David Samir Saliba

In 2007, I was charged in federal court and had attorney David Saliba appointed to represent me by the United States District Court. I maintained my innocence throughout the case and believed that the evidence in the government's possession supported my position. While I was incarcerated awaiting tr...ial, Mr. Saliba provided me with discovery materials, including statements and proffers from co-defendants, information concerning wiretaps, and other evidence related to the government's investigation. Based on the evidence I reviewed, I believed there were witnesses and information that could establish that I was not involved in the conspiracy for which I was being prosecuted. Mr. Saliba initially appeared to agree with my position. He discussed witnesses who, in my view, were important to establishing my innocence, and I believed he intended to call them at trial. However, during the trial, one of the co-defendants who testified against me was allowed to use the discovery materials I had received while incarcerated. That co-defendant testified that he felt threatened because I possessed those materials in the jail. I believe this testimony seriously damaged my defense because evidence that I had understood to be part of my defense was instead used against me. I was also deeply troubled by what occurred concerning several key witnesses. According to my understanding at the time, these witnesses had been involved in providing information that helped create the government's case and had subsequently recanted or provided information that could have supported my defense. I believed their testimony was critical to establishing my innocence and challenging the government's conspiracy allegations. Despite my belief that these witnesses could have significantly changed the outcome of the trial, Mr. Saliba ultimately did not call them. I was particularly disturbed by my understanding that he had met with the Assistant United States Attorney over lunch and that, following that meeting, he decided not to call these witnesses. From my perspective, this decision was devastating because I believed those witnesses possessed information that could have directly challenged the government's case. The most troubling part of my experience occurred during jury deliberations. My understanding is that the jury ultimately returned a verdict involving a charge that was different from the charge for which I believed I had been indicted and tried. I did not understand how the jury could reach that result, and I felt that my attorney failed to adequately challenge or object to what was happening. I was ultimately sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. I have lived with the consequences of that conviction ever since. I continue to maintain that I was innocent of the crime for which I was prosecuted, and I believe that the handling of my defense prevented the jury from hearing critical evidence that could have supported my innocence. My experience with David Saliba left me deeply dissatisfied with his representation. I believe anyone considering hiring him should thoroughly investigate his record, understand exactly how he intends to handle their case, independently review the evidence, and make sure that important decisions concerning witnesses, evidence, objections, and the defense strategy are clearly explained and documented. This is my account of my experience and my understanding of what occurred during my federal prosecution. I believe the events surrounding my trial deserve serious examination because the consequences were life-changing: I lost 15 years of my life to federal imprisonment while continuing to maintain that I was innocent. This guy should be barred from practicing Law dont hire him.