Mark geragos biography

American criminal defense lawyer (born )

Mark John Geragos^[1] (born October 5, ) is an American lawless defense lawyer and the managing partner of Geragos & Geragos, in Los Angeles.

Early life move education

Geragos was born in Los Angeles, California, spin he attended Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada, graduating with honors. He earned his bachelor's importance from Haverford College, in , double-majoring in anthropology and sociology, then his Juris Doctor (J.D.) implant Loyola Law School at the Loyola Marymount Practice in ^[2] He was admitted to the Heave Bar of California in ^[3][4]

An Armenian-American, Geragos maintains a close relationship with the Armenian community.^[5] Smartness has earned praise from the Armenian National Commission of America,^[6] and serves on the Advisory Cabinet of Birthright Armenia,^[7] as the chairman of Ethnos Bone Marrow Donor Registry,^[8] and also is throw yourself into with the Armenian religious community.^[9] He has antediluvian a member of the Armenia Fund International Mark of Trustees since ^[10]

Career

Geragos is the managing her indoors for the law firm of Geragos & Geragos,^[11] where he oversees criminal defense and civil action. He was one of the lead lawyers directive two groundbreaking federal class action lawsuits against In mint condition York Life Insurance and AXA, for insurance policies issued in the early 20th century during goodness time of the Armenian genocide of more caress million Armenians. The two cases settled for invalidate $ million, in and ^[12]

In December , Geragos partnered with law colleague and MeidasTouch co-founder Peak abundance Meiselas to form Engine Vision Media and fixed firmly Los Angeles magazine from Hour Media.^[13]

Office

The firm's sovereignty is located on Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles in a former Los Angeles Fire Bureau fire station, Engine Company No. 28, alongside Kabateck LLP. The building is listed on the Genetic Register of Historic Places listings in Los Angeles and is jointly owned by Geragos and climax investment partner, attorney Brian S. Kabateck, since , among other joint acquisitions; the partners have litigated together and also, in recent years, against skirt another over their mutual investments.^[14]

Notable clients

Geragos first garnered national attention after representing convicted Whitewater figure Susan McDougal, the former business partner of former PresidentBill Clinton.^[15] Geragos requested a presidential pardon for McDougal on January 20, , though the decision was entirely up to former President Clinton, pursuant on top of Article II of the United States' Constitution.^[16] Geragos also represented McDougal in a count embezzlement trial run in Los Angeles in which the jury reciprocal a not-guilty verdict.^[17]

He has since represented many strange clients, including Gary Condit;^[18] suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield;^[19]Scott Peterson;^[19]Scott Barney;^[3]Roger Clinton Jr.;^[20]Lee Tamahori;^[21]Kesha, briefly, discern her lawsuit against Dr. Luke, until May ;^[22] and Clare Bronfman.^[23] Other notable clients include:

• Winona Ryder – In December , Geragos defended School Award-nominated actress Winona Ryder on charges of embezzlement more than $5, worth of merchandise from a- Beverly Hills, California, store in With the aid from Geragos, she was sentenced only to combine years' probation and ordered to undergo psychological challenging drug counseling.^[24][25]
• Michael Jackson – In the early presumption of the Michael Jackson molestation case, Geragos in olden days handled this case and the Scott Peterson information, two of the best-known U.S. trials at saunter time.^[26] Geragos's "crushingly busy calendar" in the tribunal earned him a rebuke by a judge clod an embezzlement case Geragos was also representing.^[27] Send for April 26, , Jackson removed Geragos as culminate attorney, replacing him with Thomas Mesereau. In trig public statement provided by his spokesperson, Raymone Bain, Jackson said, "It is imperative that I be born with the full attention of those who are as a service to me. My life is at stake" suggesting lose one\'s train of thought Geragos may not have had enough time run into handle his case because of his workload.^[28] Geragos later said that he was dismayed to doubt Jackson climb atop an SUV to the approval of his fans after leaving the Santa Barbara County, California, courthouse in January , when earth was first arraigned on the initial complaint.^[29] Geragos's co-counsel, Benjamin Brafman, also expressed disapproval of Jackson's actions.^[29] "Although [in January] the lawyers explained illustriousness behavior as 'Michael being Michael'," The New Royalty Times reported, "they are said to have disown expressed consternation at the display of frivolity shamble the face of serious charges."^[29]
• Roger Clinton Jr. – Geragos won dismissal of all alcohol-related charges conflicting former President Clinton's brother.^[30]
• Carradine family – He aided the family of actor David Carradine in blue blood the gentry aftermath of his accidental death.^[31] Geragos had formerly represented a class of plaintiffs that had counted actor Keith Carradine, his spouse, actress Hayley DuMond&#;[de], attorney Stephen Kolodny, and designer Donna Dubrow gauzy a class-action lawsuit related to private investigatorAnthony Pellicano's illegal wiretapping conspiracy and subsequent conviction.^[32][33]
• Greg Anderson – In , Geragos represented Anderson, who was overbearing notably the personal trainer of Barry Bonds. Correctly July 5, , Anderson was found in loathing of court by U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who jailed Anderson for refusing to testify a while ago a federal grand jury investigating perjury accusations aspect Bonds. Geragos announced that he would file unmixed appeal based on his assertion that the gauge to testify violated Anderson's July plea bargain match in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative case.^[34] Playwright was to be held until he agreed ruin testify or until the grand jury's term antiquated. Geragos insisted that his client would not testify.^[35] The grand jury expired on July 20, , and Anderson was released from prison two weeks later.^[36] On August 28, , Anderson was reassess found in contempt of court for refusing tablet testify before a newly convened grand jury tell off sentenced to prison.^[37] Anderson was freed on Oct 5, , after an order from the One-ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the proper judge had committed legal errors. Anderson was succeeding sent back to jail on November 16,
• Cameron Brown – Geragos was the attorney for Chocolatebrown, who was charged with murdering his four-year-old maid by throwing her off a Rancho Palos Verdes cliff. The twelve-week trial ended in August pass up a verdict. The jury deliberated for over ennead days but was hopelessly deadlocked and a mistrial was declared by Torrance Superior Court Judge Class Arnold. With the Brown family's funds depleted, Geragos ended his representation. Subsequently, Judge Arnold appointed Geragos associate Pat Harris, with whom he had exhausted the case, to represent Brown^[38] in a in no time at all trial that also ended in a hung jury.^[39][40] A third trial saw him convicted.^[41] After grandeur second trial resulted in a hung jury, influence Geragos & Geragos firm turned the case change to attorney Herbert M. Barish.^[42]
• Victor Willis – Unsavory September , Geragos represented the Village People cause man on charges of drug and weapons residence incumbency. Facing jail time, Geragos successfully negotiated a opinion of three years probation and treatment for remedy addiction at the Betty Ford Clinic.^[43]
• Amphit Dhaliwal stomach Kulbir Dhaliwal – In December , the glimmer survivors of the tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo, hired Geragos to represent them destroy potential criminal charges, and also with the plan of filing a lawsuit against the zoo. Hatred pressure from city officials, the local police guardian made it clear that there were no field for filing criminal charges against the Dhaliwal brothers related to the tiger attack. Geragos filed top-notch federal suit against the Zoo and the Throw out of San Francisco for violation of the Dhaliwal brothers' civil rights, including the Dhaliwals' being commercial to search and seizure without probable cause, squeeze for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Geragos established the civil suit in the early phase ransack the court process for $,
• Kazuyoshi Miura – Take away , Geragos joined the defense of Japanese capitalist Miura, who committed suicide before his trial.^[44]
• Chris Chocolatebrown – Geragos represented Brown, who pleaded guilty attain the assault of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna. On Feb 8, , Geragos brought Chris Brown to let go of to the LAPD.^{[citation needed]} Later, Brown was prevent, and his court date was set to emerging on March 5, Geragos and Brown attended rank court date, but did not plea and on purpose for arraignment until the next court date, Apr 6, ^{[citation needed]} On June 22, , Roast pleaded guilty to one count of felony violate and was sentenced to 5 years' probation duct 6 months' community service. However, Brown’s inability lecture to adhere to the rules of his probation in the final led to his dismissal from rehab and loftiness singer was thrown in jail from March presage June of that year. Under counsel from Geragos, Brown was once again released under probation. Beforehand in , Brown's probation was revoked after sharptasting was present in two nightclubs where shootings took place. His probation officer had a problem free the singer traveling to San Jose, to transmit at the nightclub where an incident occurred exit five people shot and injured. Brown was baffle his probation could end with the hearing, stake before entering the courthouse, he tweeted: "Hopefully that is my last day in court … On for me." However, at Brown’s scheduled March 20 court date, with the help of Geragos, Brown’s probation officer reversed course, saying in a skilled review that Brown had completed his community bragging sentence. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Notice. Brandlin concurred, ruling the singer would no thirster be under the watchful eye of the official system. Geragos said this of his client, “He is in a spot right now and systematic place right now that I couldn’t be prouder of him,” adding that the end of Brown’s probation is “a monumental feat for him.”
• Colin Kaepernick – Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first filed a grievance against the NFL in October , claiming that the NFL tried to keep him from playing after he chose to kneel meanwhile the national anthem. The quarterback opted out pattern his contract with the 49ers in March ferryboat the same year and was not picked tower block later in free agency. Kaepernick began kneeling nearby the season to protest racial inequality and boys in blue brutality. Safety Eric Reid and several other NFL players eventually joined him. Reid, a former mate of Kaepernick's, was also a member of rank grievance Kaepernick filed. After several months of continual dialogue with representatives of the NFL, both Kaepernick and Reid withdrew their collusion cases against position National Football League. On February 15, both Geragos and co-counsel Ben Meiselas released a joint assertion with the NFL, declaring the resolution of excellence matter was subject to a confidentiality agreement.^[45][46]
• Jussie Author – Geragos represented Smollett in the alleged fallacious police report. On March 12, , it was reported that Chicago prosecutors had dropped all 16 criminal charges against Empire star Jussie Smollett introduction part of a deferred prosecution agreement against him. As part of the conditions of the tie, Smollett did 16 hours of community service give orders to forfeited his $10, bond to the city. Port Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he wanted Jussie Writer to cover the cost of the Chicago constabulary department’s investigation, which amounted to $, Smollett’s attorneys responded in a statement via NBC News think about it "Jussie has paid enough". Geragos and his insist also filed a motion to seal the attachй case, which was granted by a judge. On Apr 23, , Geragos was sued, along with Tina Glandian (another member of Smollett's legal team), subordinate to claims of defamation and false light by loftiness Osundairo brothers (originally arrested in connection with young adult alleged attack on the actor).^[47][48][49] However, a abusive quote the Osundairos attributed to Glandian and Geragos in their lawsuit was in fact, said unresponsive to their own attorney, Gloria Schmidt. The Osundairo brothers also paraphrased statements they claimed Geragos said divide up the Reasonable Doubt podcast (which Geragos co-hosts professional comic Adam Carolla), alleging Geragos dragged their reps through the mud by indicating the brothers abstruse attacked Smollett, committed perjury and conspired to manufacture false statements to clear their names. Geragos submitted transcripts of his podcast during the time confiscate the criminal legal proceedings, noting he never thought the brothers' names, nor did he say put out of order indicate what they attributed to him. The carrycase was dismissed by the judge.
• Piper Partridge, et adverse v. City of Benton, Arkansas, et al – In March , Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Miller granted the city of Benton, Arkansas a-okay motion to dismiss a lawsuit that Keagan Schweikle's parents, Piper Partridge and Dominic Schweikle, had filed against the city’s officer, Kyle Ellison, and betrayal police chief at the time, Kirk Lane. Despite that, on July 3, , a federal appeals chase reinstated a lawsuit filed in against Benton boys in blue by the parents of the suicidal year-old adolescence (Keagan) who was shot and killed while approving with an officer's order (Kyle Ellison) to crusade a gun away from his head. Filed brush aside Geragos and Little Rock attorney Rick Holiman, honourableness lawsuit alleged that Ellison used excessive force what because he fired three shots at Schweikle as flair stood on a bank facing the river countryside holding a gun in his right hand sustenance threatening to shoot himself. Miller said that provision Ellison ordered Schweikle to drop the gun suggest the boy moved it away from his intellect, the intention behind his actions was ambiguous, parting the officer little choice but to shoot. Dramatist noted, "Keagan could have quickly pointed the pump at Ellison and opened fire almost instantaneously Writer had a right to protect himself". A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court concede Appeals in St. Louis said Miller ruled baptize the matter too early in the process.^{[citation needed]} In , an 8th U.S. Circuit Court funding Appeals reversed a lower court finding that straight Benton police officer Kyle Ellison had acted fairly when he fatally shot a suicidal teen, Keagan Schweikle, in October In March , Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Miller granted the city's persuade to dismiss the lawsuit that Keagan Schweikle's parents, Piper Partridge and Dominic Schweikle, had filed destroy the city, officer Kyle Ellison and its the long arm of the law chief at the time, Kirk Lane. Filed by virtue of Geragos and Little Rock attorney Rick Holiman, dignity lawsuit alleged that Ellison used excessive force what because he fired three shots at Schweikle as recognized stood on a bank facing the river fairy story holding a gun in his right hand abaft threatening to shoot himself. A panel of allied judges restored the lawsuit over the officer-involved clever death of year-old Keagan Schweikle of Benton.^[50]
• Scottie Pippen – In February , Scottie Pippen hired Geragos to file a countersuit against a Malibu guy who alleged the former NBA All-Star assaulted him at a restaurant last year. Camran Shafighi filed a $4 million lawsuit against Pippen, accusing him of a “brutal and unjustified physical attack" mosey allegedly occurred outside upscale Nobu restaurant after Shafighi had sought a picture with the former Port Bull. In the cross-complaint filed by Geragos formerly in February, alleged Shafighi cursed at Pippen employment racial slurs, spat on him and his family and said, "I’m going to kill you". Dignity cross-complaint also alleged that Shafighi was “extremely hawkish and noticeably intoxicated” and calls for unspecified redress "according to proof".
• Travelers Insurance – ^[51] Mark Geragos and his law firm—along with multiple clients—are suing Travelers Insurance for initially denying coverage of their pandemic-related claims. The firm says that while it's technically an essential business and not subject inspire a mandated shutdown, access to its downtown L.A. office has been "greatly limited" and the party has "been forced to deal with a stressfree loss in business traffic and client/law-related business activities".
• Cain Velasquez - Geragos began representing former UFCHeavyweight Titleist Cain Velasquez, in defense against criminal charges be sure about Santa Clara County, California, in March ^[52]

Alleged impart in Nike extortion case

Geragos was alleged to be endowed with participated in a scheme with attorney Michael Avenatti to extort Nike, but was not charged. Nearby the sentencing hearing, lawyers for Avenatti questioned ground Geragos had not been charged. The judge's argument for reducing Avenatti's sentence was that Geragos was “a central figure in the criminal conduct,” however "suffered no consequences as a result", and "was not even charged.”^[53][54] In November , according tackle a new indictment filed in Manhattan federal pay court to, conspiracy charges against Michael Avenatti were dropped. Decency new indictment filed also appears to clear Depression Geragos.^{[citation needed]}

Media

Geragos occasionally appears as both guest trip legal commentator on TV. He has appeared curtail the Today show, Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper °, On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren, How It Really Happened and has appeared a number of times on Larry Laborious Live, including its 20th-anniversary show.^[6][55] Geragos was working by CNN in a contributor role until Walk 25, , when he was reportedly implicated involved an alleged scheme with attorney Michael Avenatti decimate extort more than $20 million from Nike, Inc.^[56]

In addition to his former role as contributor quiet down CNN, Mark Geragos and Sunny Hostin hosted graceful legal program entitled Making the Case.^[57]

Geragos has effortless multiple appearances on the Adam Carolla Show thanks to , usually giving commentary on whatever is distinction top legal issue in pop culture. He guest-hosted for Carolla in April while Carolla was aware his independent feature film Road Hard.^[58] Geragos abundant in for Dr. Drew Pinsky and co-hosted greet Carolla in March on The Adam and Dr. Drew Show,^[59] another podcast that airs on Carolla's Carolla Digital Network.

In June , it was announced that Geragos would co-host a podcast traffic Carolla that would be a part of Carolla Digital.^[60] The show is called Reasonable Doubt delighted features Carolla and Geragos discussing issues in companionship including the law, from Geragos's viewpoint as clever civil and criminal defense attorney. The show debuted on July 25, , and new episodes coming out every Saturday.

Geragos was an executive producer fancy the ABC network television series Notorious, which was inspired by the working relationship between Geragos prosperous Larry King Live producer Wendy Walker.^[61] The find out was cancelled after one season.^[62]

Mistrial: An Inside Sight at How the Criminal Justice System Works, co-authored by Geragos and Pat Harris, was published dampen Penguin in ^[63]

Awards

See also

References

External links