Attorney Robert Dean Craig's Legal Cases

Criminal defense

State of North Carolina vs. George Raft Swink

Jan 01, 1999

OUTCOME: Plea to manslaughter

First degree murder case: Prosecutors in the district attorney's office formally declared Wednesday they will pursue the death penalty for George Raft Swink Jr., the Thomasville teen-ager who is accus ... ed in the murder of Linda Gauldin. Gauldin, a Thomasville newspaper carrier, was shot Thanksgiving morning as she, her husband and her daughter delivered papers. In a Rule 24 conference, which allows the state to present its reasons for pursuing capital punishment, Assistant District Attorneys Patsy Bruce and Greg Brown told Judge Larry Ford the prosecution was operating on the theories that Swink, 18, was lying in wait for the victims, that his actions consisted of malice, premeditation and deliberation and that he committed felony murder. Swink's defense team, which consists of F. Lee Bailey, best known for his defense of O.J. Simpson, and Robert Craig, a High Point attorney, told the judge they intend to show that Swink never owned or fired the gun that was allegedly used in the shooting. Bailey said Swink just moved the guns and then handed them over to sheriff's deputies when they arrived on the scene.

Criminal defense

United States vs. Jerry Golding No. 98-4281

Jan 01, 1998

OUTCOME: Conviction vacated; New trial granted

Motion to vacate sentence based on Prosecutorial misconduct. UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. ... No. 98-4281 JERRY WAYNE GOLDING, Defendant-Appellant. F. Lee Baily and I did the appeal on this matter for our client, Jerry Golding. A federal grand jury indicted Jerry Wayne Golding in July 1996, charging him in Count One with possession of a firearm by a con- victed felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and in Count Two with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon in violation of the same code section. At trial, the jury found Golding guilty of pos- session of the gun but not guilty of the ammunition. Golding appeals from both the judgment of conviction and the district court's subse- quent denial of his motion for downward departure at sentencing. We agree that the actions of the prosecutor were improper and prejudicial. Accordingly, we vacate Golding's conviction and remand this case for a new trial.

Criminal defense

State of California vs. OJ Simpson

Mar 26, 1995

OUTCOME: succeesful appeal of Judge Woods denial of enforcing the out of state subpoena

I acted as local counsel for OJ Simpson , retained by F. Lee Bailey and Johnny Cochran in connection with a subpoena issued by Judge Lance Ito to Laura Hart McKinney, a Winston Salem, NC , resident who ... was in possession of tapes referred to as the "Furman tapes". see article below However, criminal defense lawyer Robert Craig of Burlington, N.C., who is serving as local counsel for Simpson's attorneys, said Tuesday that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lance A. Ito had granted the defense request to subpoena McKinny, setting the stage for Friday's hearing. Craig, calling McKinny "a material and necessary witness," said she interviewed Fuhrman and other Los Angeles police officers about their jobs between 1985 and 1994.

Criminal defense

State of North Carolina vs. Mark Crotts

Jan 01, 1992

OUTCOME: successful Motion for Appropriate Relief granting a new trial; new trial resulted in a hung jury

Defendant was convicted of 1st degree murder and sentenced to 2 life sentences. I worked as local counsel with famed attorney F. Lee Bailey and his Partner Dan Leonard on a successful Motion for Approp ... riate relief in which a new trial was granted. The new trial with F. Lee Bailey and myself resulted in a hung jury. Ultimately, the case was retried a 3rd time in another county by Joe Cheshire and Dave Rudolph resulting in an acquittal.

Robert Dean Craig's Legal Cases (4)

State of North Carolina vs. George Raft Swink

United States vs. Jerry Golding No. 98-4281

State of California vs. OJ Simpson

State of North Carolina vs. Mark Crotts