In criminal defense, whether facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon or another crime, there’s a simple math that most people don’t think about: when you plead guilty, your chance of acquittal is exactly zero percent. When you go to trial—even with terrible facts, even when the odds seem hopeless—that percentage goes up. Sometimes it’s only 1%. Sometimes it’s 5%. But it’s never zero.
That difference between zero and “not zero” recently meant everything for a client facing assault and battery charges, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon—a felony that could have changed the trajectory of their entire life.
The Cases That Never See a Courtroom
Here’s something most people don’t realize: assault and battery cases rarely make it to trial in district court. Usually, one of two things happens. Either the complaining witness doesn’t show up (which happens more often than you’d think), or they do show up and the defendant decides to plead out rather than risk a trial.
It’s understandable why people choose that route. Trials are scary. They’re unpredictable. And when you’re staring down serious charges, the certainty of a plea deal can feel safer than rolling the dice with a jury.
But here’s where strategy matters more than fear.
When Pleading Guilty Doesn’t Make Sense
Attorney Aprodu isn’t a fan of tender pleas—especially when her client is facing a felony conviction and already has a prior felony on their record. Why? Because the stakes are too high for surrender.
Think about it this way: if you plead guilty, your chance of walking away free is zero. Period. End of story. But if you go to trial, even with bad facts and long odds, you still have a chance. Maybe it’s small. Maybe it’s 1% or 5%. But it’s something.
And when you’re facing a felony conviction that could follow you for the rest of your life, “something” is infinitely better than “nothing.”
When the Witness Shows Up and Testifies
In this particular case, the complaining witness didn’t disappear. They showed up to court, took the stand, and testified about what they claimed happened. From the prosecution’s perspective, this should have been a straightforward case.
But trials aren’t just about having witnesses. They’re about having credible witnesses. And credibility—well, that’s something a skilled attorney can challenge.
Through what Attorney Aprodu describes as “an incredibly long and difficult trial,” she methodically worked to expose inconsistencies, contradictions, and outright falsehoods in the witness’s testimony. Her goal wasn’t just to poke holes in the story—it was to convince the jury that the witness was lying about what happened.
It worked.
The Jury Speaks: Not Guilty on All Charges
After hearing all the evidence and weighing the credibility of the witnesses, the jury returned their verdict: Not Guilty on all charges, including the lesser included charges.
For the client, this meant avoiding not just the immediate consequences of a conviction, but all the collateral damage that comes with a felony record—employment difficulties, housing problems, professional licensing issues, and the social stigma that follows felony convictions.
The Work Behind the Verdict
But this result didn’t happen by accident, and it certainly didn’t happen overnight. The not guilty verdict was the culmination of hundreds of hours of preparation, more than ten witness interviews, and careful jury selection designed to maximize the chances of acquittal.
As Attorney Aprodu puts it: “A trial is not something that can be prepared the night before. The trial and the defense must be crafted from the arraignment.”
This case began building its defense strategy from day one. At the detention hearing, during the restraining order hearing, and throughout every substantive hearing, Attorney Aprodu was gathering information that went beyond what was in the police report. Information that would later prove crucial at trial.
Every hearing was an opportunity to learn something new, to uncover another angle, to build a more complete picture of what really happened. By the time the case reached trial, Attorney Aprodu had assembled a defense that the prosecution never saw coming.
The Strategic Long Game
This approach—building a defense from the very first court appearance—reflects a fundamental truth about criminal defense work: the best results come from comprehensive preparation and strategic thinking, not last-minute heroics.
It means treating every hearing as important, every witness interview as potentially case-changing, and every piece of evidence as part of a larger puzzle. It means understanding that jury selection isn’t just about filling seats—it’s about identifying the people most likely to listen with an open mind and evaluate credibility fairly.
Most importantly, it means never giving up before the fight even begins.
When the Stakes Are Too High to Surrender
If there’s one lesson from this case, it’s this: when you’re facing serious charges—especially felony charges—don’t let fear drive your decisions. Yes, trials are risky. Yes, the facts might look bad. But remember that simple math: 1% is infinitely better than 0%.
The criminal justice system isn’t perfect, but it does provide mechanisms for challenging accusations, testing evidence, and holding the prosecution to their burden of proof. Sometimes, those mechanisms can deliver results that seemed impossible at the outset.
Fighting for Every Percentage Point
If you or a loved one is facing assault and battery charges, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, or any serious criminal offense, don’t assume the outcome is predetermined. Every case has unique circumstances, potential defenses, and strategic opportunities that an experienced attorney can identify and develop.
The difference between a conviction that follows you forever and a not guilty verdict that sets you free often comes down to having someone who’s willing to do the work, challenge the evidence, and fight for every percentage point of possibility.
Call Attorney Aprodu today for a review of your case. Because when the stakes are high, you need someone who believes that 1% is worth fighting for—and knows how to turn those odds in your favor.
