Attorney Mac Meade secured a major win for our client, Mr. Lafer, who was facing felony charges. On September 27, 2021, a Washington County, TN, grand jury returned a No True Bill, resulting in the reckless aggravated assault charge against our client being dropped.
The charges stemmed from a September 2020 incident in which Mr. Lafer is alleged to have hit a Black Lives Matter protester with his SUV. Cell phone video taken at the time of the accident shows our client passing through a crosswalk where BLM protesters were gathered. Although Mr. Lafer's left the scene after his vehicle struck one of the protesters, he turned himself in a little while after the incident.
Mr. Lafer initially faced one count of aggravated assault, a Class C felony in Tennessee. But in May of 2021, the charges were later reduced to reckless aggravated assault, a Class D felony.
The cell phone video served as one of the major pieces of evidence against our client. However, neither it nor the other evidence presented was enough to convince the grand jury that our client should be prosecuted. They failed to indict Mr. Lafer, and he no longer faces criminal charges.
Some have argued that the case is an instance of a hate crime, but we maintain that this isn't about race. Our client was trying to protect his family during what he perceived to be a dangerous situation. At the time of the incident, Mr. Lafer was driving home from dinner, and his wife and three young children were in the vehicle. Attorney Meade contends that our client was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was focused on keeping his family safe when he came to the intersection where the group of BLM protesters was gathered.
Throughout the case, our client and team maintained Mr. Lafer's innocence. We are pleased that the grand jury agreed with us.
We don't believe this one misunderstanding should remain a part of our client's history. Thus, we have since filed a petition for expunction to clear the charge from Mr. Lafer’s record.
At Meade Law Group, our Johnson City legal team works hard for the people we serve. By employing a strategic approach, we develop compelling arguments, and we pursue every legal option to seek favorable results for our clients.
If you or a loved one has been accused of a crime, contact us at (423) 464-7779 for the legal representation you need.