Attorney Mark Aaron Hinrichs's Legal Cases

Appeals

Com v. R.O.

May 02, 2017

OUTCOME: Superior Court reversed the denial of PCRA relief and remanded for a new hearing

Client had been convicted of 1st degree murder in 2005 and sentenced to life without parole. After exhausting his direct appeal rights and a first PCRA without any relief, the client filed a 2nd PCRA ... which had been denied. I became involved as counsel of record to appeal the 2nd PCRA Petition to the Superior Court of PA. After countless hours spent on research and writitng, I filed a brief arguing that the lower court erred in denying my client a new trial. The Commownealth responded in a brief claiming we were wrong and the cilent shoudl not get any relief. The Superior Court ultimately decided favorably for my client by reversing the trial court and granting us a new hearing. At the hearing, we have a chance to have my client's conviction reversed and a new trial granted. This was hopefully the first of many victories in our battle for justice.

Violent crime

Com. v. R.K.

May 01, 2017

OUTCOME: successful non-trial disposition

Client charged with 1st degree murder, 3 counts of attempted murder, and related charges for a shooting in West Philadelphia that resulted in the death of an 81 year old man and left a 69 year old man ... injured. After 3 hung juries over a 5 year period, the case was set to begin trial #4 this week. On the morning on jury selection, I was able to negotiate a plea for a time served sentence without a probationary tail. With 5 years of pretrial confinement credited to the sentence, my client has served his minimum and is immediately eligible for parole.. This resolution protected my client from the risk of a mandatory life without parole prison sentence and guaranteed his release from prison with an exciting future with friends and family. Although I firmly believe that every case should first be reviewed with the intent to resolve at trial, the best interests of my clients are sometimes better met by a favorable non-trial resolution.

Criminal defense

Com. v. J.H.

Apr 10, 2017

OUTCOME: all charges dismissed by the Commonwealth

Client charged with numerous sections of VUFA -- firearms act violations. Police officers initiated a vehicle stop and observe my client discard a firearm into a bush before the police detain him. Th ... e firearm is recovered. Following a suppression motion based on 4th Amendment violations, the Court suppressed all the evidence recovered by the officers, including the firearm. The Court entered a finding that the officers were not credible and engaged in a pretextual detention of my client unsupported by probable cause. The Commonwealth dismissed the charges following the Court's decision on the motion.

Criminal defense

Commonwealth v. B.G.

Jan 27, 2017

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

Client charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person -- §6105 of Uniform Firearm Act. Police responded to numerous reports of a shooting in West Philadelphia. One anonymous caller direc ... ted police to stop 2 men who put an assault style rifle inside a specific house on the block. Ultimately, the police obtained a search warrant and located the firearm inside the 1st floor of the residence. My client resided in the basement of the residence that had been converted into a separate apartment unit. Following a 3 day trial, the jurors found both my client and the co-defendant not guilty.

Criminal defense

Commonwealth v. E.A.

May 17, 2016

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

The Commonwealth charged my client with aggravated assault and related charges for allegedly stabbing another person during a fight. Despite the testimony of two eye witnesses and a few police officer ... s, my client was found not guilty through the trial process.

Criminal defense

Com v. A.M.

Nov 18, 2015

OUTCOME: suppression motion granted

My client was charged with possession of a controlled substance following an alleged drug transaction. The officers arrested my client after observing him allegedly hand money to the driver of a car p ... arked in a parking lot of a fast food retaurant. The driver handed a white bag to my client after receiving the money. The officers searched and recovered a bottle of prescription pills from my client at the time of arrest. Believing that a violation of my client's rights had occurred, I argued a pretrial motion to suppress due to an illegal search. The Court agreed with my position and suppressed (excluded the use of the pills) the drugs and the case was dismissed.

Criminal defense

Com v. O.M.

Nov 18, 2015

OUTCOME: charges dismissed - motion for mistrial granted

My client was arrested for DUI and related charges following an accident wherein he flipped his vehicle and left the scene prior to the arrival of the police. After his arrest, the police also charged ... my client with refusing to submit to chemical testing, which carries certain penalties in addition to the DUI penalties. At trial, the Commonwealth failed to produce a sufficient level of evidence to support the DUI and refusal charges. Ultimately, the Court dismissed the charges against my client by granting my motion for mistrial due to the misconduct of the Commonwealth during closing arguments.

Criminal defense

Com v. R.K.

Nov 09, 2015

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

My client was charged with 2 counts of attempted murder and related charged for allegedly shooting 2 individuals in Philadelphia. Despite the evidence/testimony of both victims, who identified my clie ... nt on numerous occasions, the jury returned verdicts of not guilty on each and every charge after deliberating for less than 1 hour.

Criminal defense

Com v. R.J.

Aug 06, 2015

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

The defendant was arrested and charged with crimes for allegedly participating in a drug distribution organization. The narcotics officers conducted a 2 month investigation focused on a particular res ... idence located in Central Philadelphia used to conduct the sale of PCP. After a series of successful controlled drug purchases using a confidential informant, the Police Department executed a search warrant on the residence, which yielded a large amount of PCP, marijuana, and multiple loaded firearms. The defendant was arrested running towards the rear of the house allegedly wearing a lanyard around his neck with a set of keys to the residence and drugs in his pocket. Despite the efforts by the Commonwealth to convict my client, a jury returned a verdict of not guilty on all charges after deliberating less than 1 hour.

Criminal defense

Com v. G. J.

Jun 02, 2015

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

Client arrested by police and charged with PWID, criminal conspiracy, and possession of a controlled substance. Police allegedly observed hand to hand trasaction between client and buyer. Client call ... s a 3rd party using a cell phone he had in his pocket to meet outside of a hotel. Police observe client hand money to 3rd party and then walk over to buyer and pass small objects. The buyer is stopped with 1 packet of crack and a pipe. Client is stopped with nothing, including the missing cell phone he allegedly used to contact the seller.

Mark Aaron Hinrichs's Legal Cases (16)

Com v. R.O.

Com. v. R.K.

Com. v. J.H.

Commonwealth v. B.G.

Commonwealth v. E.A.

Com v. A.M.

Com v. O.M.

Com v. R.K.

Com v. R.J.

Com v. G. J.