Robert J. Callahan Attorney practices in Chicago
Mr. Shanklin was on his way home from a White Sox game in late July. As he exited the elevated train station at North and Clybourn, he was confronted by an upset and angry man who claimed that Mr. Shanklin had insulted his girlfriend. The man told the police that Mr. Shanklin had attacked him without provocation, and had then fled the scene. The man was hospitalized for his injuries and sought to have Mr. Shanklin prosecuted with Aggravated Battery.
In Depth Criminal Investigation by Defense Team
Upon being retained by Mr. Shanklin, Attorney Robert Callahan began an in depth investigation. All police reports were obtained and all relevant witnesses interviewed. During the investigation, Attorney Callahan discovered a missing police report. The report had been prepared by a certain Chicago Police Detective, and the State’s Attorney’s had not tendered it to the defense. This missing report explained that the alleged victim had been armed with a metal pipe at the time of the altercation. None of the reports tendered by the State’s Attorney’s office mentioned a pipe.
Attorney Callahan used the missing report during cross-examination of the State’s witnesses at trial. The complainant’s first witness admitted for the first time that the complainant had been armed with a pipe. She did not mention a pipe at any time during her testimony on direct examination by the State, and in fact said that the victim had NOTHING IN HIS HANDS. When confronted with the report she now admitted that he had been armed.
Largely due to this and other major inconsistencies uncovered by Attorney Callahan, Mr. Shanklin was found NOT GUILTY.
