FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2018
BOSTON, MA—On November 23, 2018, Superior Court Justice Maynard M. Kirpalani of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts granted Finnegan client Arthur Davis’s motion for new trial. In 1986, Mr. Davis was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. In 2010, the New England Innocence Project referred the case to Finnegan, who took the case on pro bono basis. The case was a first of its kind for the team of lawyers from Finnegan, which specializes in intellectual property law. After several years of extensive investigation, Finnegan located the blood evidence used at trial to help convict Mr. Davis. At the trial, the Commonwealth presented evidence that blood matching the victim’s type was on Mr. Davis’s belongings, and blood matching Mr. Davis’s type was found on a cigarette at the crime scene. Through DNA testing, Finnegan was able to refute both theories, and filed a motion for new trial in 2017. The case was argued in the spring of 2018. The case was one of the first to proceed under a then-newly enacted post-conviction DNA testing statute. Mr. Davis will seek release as soon as possible. Christopher Schultz is lead counsel for Finnegan, working in collaboration with David Siegel of the New England Innocence Project.
Contacts
Mark D. Sweet, Managing Partner
mark.sweet@finnegan.com
James B. Monroe, Chair
james.monroe@finnegan.com
About Finnegan
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP is one of the largest IP law firms in the world. From offices in Atlanta, Boston, London, Palo Alto, Reston, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Washington, DC, the firm practices all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law, including counseling, prosecution, licensing, and litigation. Finnegan also represents clients on IP issues related to European patents and trade marks, international trade, portfolio management, the Internet, e-commerce, government contracts, antitrust, and unfair competition. For additional information on the firm, please visit www.finnegan.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.