The national headline-grabbing case of the Montana newlywed accused of pushing her husband off a cliff may be the ultimate example of “He said, she said.” Except “he” is not talking — because he is dead.
22-year-old Jordan Linn Graham of Kalispell has been indicted, arraigned and released to her family’s care until trial. She has also already been tried … and convicted … in the media.
Stories abound, to the effect that Ms. Graham was aloof during her courtship, calculating during her brief (eight-day) marriage and guilty of her young husband’s death at a national park. Her own stories, her personal accounts of Cody L. Johnson’s “accident” have changed — in ways that only intrigue the authorities.
The fact remains that the case against Ms. Graham is highly circumstantial with a capital “C.” All we have to go on, really, are the hearsay and judgments of Mr. Johnson’s friends, bank and cell phone records, and the requisite pre-trial guilty verdict rendered by former prosecutor and HLN TV commentator Nancy Grace — which, of course, is nothing new and a prime example of why her tabloid show exists.
Anyone accused of a crime deserves his or her day in court. This tradition in our system of jurisprudence is called due process. If you find yourself in a situation that results in criminal charges, and it’s your word against that of someone who is no longer with us, the only person standing between you and a prison sentence is the defense lawyer you select to represent you.
Steven Zachary of the Zachary Law Group is a skilled, experienced, client-committed criminal defense attorney. He is dedicated to protecting the rights of his Arizona clients. He realizes the importance of real evidence — not hearsay and speculation. He holds prosecutors to their burden of proof and works hard to establish reasonable doubt.
If you have been arrested for a violent crime and you face harsh, life-changing punishments such as jail or prison, substantial fines and a criminal record as a felon — please know that every problem has a solution. You can postpone it, you can address it or you can … “Zach it.”
The law is on your side. Call today and take your worry away with an initial consultation at Steven Zachary’s Gilbert law office. Call 480-389-3533.
