabelle Raquin and Steve Mercer secured a major win in a complex criminal case involving forensic science. RaquinMercer won the reversal of the 2017 murder conviction in Galicia v. State of Maryland, No. 3350 (Sept. Term, 2018). In a comprehensive opinion by the Honorable Deborah S. Eyler, the appellate court held that the trial court erred in three important ways. One, by refusing to allow the defense to introduce a codefendant’s statement against penal interest that tended to exculpate isabelle and Steve’s client. Two, by unreasonably limiting the defendant’s cross-examination of a key State’s witness who overheard the codefendant implicate himself and others; and three, by allowing the State to introduce a “gap” in the defendant’s Google location on the day of the murders without expert testimony to explain its significance, if any. Isabelle and Steve represented Mr. Galicia at the 4-week trial in the circuit court and on direct appeal. You can read the decision here. You can watch Isabelle’s oral argument here. This hard-fought win showcases Isabelle’s and Steve’s comprehensive approach to complex criminal litigation at trial and on direct appeal.