Highlights Of Our Criminal Defense Verdicts
Here are highlights from cases defended over the past seven years. Many involve the most serious charge — homicide. There have been other trials on other offenses with favorable results, and there have been numerous felony drug charges reduced to misdemeanors — too many for this list.
But no lawyer can win every case. While we cannot promise these results in every case, we hope to show that they are indeed obtained with consistency. Each case presents its own battle.
Jason Ballenger:
2023 2nd Degree Murder – Dismissed
2023 12 Counts Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Reduced to Misdemeanor Diversion without placement of Sex Offender Registry
2023 Murder 1st and 14 counts CA: Murder 1st (client facing life plus 100+ years in prison): Plead to 10 years with Eligibility for Parole after 3
2023 Criminal Attempt: Murder 1 – Dismissed
2023 First Degree Murder- Reduced to Solicitation of 2 Degree Murder for 5 years @ 30%
2022 Especially Aggravated Kidnapping; Aggravated Rape; Aggravated Robbery: Dismissed on day of Trial
2022 Especially Aggravated Robbery; Aggravated Robbery – Dismissed
2022 First degree murder; CA: 1st Degree Murder – Reduced to Voluntary Manslaughter
2022 Murder 1st and CA: Murder 1st – Time served on Reckless Homicide
2022 Shelby County Charged with Child Abuse: Dismissed
2022 Shelby County- Order of Protection: Dismissed
2022 Charged with First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder, Employment of a Firearm During Commission of a Dangerous Felony- Reduced to one count voluntary manslaughter 15 years.
2022 Charged with Possession 2 Pounds of Cocaine: Dismissed
2022 Charged with First Degree Murder/Aggravated Assault: Dismissed
2022 Recovered illegally seized drone from the Government
2022 Charged with First Degree Murder reduced to Voluntary Manslaughter 8 years.
2022 Charged with Unlawful Possession of Meth with intent to Sell: Probation
2022 Shelby County negotiated settlement: Charged with First degree, Criminal Attempt Especially Aggravated Robbery, Esp. Aggravated Burglary, Facilitation First degree- 8 years at 30%
2022 Shelby County negotiated settlement: Charged with First degree, Facilitation of Second degree, Criminal Attempt Aggravated Robbery- 12 years at reduced percentage.
2022 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with First degree, Criminal Attempt First degree, Criminal Attempt Aggravated Robbery- 8 years at 30%
2021 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Felony Possession of Marijuana, Felony Possession of Alprazolam, Felony Possession of Cocaine, Felony Possession of Dihyrdocodeinone, Possessing a Firearm during Felony – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2021 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Criminal Attempt Second Degree Murder, Employing a Firearm during a Felony. Reckless Endangerment, Aggravated Assault (2 count) – Upfront diversion on Aggravated Assault
2021 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Class B Felony Possession of Controlled Substance: Cocaine and misdemeanor possession of cocaine – Plea to 1 day time-served
2021 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Felony Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Simple Possession of Marijuana, and Alteration of Item’s Permanent Distinguishing Numbers – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2021 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with 2 counts of Domestic Assault; Charged with Violation of Bond Conditions; Order of Protection Petition against client – all three cases nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2021 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Statutory Rape and Extortion – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2020 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Aggravated Assault Acting in Concert – Plea to Assault with upfront misdemeanor probation
2020 Shelby County, after contested hearing: Motion for New Trial GRANTED after verdict of first-degree murder
2020 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Felony Possession of over 26g of Cocaine, Felony Possession of MDMA, Felony Possession of Lorazepam, Felony Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm during a Felony – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2019 Shelby County, negotiated resolution: Charged Criminal Attempt First Degree Murder, Employing a Firearm during a Felony, Aggravated Assault x2, Reckless Endangerment, and Vandalism over $500 – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2019 Shelby County, negotiated resolution: Charged Aggravated Assault – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2019 Shelby County, negotiated resolution: Charged 2 counts Sex Trafficking – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2019 Shelby County, negotiated resolution: Charged 1 count first degree murder, 1 count especially aggravated robbery – Plea: 8 years at 30% Solicitation to commit First Degree Murder concurrent with 8 years at 85% on Aggravated Robbery
2019 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: First degree murder – Plea: Second degree murder 15 years
2019 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged Indictment #1 with Aggravated Rape, Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Robbery – Charged Indictment #2 with Aggravated Rape, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Robbery – Plea: 3 years at 30% Kidnapping (No SOR) consecutive to 3 years at 30% Kidnapping (No SOR) – DIVERSION GRANTED
2019 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged DUI 7th Offense – Plea: DUI 3rd offense
2019 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with Felony Vandalism & Domestic Assault – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2019 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with 2cts of B felony cocaine charges for 3.2g of crack cocaine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Plea: 1 day time served and a $750 fine
2019 Shelby County, negotiated settlement: Charged with First Degree Murder – Plea to Voluntary Manslaughter, 13 years at 35%
2019 Shelby County: Charged Aggravated Robbery, Extortion, Unlawful Possession of Weapon – nolle prosequi (dismissed)
2019 Client charged with Criminal Attempt First Degree Murder, dismissed.
2019 Client charged with First Degree Murder. Attorney negotiated deal for 13 years at 35%.
2019 Aggravated Assault in General Sessions Court, dismissed.
2019 2 counts of Aggravated Burglary in Criminal Court, dismissed.
2019 Aggravated Robbery in Criminal Court, dismissed.
2019 1st Degree Murder in Criminal Court, negotiated deal for 15 years.
2018 Client charged with Aggravated Rape, Aggravated Kidnapping x 3, and Aggravated Assault x 2 in Criminal Court. Jury charged misdemeanor.
2018 Client granted Petition for Post-Conviction and given a new trial.
2018 Client charged with multiple felonies and attorney negotiated down to misdemeanors with 6 month Probation and Diversion.
2018 Client’s drug charges dismissed in General Sessions.
2018 Client’s Aggravated Assault was negotiated to a Simple Assault with Probation.
2017 Client charged with Aggravated Rape x 3. Jury dismissed all counts.
2017 Two counts of criminal attempt second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated burglary dismissed at grand jury after preliminary hearing.
2017 Client charged with three counts of aggravated rape — not guilty.
2017 Client charged with second-degree murder reduced to vehicular manslaughter with three years’ probation.
2017 Client charged with Class D felony for over 10 pounds of marijuana reduced to a misdemeanor possession.
2016 Client charged with aggravated robbery, dismissed.
2016 Client charged with aggravated rape, dismissed.
2016 Client charged with first-degree murder, reduced to second-degree murder.
2015 Client charged with first-degree murder, reduced to second-degree murder.
2015 Client charged with DUI. Charges amended to juvenile driving while impaired. Client placed on judicial diversion and will have clean record.
2015 Client charged with identity theft, forgery and failure to appear in a felony case. Forgery charge dismissed. Client received four years’ probation.
2015 Client charged with criminal attempt: first-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery and theft of property $10,000-$60,000. Successfully negotiated three years of probation for aggravated assault. All other charges were dismissed.
2015 Nine Counts of aggravated robbery: negotiated settlement to four counts simple robbery — six years at 30 percent
2015 First-degree murder — not guilty
2015 Official misconduct and criminal negligent homicide: dismissed charges.
2014-2015 Client charged with DUI. Charges amended to reckless endangerment.
2014-2015 Client charged with DUI. Charges amended to reckless endangerment. Client placed on judicial diversion and will have a clean record.
2014 Client charged with second-degree murder. Jury returned verdict of not guilty.
2014 Client charged with DUI in Millington. Case dismissed.
2014 Client charged with DUI in Germantown. Charges reduced.
2014 Client charged with first-degree murder. Investigated case had persuaded assistant district attorney general to dismiss case prior to preliminary hearing.
2014 Negotiated plea. Criminal attempt for second-degree murder reduced to criminal attempt, voluntary manslaughter. Sentenced to four years at 30 percent.
2014 Marshall County, Mississippi Circuit Court: first-degree murder dismissed.
2014 Felony vandalism: dismissed.
2014 Jury trial — charged with criminal attempt second-degree murder and employing a firearm during a felony.
Jury’s verdict: Misdemeanor on reckless endangerment.
Jury’s verdict: Employing a firearm during felony — not guilty.
2013 Client charged with aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, reduced to misdemeanor domestic assault and not guilty on all other counts.
2013 Shelby County: Jury trial on aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and domestic assault. Result: Jury acquitted on aggravated rape and aggravated kidnapping. Verdict of misdemeanor domestic assault and sentenced to misdemeanor probation.
2013 Tipton County jury trial on esp. aggravated robbery and first-degree murder. Jury’s verdict of facilitation of attempted esp. aggravated robbery and facilitation of reckless homicide: three years at 30 percent. Facilitation of reckless homicide: one year at 30 percent, concurrent.
2013 Negotiated settlement: felony drug and gun case, reduced to misdemeanor; Aggravated assault reduced to misdemeanor; assault and evading arrest sentenced to one year at 30 percent upfront probation.
2013 First-degree murder dismissed at grand jury after preliminary hearing.
2013 DUI reduced to reckless driving on negotiated settlement.
2012 Client charged with first-degree murder, reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
2012 Client charged with first-degree murder, reduced to reckless homicide.
2012 Client charged with DUI. Got charges reduced to reckless driving. Client placed on diversion for six months. Client now has clean record.
2012 First-degree murder, jury came back with a verdict of voluntary manslaughter.
2012 Shelby County trial on first-degree murder: Jury’s verdict was for a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder: Jury’s verdict was six years at 30 percent.
2012 Obion County robbery case dismissed.
2012 Germantown City Court DUI dismissed.
2012 First- and second-degree murder rejected by Memphis jury. Lauren The Law Office of Massey McClusky Fuchs & Ballenger lead counsel. The Law Office of Massey McClusky Fuchs & Ballenger second.
2011-2012 Client charged in Bartlett with possession of marijuana. Case dismissed.
2011 Client charged with DUI in Collierville. Charged reduced to reckless driving.
2010-2011 Client charged with DUI. Charge reduced to reckless driving.
2010 Negotiated settlement of multiple indictments:
- Two counts drug indictment — dismissed.
- Three counts BMV indictment — dismissed.
- Two counts BMV indictment — time served.
2008 Jury trial on aggravated robbery. Not guilty jury verdict in 29 minutes.
2008 Jury trial on second-degree murder. Not guilty jury verdict.
2008 Jury trial on second-degree murder. Jury verdict of reckless homicide, three-year sentence at 30 percent. Client is home.
2008 Jury trial on second-degree murder. Jury verdict of reckless homicide, sentence pending. Client is home.
2008 First-degree murder. Negotiated plea of reckless Homicide. Two-year sentence to probation. Client is home.
2008 drug case, 56 pounds of cocaine. Negotiated plea to eight years’ probation. Client is home.
2008 Class A drug case, 4 kilos of cocaine. Negotiated dismissal. Client is home.
2006 First-degree murder indictment. Negotiated plea of voluntary manslaughter.
2006 Class A aggravated child abuse. Negotiated dismissal.
2006 Drug case, 34 pounds of cocaine. Drugs suppressed, case dismissed.
2006 Federal multinational RICO indictment. Negotiated plea to a misdemeanor with probation with a binding plea agreement.
2005 Jury trial on first-degree murder. Not guilty jury verdict.
2004 Jury trial on first-degree murder. Jury verdict of voluntary manslaughter. Six-year sentence at 30 percent. Client is home.
2004 Jury trial on first-degree murder indictment. Noticed for life without parole. Jury verdict of negligent homicide. One-year sentence at 30 percent. Client is home.
2004 Jury trial on first-degree murder. Jury verdict of misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Sentence of 11 months and 29 days’ probation. Client is home.
2004 Jury trial on drug case, possession with intent to sell cocaine in Lauderdale County. Not guilty jury verdict in less than 30 minutes.
2004 First-degree murder charge. Negotiated plea to reckless homicide. Sentenced to two years’ probation. Client is home.
2003 Jury trial on first-degree murder. Noticed for life without parole. Jury verdict of reckless homicide. Sentenced to five years at 35 percent. Client is home.
2003 Jury trial on first-degree murder. Noticed for life without parole. Jury verdict of voluntary manslaughter. Sentenced to six years at 30 percent. Client is home.