John Goodman Goes Back to Court in August

The DUI Conviction of Multi-million Dollar Mogul John Goodman

A DUI trial can be complicated, as the DUI manslaughter case of John Goodman proves last year in 2012. It is so important to have a skilled and experienced criminal defense DUI attorney to represent your case, if something like this should happen, so your rights are completely protected. John Goodman, a Palm Beach Polo Club owner and is standing in line for a tremendous inheritance was charged and convicted in May of 2012 for DUI manslaughter when he smashed his Bentley in the vehicle that killed 23 year old Scott Patrick in Wellington. Patrick was killed at the scene, and Goodman went to trial and was, and sentenced to 16 years in prison. His attorneys have been extremely busy this year, and Goodman has been granted a retrial in August, 2013.

The First Trial Antics Leading to a Second

The first trial, in May 2012, would have been legal, cut and dry, if it weren’t for a particular juror that many say lied to get on the jury. Dennis Demartin from Delray Beach came to the trial with another agenda in mind, and he often made the courtroom his private circus.

One night, the 69 year old juror drank three shots of vodka, which he stated were to determine for himself if Goodman would actually have been drunk when he crashed into the victim’s car. The result was prison for John Goodman, but his attorneys vigilantly spent the following year petitioning Judge Jeffrey Colbath for a retrial for their client. They claim that the juror’s antics distracted from the defendant, and forced the jury to arrive at the erroneous decision that Goodman was guilty.

This incredible South Florida trial was one of the most watched and most publicized trials in Palm Beach history, and because of the juror’s misconduct, Goodman, after being imprisoned for 12 months, will have his DUI manslaughter case retried in a Palm Beach Court. Goodman previously stated that he wasn’t intoxicated that the reason for the crash was because his Bentley malfunctioned, and that he drank alcohol after the accident to dull the pain of a broken wrist and to steady his nerves.

An Experienced DUI Attorney

If you have been charged with any type of DUI/DWI in the Orlando area, contact this skilled law firm for an effective and well-strategized defense. The Umansky Law Firm has been protecting the citizens of Central Florida for over 15 years.