Results

Kelly Keegan’s client called her after learning from an online newspaper that she had apparently been charged by the City of Minneapolis with Gross Misdemeanor Third Degree Riot, Misdemeanor Fifth Degree Assault (both fear and harm) and Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct for allegedly assaulting a journalist at a protest in downtown Minneapolis. After determining that the charges that first appeared online were real, Kelly sat down with her client to prepare her defense. Kelly’s client had been out of town on a family camping trip on the day of the alleged incident and had an airtight alibi as to her whereabouts. Kelly and her client gave press conferences to various news outlets, blasting the City of Minneapolis for shoddy police work and mistakenly charging her client. Kelly also presented the evidence to the prosecutor, who admitted his mistake and dismissed the charges. Kelly then expunged the public court records of the mistaken charges. A Hennepin County judge granted the request with the result that all records of the mistaken charges have been expunged and the client can move forward without the stigma associated with a criminal record.

Kelly’s client was charged with three felony counts of domestic assault by strangulation, second degree assault, and terroristic threats after an altercation with his spouse. A domestic abuse no-contact order (DANCO) was also issued preventing him from contact with his spouse or returning home. Despite the fact Kelly’s client’s spouse wanted her husband to return home, the prosecutor argued stridently against any modification. In a series of court hearings, Kelly was able to overcome the objections and have the DANCO modified then vacated. She then negotiated a highly favorable plea whereby her client would plead to just one misdemeanor count of domestic assault – causing fear, and all three felony counts would be dismissed. Kelly’s client is an avid hunter and outdoorsman and Kelly was able to help her client avoid the lifetime firearm ban to which he would have otherwise been subject pursuant to the initial charges.

Kelly Keegan’s client, when he was 17, threatened four other juveniles with a firearm in a jealous fit, following a bad breakup with a high school girlfriend. He was adjudicated delinquent of Terroristic Threats by a judge in Redwood County Juvenile District Court leading to a lifetime ban on possessing firearms. It has now been over 20 years since the offense and Kelly’s client went on to a stable career as an owner/operator truck driver, marrying his wife in 2011 and having four children. Kelly argued that the length of time since her client’s offense, his stable employment and happy family, and the lack of other offenses, clearly demonstrate that her client has rehabilitated. The judge agreed over the prosecutor’s objection, restoring her client’s firearm rights so that he can hunt on land that has been in the family for over 80 years, inherit heirloom firearms and teach his young children to hunt.

Kelly Keegan’s client, a heavy-equipment service technician and shop foreman, hired Kelly with the support of his wife because he dreamed of hunting once again with friends and family. Kelly’s client committed an act against his brother when they were both juveniles, leading to an adjudication of delinquency in Ramsey County for First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and a lifetime ban on firearms.  Kelly argued that her client was rehabilitated as evidenced by his successful career, his happy marriage, counselling, and the completion of sexual offender programming. The judge agreed with Kelly, restoring her client’s gun rights so that he may inherit a family-heirloom firearm and once again hunt with his family.

Kelly Keegan’s client, a successful realtor, recently learned that he had lost his gun rights after being convicted of domestic assault in 2001 in Clay County following an argument with his then-girlfriend. After reviewing her client’s records, Kelly determined that he was prohibited due to an imprecise conviction statute that didn’t specify whether his conviction was for causing harm (which could potentially lead to a federal firearm prohibition) or for causing ‘fear’ (which does not lead to a prohibition). Kelly persuaded the Moorhead City Prosecutor to consent to specify that the convictions was for ‘fear’ and not ‘harm’. She then obtained court approval memorializing the change so that her client can now purchase and possess firearms.