Latest Cases & Recent Successes
Long Beach Criminal attorney Matt Kaestner has built a reputation as one of Long Beach's hardest working, aggressive, and knowledgeable criminal defense lawyers. Although this reputation has been built, one case at a time, some of his recent results demonstrate the expert lawyering he provides to each and every client.
In September of 2006, Mr. Kaestner obtained freedom for a man wrongfully convicted of Murder. 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 against a system that was stacked against Mr. Herrera. Eventually, Mr, Kaestner proved that Mr. Herrera's trial lawyer was incompetent. Attorney Kaestner's tireless efforts to prove Mr. Herrera's innocence won him a new trial. Mr. Kaestner personally interviewed dozens of witness and discovered the information necessary to prove that the prosecution's key witness had framed Herrera. The case was finally dismissed when criminal law attorney Matthew Kaestner announced ready for the re-trial. Mr. Herrera walked out of prison a free man after serving seven years of an 85 year to life sentence. (People v. Herrera, Long Beach case no. NA040331.)
Shortly before winning freedom for Mr. Herrera, criminal defense attorney Matthew Kaestner won freedom for another man, David Treto, who was also charged with murder. Though Mr. Treto was the alleged shooter in a gang murder with special circumstances, Mr. Kaestner obtained a not guilty verdict by a jury at trial. (People v. Treto, Los Angeles case no. BA263515.)
After Mr. Kaestner won a new trial for a man convicted of his thrid 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.)
In April of 2006, attorney Kaestner won a not guilty jury verdict in a domestic violence case. The prosecutor had a tearful and sympathetic spouse testify. The prosecutor showed the jury photographs of bruises the victim claimed she had received. Mr. Kaestner's cross-examination exposed her motive to fabricate the assault. The jury voted not guilty and a man with no prior record was able to carry on with his life without the stigma of a criminal conviction. (People v. White, Long Beach case no. 05LM07700.)
Three months before this not guilty verdict, Mr. Kaestner achieved an acquittal for a young man charged with misdemeanor accessory to robbery. The young client could have served a year in jail and possible immigration consequences had he plead guilty. After a three day trial, the jury voted "not guilty" with less than an hour of deliberation. (People v. Chu, Los Cerritos case no. 5LL06374.)
In May of 2007, criminal law attorney Matthew Kaestner defended a young single mother accused of battery and obtained a "not guilty" verdict, in Long Beach. The case drew substantial attention by television and print media in Southern California because the client was the ex-wife of a famous Latin singer. The case was particularly attractive to the media because Mr. Kaestner's client was accused of assaulting the singer's new wife. The client had been portrayed in the media as the guilty party. After an emotional three day trial, the jury took less 30 minutes to unanimously vote "not guilty." (People v. Gurrola, Long Beach case no. 7LG00643.)
In August of 2007, Mr. Kaestner obtained proposition 36 probation and immediate release for a young woman charged with transporting a small amount of ecstasy. She was also on probation on another case. Her family hired Mr. Kaestner after the prosecutor had offered her two years in prison. Ten days later, Mr. Kaestner was able to negotiate the time served sentence. Mr. Kaestner's work caused the prosecutor to state on the record that he hadn't seen another person charged with transportation of drugs get proposition 36 treatment in the two years he had been in the court. (People v. Turner, Long Beach case no. NA074879.)
In September of 2007, Mr. Kaestner won release for a man charged with a third strike charge of possession for sale of cocaine. The case looked hopeless because the drugs had been found in the man's house with a search warrant. The client was looking at life in prison. Mr. Kaestner fought to obtain the entire search warrant, which the judge had sealed. Mr. Kaestner then filed a seven page formal motion to suppress the drugs based on the legal shortcomings of the warrant. At the hearing on the motion, the judge was convinced that he had signed an illegal warrant and threw the case out of court. The client walked out of court a free man. (People v. Suggs, Long Beach case no. NA074597.)
Winning criminal law cases requires that a criminal law attorney have an extensive knowledge of criminal law, pay close attention to detail, investigate and prepare the case thoroughly, and have a polished courtroom presence. Although attorneys may not and should not promise to win a particular case, past performance is the best predictor of future success.
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 22 years of criminal law experience to bear in the fight for your freedom. You may call Long Beach Criminal Law Specialist Matthew Kaestner directly at (562) 437-0200.
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