5 /5 Matthew-Lee.: I am immensely grateful for the incredible work Laina did on my case. What started as a phone call to report a serious road rage incident turned into a nightmare, with the Napa police filing multiple felony charges over a defensive statement I made during the call. This situation should have never escalated the way it did. The police took my frustration—expressed after dealing with constant harassment from officers—and attempted to give me two strikes for it.
The road rage incident itself was frightening: a person got out of their vehicle during a fit of road rage and began approaching me aggressively, forcing me to drive away for my safety. During the call to dispatch, I vented about how the police had been harassing me. Though I regret my choice of words, the context of provocation should have been obvious.
After months of zero progress with a public defender who didn’t seem to know what he was doing, my family hired Laina. She came into the case late—near the end of my 14 months—but her expertise turned things around. Laina genuinely sympathizes with people of color and is acutely aware of the unjust nature of the legal system. She effectively navigated the complexities of my case, addressing the incompetence that had been present in my defense. Laina saw through the prosecutions exaggerated narrative and successfully reduced my multiple felony charges to just one (Penal Code 71 for threatening an officer). After I completed my mandatory supervision, she helped me get that charge expunged, clearing my record, which is now just as it was before all this happened. This was my first and only charge, and Lainas work allowed me to remove this unfair burden.
Since my release, I have completed my degree in biology from San Francisco State University, maintained a healthy lifestyle with daily exercise and a plant-based diet, and continued to receive counseling and support from professionals who highly recommend me. While I believe the harassment I faced from Napa officers should have been more effectively addressed by the justice system, I’m grateful for the justice I received with Laina’s help. Her expertise gave me a second chance to live my life freely without the impediment of a felony.
If youre looking for a lawyer who is skilled, compassionate, and relentless in her pursuit of justice, I highly recommend Laina. She made a tremendous difference in my life, and I will always be grateful.
