Homicides & Violent Offenses

Homicide and violent-felony charges represent the highest level of criminal exposure in Washington. These cases demand disciplined preparation, constitutional command, strategic storytelling, and the ability to challenge the State's narrative at every turn. When facing life-altering allegations—murder, assault with deadly weapons, kidnapping, drive-by shooting, robbery, or manslaughter—individuals and families turn to Mr. Merchant for his trial skill, strategic vision, and record of success in the most complex and high-stakes litigation.

Violent-felony cases often involve high-intensity investigations, forensic issues, digital evidence, cell-site data, jail calls, witness credibility problems, and constitutional violations that many attorneys overlook. Mr. Merchant approaches these cases with the rigor and creativity required to dismantle the State's theory and present a compelling, evidence-driven narrative of innocence.

Results in High-Stakes Felony Cases

1. Nearly 60-Day Murder Trial — 11-1 for Acquittal

In a major murder case that stretched nearly two months, Mr. Merchant presented a full alternative-perpetrator defense, demonstrating through evidence, cross-examination, and trial narrative that someone else committed the crime. The prosecution had invested enormous resources, yet their case collapsed under scrutiny.

After weeks of testimony, forensic challenges, impeachment, and strategic narrative presentation, the jury voted 11-1 in favor of acquittal.

Rather than risk losing at retrial, the prosecution offered an extraordinary resolution:

• No admission of guilt
• No further jail time
• No parole or supervision
• Case closed

The client walked out the courthouse doors and returned home to his family, his life restored. This case remains a testament to the power of creative trial theory, disciplined investigation, and relentless advocacy.

2. Drive-By Shooting Case — Dismissed After Prosecutor Declined to Test Confrontation Clause Briefing

In a serious drive-by shooting case, the State intended to rely heavily on out-of-court statements from a key witness whose credibility was deeply compromised. Recognizing that the State's case depended on hearsay rather than testimony subject to cross-examination, Mr. Merchant prepared comprehensive briefing arguing that the statements were testimonial and inadmissible under both the Sixth Amendment and Article I, Section 22.

The prosecutor reviewed the briefing, understood the strength of the Confrontation Clause challenge, and chose not to test it in court. Rather than risk losing the key evidence at a suppression hearing—and facing an unwinnable trial—the State elected to dismiss the case outright.

Case dismissed.

3. Dismissal With Prejudice — Kidnapping, Drugging, and Rape Fabrication Exposed

In a highly charged case involving allegations of kidnapping, drugging, and rape, the client faced a potential life sentence. The alleged victim reported a brutal crime, claiming she had been abducted, drugged, beaten and brutally raped.

But through a meticulous defense investigation, Mr. Merchant uncovered the truth:

• the alleged victim was having an affair with the client,
• she fabricated the allegations to conceal the affair from her boyfriend,
• her statements were riddled with contradictions,
• and her digital evidence disproved her claims.

The State could not proceed and the Court dismissed the case with prejudice—ensuring it could never be refiled.

This result reflects the core of Mr. Merchant's practice: finding the truth, exposing fabrication, and protecting clients from false allegations.

Full-Spectrum Defense in Violent Felony Cases

Mr. Merchant represents individuals charged with:

• Murder (all degrees)
• Manslaughter
• Assault (including firearm and weapon enhancements)
• Robbery
• Kidnapping
• Drive-by shooting
• Burglary and home-invasion allegations
• Felony harassment and threats
• Vehicular assault
• Deadly-weapon enhancements
• Cases with gang or organized-crime allegations
• Child-injury or vulnerable-adult assault allegations
• Rape and Sexual Assault

These cases require an attorney comfortable with long trials, complex forensic evidence, and strategic theory development.

Advanced Constitutional Litigation in Homicide & Violent Cases

Violent-felony prosecutions often involve constitutional issues that can drastically change the trajectory of the case. Mr. Merchant frequently litigates:

Confrontation Clause Challenges

Stopping the State from using hearsay statements, 911 calls, "excited utterances," or witness summaries instead of presenting the actual witness for cross-examination.

Search and Seizure Violations

Suppressing evidence from:

• warrants lacking probable cause
• cell-site location searches
• warrantless entry
• vehicle searches
• digital-device extractions
• forensic downloads exceeding the warrant's scope

Due Process Violations

Challenging:

• destroyed or missing evidence
• suggestive identification procedures
• biased investigations
• late disclosures
• manipulation of witness testimony

Jail Call & Interrogation Issues

Suppressing involuntary statements and litigating:

• Miranda violations
• interpreter requirements
• coercive interrogation tactics
• misuse of jail calls

Each of these constitutional violations can lead to suppression, dismissal, or dramatic shifts in trial leverage.

Creative Defense Theory: The Core of Violent Felony Practice

Violent-felony cases often look overwhelming on paper. The discovery is heavy, the allegations are emotional, and the prosecution has already written its narrative.

Mr. Merchant's strength is identifying the story everyone else missed.

He builds defense theories involving:

• alternative suspects
• impeaching forensic evidence
• misinterpreted injuries
• timelines that contradict the State's theory
• false or coerced allegations
• intoxication-related memory issues
• witness motives to lie
• gaps in the investigation
• forensic limits or errors
• third-party culpability narratives

These defense theories become the backbone of trial—inviting the jury to see the case through a new lens.

Trial-Ready, High-Stakes Advocacy

Homicide and violent-offense cases demand readiness for trial from the moment Mr. Merchant enters the case. He brings:

• rigorous cross-examination of detectives, forensic experts, and medical professionals
• strategic challenges to digital and forensic evidence
• comprehensive impeachment planning
• expert consultation in pathology, ballistics, toxicology, and psychology
• detailed timeline reconstruction
• jury-selection strategies designed for complex narratives

These are cases where trial skill determines outcome—and where creative theory development often becomes the decisive factor in securing acquittals, dismissals, and resolutions that avoid catastrophic consequences.

A Defense for When Everything Is at Stake

Violent-felony charges require a defense attorney who understands the stakes, the constitution, the forensic science, and the storytelling essential to persuading a jury.

Mr. Merchant provides:

• strategic insight
• constitutional rigor
• creative defense theory
• and relentless trial advocacy

for individuals facing the most serious allegations under Washington law.

When the stakes include life, liberty, and reputation, clients and families trust Mr. Merchant to defend them with precision, experience, and unwavering commitment to the truth.