Mark Geragos

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Mark John Geragos (born October 5, 1957) is an American criminal defense attorney best known for defending pop-star Michael Jackson, actress Winona Ryder, Gary Condit, and Susan McDougal, who was involved in the Whitewater scandal. He also represented Scott Peterson, in another trial that received widespread media attention.^[1] He's currently representing Paul and Kuhlbir Dhaliwal, two brothers injured after a tiger escaped in San Francisco Zoo.

1 Background
2 Notable clients
3 Legal commentary
4 Awards
5 Sources

[edit] Background

Geragos was born in Los Angeles, California. He received his bachelor's degree from Haverford College in 1979 and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Loyola Law School in 1982.^[2] He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1983.^[1] Currently, Geragos is the managing partner at The Law Offices of Geragos and Geragos, a 13-person law firm in Los Angeles.^[3]

An Armenian-American, Geragos maintains a close relationship with the Armenian community.^[4] He has earned praise from the Armenian National Committee of America^[5] He serves on the Advisory Committee of Birthright Armenia,^[6] as the chairman of Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry,^[7] and also is involved in the religious aspect of the Armenian community.^[8] He has been a member of the Armenia Fund International Board of Trustees since 2006.^[9]

Geragos was also one of the lead lawyers in a pair of groundbreaking federal class action lawsuits against New York Life Insurance and AXA for insurance policies issued in the early twentieth century during the time of the Armenian Genocide of over 1.5 million Armenians. These two cases settled for over $37.5 million in 2004 and 2005.^[10]

[edit] Notable clients

[edit] Susan McDougal

Geragos first came to national attention with back-to-back acquittals in both State and Federal Court jury trials for Whitewater figure Susan McDougal, the former business partner of former President Bill Clinton.^[11] In early 2001, Geragos completed his representation of McDougal by securing a pardon for her from President Clinton on January 20, 2001, as Clinton was about to leave office.^[12]

[edit] Winona Ryder

In December 2002, Geragos defended Academy award–nominated actress Winona Ryder on charges of stealing more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from a Beverly Hills, California store in 2001. She was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to undergo psychological and drug counseling.^[13]

[edit] Michael Jackson & Scott Peterson

In the early stages of the Michael Jackson molestation case, Geragos handled that case as well as Scott Peterson's death penalty case simultaneously. Though he managed a busy workload since he began working as a lawyer, during this time, he was handling two of the United States's best-known cases. Geragos's "...crushingly busy calendar" in the courtroom earned him a rebuke by a judge in an embezzlement case Geragos was also trying.^[14] His love for trying cases may explain why he is in the court as often as he is. "I love the courtroom," he has said.^[1]

On April 26, 2004, Michael Jackson removed Mark Geragos as his attorney, replacing him with Thomas Mesereau. In a public statement provided by his spokesperson Raymone Bain, Jackson stated, "It is imperative that I have the full attention of those who are representing me. My life is at stake..." suggesting that Geragos may not have had enough time to handle his case considering Geragos's workload.^[15] Less than a year later Scott Peterson, Geragos's other high profile case, was convicted and sentenced to death.

[edit] Greg Anderson

In 2006, Geragos was back in the headlines for representing Barry Bonds's personal trainer Greg Anderson. On July 5, 2006, Anderson was found in contempt of court by U.S. District Judge William Alsup who jailed Anderson for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury investigating perjury accusations against Bonds. Geragos announced he would file an appeal based on his assertion that the subpoena to testify violated Anderson's July 2005 plea bargain agreement in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative case. [1] Anderson was to be held until he agreed to testify or the grand jury's term expired. Geragos has said his client would not testify. [2] The grand jury expired on July 20, 2006, and Anderson was released from prison two weeks later. [3] On August 28, 2006, Anderson was again found in contempt of court for refusing to testify before a newly convened grand jury and sentenced to prison. [4] Anderson was freed on October 5, 2006 after an order from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Trial Judge had committed legal errors and ordered Anderson's immediate release. Anderson was sent back to jail on November 16, 2006.

[edit] Kazuyoshi Miura

In March 2008, he joined the defense of Japanese businessman Kazuyoshi Miura.[5]

[edit] Others

In other cases, Geragos won dismissal of felony kidnapping, arson and criminal threats charges against hip-hop star Nathaniel Hale, whose stage name is Nate Dogg. He also won dismissal of all alcohol-related counts against former President Clinton's brother, Roger Clinton, Jr.^[16] In early 2006, Geragos won the dismissal of a prostitution charge against film director Lee Tamahori.^[17]

In March of 2006, Geragos won a dismissal of special circumstances murder charges against Edward Ovasepian after he was able to prove that the eyewitness identification of his client was fatally flawed. Ovasepian who had been held without bail for over eight months was freed from custody and is back at work. This dismissal came on the heels of another exoneration of a Geragos client, Adrian Avedissian, who was freed from custody and his case dismissed by the prosecution after DNA tests conducted by the defense proved that he also had been falsely accused as a result of a flawed eyewitness identification. Both men are represented by the Geragos firm in potential civil suits.

Geragos was also the attorney for Cameron Brown, accused of murdering his four-year-old daughter by throwing her off a Rancho Palos Verdes cliff. The twelve (12) week trial ended in August 2006 without a verdict. The jury deliberated for over nine days but was hopelessly deadlocked and a mistrial was declared by Judge Mark Arnold of the Torrance Superior Court. The case is currently set for retrial in November of this year.

Also, Geragos convinced a San Mateo Superior Court Judge to grant probation in a weapons and drug case filed against Victor Willis, former front man for the Village People, the 1970's mega disco group who were made famous by their hits such as "YMCA" and "In the Navy". In addition, Geragos also currently represents Holly Ashcraft, the University of Southern California co-ed charged with murder in the death of her newborn infant. That case is currently pending in the Los Angeles Superior Court in downtown Los Angeles. Most recently, the two survivors of the tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo in December 2007 have hired Geragos in anticipation of filing a lawsuit against the zoo.^[18]

[edit] Legal commentary

Geragos occasionally appears as both guest and legal commentator on the Today show, Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, On the Record, and has appeared numerous times on Larry King Live, including its twentieth anniversary show.^[5]

[edit] Awards

1999 - Trial Lawyer of The Year by the Los Angeles Criminal Courts Bar Association. ^[19]
1999 - Jerry Giesler Memorial Award for Trial Skills, Judgement & Dedication.
2001 - Humanitarian of the Year by the Mexican American Grocers Association.
2004 - Professional of The Year by the Armenian Professional Society.
2005 - Consumer Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California.
2006 - Attorney of the Year by the California Lawyer magazine. ^[20]

[edit] Sources