Long Beach criminal attorney Matthew Kaestner has built a reputation as one of Los Angeles County’s hardest working, aggressive, and knowledgeable criminal defense lawyers. This reputation was built one case at a time over the last 36 years. His recent results, in just the last 10 years, demonstrate the expert lawyering he provides to each and every client.
On July 28, 2022 attorney Kaestner’s successful action to set aside a 12 year old conviction resulted in a charge of assault on a peace officer and a 39 year sentence being set aside. Miguel Vargas was released from prison 28 years early due to Kaestner’s filing of a habeas corpus motion based upon police misconduct. The victory was reported by the L.A. Times, National Public Radio and the most complete reporting in the Mercury News contained Kaestner’s quote: “He got 39 years for assaulting the officer’s gun with his back.” [Read more.]
2021 started out with a bang for clients of attorney Kaestner. Client R.P. had his Long Beach felony grand theft charge completely dismissed. (P v. B.P., Case No. NA110872.) Days later, attorney Kaestner’s legal motions achieved the dismissal of a murder charge against client S.L. Several Long Beach news agencies reported Kaestner’s court victory. [Read More.]
Covid 19 made 2020 a difficult year for everyone to say the least, but Long Beach criminal lawyer Matthew Kaestner continued to achieve dismissals for client after client charged with crimes including possession of a firearm (P v. P.L. Case no. 0LB03371), drunk in public (P v. J.H. Case no. 9LB04948), fighting in public (P v. G.S., Case no. 0CI00048) and others. Attorney Kaestner’s work for client Carlos S., a local dock worker, resulted in all 20 counts being dismissed that charged Carlos with mocking port commissioners with face book pages. (P v. Carlos S., Case no. 9LB08329.)
2019 was a year highlighted by dismissals of felony matters based upon the failure of police to lawfully justify an investigative search. In a 90 day period attorney Kaestner was able to have two separate felony cases dismissed after winning motions to suppress car searches as unlawful under the Fourth Amendment right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures. One client’s “second strike” gun case was dismissed in Long Beach on June 13, 2019 (P v. Z.J., Case No. NA109952. Another client’s possession of drugs for sale case was dismissed on March 13, 2019 in Compton. (P v. D.S., Case No. TA145927.)
The year of 2018 was a year with a series of critical dismissals for clients of Long Beach criminal lawyer Matthew Kaestner. On March 29, 2018, attorney Kaestner achieved the outright dismissal of vandalism charges after winning a motion to dismiss for lack of speedy trial. (Bellflower Case No. 5BF02406.) In one two week period in 2018, Long Beach criminal attorney Matthew Kaestner had one client’s domestic violence case thrown out after proving the client was innocent while later having a separate hit and run case dismissed after another successful speedy trial motion. (Case nos. 8LB02217; 5BF06107.)
On October 29, 2018, Long Beach criminal attorney Mathew Kaestner achieved the complete dismissal of a client’s 23 year old conviction for multiple drug sale and possession for sale charges. The dismissal followed a successful motion to set aside the conviction. Client J.M. now has a clean record. (P v. Jorge M., Case No. NA024520.)
On October 20, 2017, Attorney Kaestner’s client heard a Los Angeles jury say “NOT GUILTY” on each of 2 criminal threat charges he faced. Despite the fact that the death threats were videotaped in a 7-11 and that the jury heard that the client had a prior conviction for criminal threats, client Michael W. went home a free man rather than facing a possible 12year sentence. (People v. Michael W., Case No. BA455514.)
This “Not guilty” verdict followed an 11 day run in the Long Beach courts in July 2017 that resulted in the dismissal of 3 separate felony cases. One dismissal took attorney Kaestner 27 days to achieve after a prior attorney told the client to take a “7 year deal.” (P v. Gustavo P., Case No. NA105954.) Five days later, attorney Kaestner negotiated a misdemeanor, no time, resolution on a felon with a firearm charge. (P v. Oscar L., Case No. NA10674.) Six days later, attorney Kaestner persuaded a judge on a P.C. 995 motion that a client lawfully possessed a gun in a private, non-public area of a front yard. The felony case was completely dismissed. (P v. Juan H., Case No. NA106318.)
On February 22, 2017, attorney Kaestner obtained the complete dismissal of a possession for sale case after bringing a search and seizure motion. This was the second time in 5 years that attorney Kaestner was able to have felony drug charges against the same client completely dismissed on search and seizure grounds. (People v. Erica A., Case No. BA446964.) (See earlier case below.)
In 2016, Long Beach criminal attorney Kaestner represented Long Beach clients on two separate felony cases that Kaestner settled for infractions. In the first of the two cases, a drug sale to an undercover officer, the presiding Judge commented that he had never seen a felony case settled for an infraction. (People v. C.D., Case No. NA103616). In the second case, attorney Kaestner achieved the dismissal of felony manufacturing of drugs charges for an infraction. (People v. David Z., Case No. BA435243.)
In 2014, attorney Kaestner obtained a not guilty verdict at jury trial for a trumped up charge of child abuse and obtained outright dismissal for his clients charged with indecent exposure, resisting arrest, vandalism, and spousal abuse and other charges. In each of these cases attorney Kaestner obtained the dismissal either immediately before, during, or after trial.
On March 28, 2014, attorney Kaestner obtained a manslaughter verdict at trial for a client that strangled his cellmate in a two man cell at the county jail. The government tried at three trials to obtain a murder conviction. After two hung juries in August and November of 2013 on murder charges, the client was acquitted of first and second degree murder. (People v. S. Murray, Case No. BA388607.)
On March 17, 2015, attorney Kaestner received an acquittal of his client after over two weeks of a grueling long cause jury trial. The client charged with seven counts including murder, and attempted murder with gang allegations was proven innocent. (People v. Rafael C. Case no. BA417858-04.)
On March 19, 2012, attorney Kaestner obtained a jury verdict of "not guilty" for client Ernest C. on charges of attempted murder with gang allegations. If convicted, Ernest C. would have received a 50 years to life sentence. Instead, he went home, a free man. Attorney Kaestner proved mistaken identification and ended the nightmare for his client. (People v. Ernest C., Case no. BA371358-02.) Two months earlier, attorney Kaestner achieved a not guilty verdict on attempted murder charges in the case of Angel A. (People v. Angel A., Case no. BA361451-04)
On February 23, 2012, attorney Kaestner achieved the dismissal of felony drug and gun charges after an illegal search and seizure motion was granted. Client Erica A. had all charges dismissed at her preliminary hearing after Mr. Kaestner's motion to suppress the evidence was granted despite a signed consent to search. Attorney Kaestner's cross examination established the consent was signed after the entry and thus invalid. (People v. Erica A., Case no. BA388851.)
On December 9, 2011, Long Beach criminal attorney Kaestner's efforts before a Norwalk jury resulted in his client being acquitted of all 3 felony assault charges and all 3 lesser charges. Joe N. was charged with putting two "victims" in the hospital as the result of a bar fight. The two "victims" and two of their family members testified. After attorney Kaestner's cross-examination of the witnesses, Joe N. didn't even feel the need to even testify. Joe N. "walked" out of "No-walk" a free man. (People v. Joe N., Case no. VA118327)
In 2010, Mr. Kaestner received a not guilty verdict on an extortion case in the Compton courts that received substantial media attention. (People v. Carlos G., Case No. TA104665) In May of 2010, Mr. Kaestner achieved an outright dismissal of a special circumstance murder case in Long Beach. (People v. Martin O., Case No. NA082721.) In October 2010, Mr. Kaestner received a not guilty verdict on a charge of attempted murder at jury trial. (People v. Felix V., Case No. NA084002.) Other outright dismissals in 2010 included cases charging domestic violence, petty theft, fraud, drug possession, making a false police report, and disturbing the peace.
In 2009, attorney Kaestner obtained a "not guilty" verdict for a Long Beach woman charged with petty theft. In probably the fastest verdict of the year in Long Beach, the jury took less than ten minutes to unanimously vote "not guilty." (People v. M.G., case no. 9LG02469.)
In early 2009, attorney Kaestner obtained "not guilty" jury verdicts for a man falsely accused of battery, public intoxication and resisting arrest in Long Beach. After the victory, client G.D. of Long noted that "My friends discouraged me from going to trial. I had no witnesses and cops lie. Long Beach criminal attorney Matthew Kaestner skillfully defended me, proved my innocence, and I was found not guilty". (People v. G.D., Case No. 8LG07934.) This acquittal set up a later civil settlement for G. D.
No doubt the greatest victory of Mr. Kaestner's career, thus far, occurred in 2006. Mr. Kaestner obtained freedom for a man wrongfully convicted of murder in Long Beach. After Juan Herrera was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1999, his family had all but lost hope when they hired Mr. Kaestner in 2002. Mr. Kaestner worked for three years to prove that Mr. Herrera was innocent and that his prior trial lawyer was incompetent.
Attorney Kaestner's tireless efforts won Mr. Herrera a new trial. Attorney Kaestner was then able to get the entire case dismissed and Mr. Herrera walked out of prison a free man. (People v. Herrera, Long Beach Case No. NA040331.) Mr. Kaestner's efforts have now been recognized on the National Registry of Exonerations. [Read More.]
Shortly before winning freedom for Mr. Herrera, Long Beach criminal defense attorney Matthew Kaestner won freedom for another man, David Treto, who was charged with murder in Los Angeles. Treto was charged as the trigger man in a gang murder with special circumstances. Mr. Kaestner obtained a not guilty trial verdict. (People v. Treto, Los Angeles Case No. BA263515.) After Mr. Kaestner won a new trial for a man convicted of his third strike in 2005, one Long Beach Judge noted on the record that: "This is the best presentation I've ever had on a motion for a new trial. I've probably had a thousand trials...[in the last] 22 years." (People v. Garcia, Long Beach Case No. NA063984.)
Winning criminal law cases requires expert representation. When freedom is at stake, it is important to find a criminal law attorney with extensive knowledge of criminal law, who pays close attention to detail, investigates and prepares thoroughly, and has a polished courtroom presence. Long Beach criminal lawyer, Matthew Kaestner, brings these qualities to bear on every criminal case he takes.
As a State Bar certified criminal law specialist, former prosecutor, and expert criminal defense lawyer, Mr. Kaestner uses all of his knowledge to aggressively fight for every client. Whether working quietly behind the scenes or doing battle in court, Mr. Kaestner will bring over 30 years of criminal law experience to the fight for your freedom. You may call Long Beach criminal lawyer Matthew Kaestner directly at (562) 437-0200.
