Notable Cases defended by Criminal Defense Attorneys
J. Dean Keegan and
Thomas D. S. Farnsworth
September 2009, Third Offense (felony) OWI Aquittal
Johnson County No. OWCR083868- Iowa City, Iowa
Attorney Dean Keegan's client was aquitted after a jury trial in which Mr. Keegan called an expert witness who, after analyzing the audio of the squad car video, showed that the Defendant's car was not running when he was approached by the officers. The jury aquitted the Defendant.
April 2009, Second Offense OWI Dismissed
Muscatine County No. OWCR040280 - Muscatine, Iowa
After Attorney Dean Keegan scheduled the deposition of the State's expert witness in this case, he learned that the breath test was inappropriately administered by the arresting officer. The State dismissed the offense outright and agreed that the breath test result should be inadmissible so the Defendant would not face the proposed one year administrative revocation of her driver's license.
March 2009, OWI Driver's License Revocation Overturned
Iowa Dept. of Inspection and Appeals Docket No. 08DOTOW4036
Attorney Dean Keegan's client faced a year long administrative revocation for OWI test failure. He successfully challenged the revocation on the basis that the officer failed to offer the test to his client within the two hour requirement.
March 2009, Zero Tolerance Driver's License Revocation Overturned
Iowa Dept. of Inspection and Appeals Docket No. 08DOTOW3937
Attorney J. Dean Keegan sucessfully challenged a "Zero Tolerance" license revocation on the basis that the officer had failed to allow the driver to contact a family member or attorney for legal advice before submitting to the test.
January 2009, Vehicular Homicide Dismissed
Muscatine County No. FECR03718 - Muscatine,Iowa
If convicted of the vehicular homicide while intoxicated, as alleged in this case, the Defendant would have faced the possibility of a 25 year prison sentence, 17 years of which would have to be served before he would be eligible for parole. Following the depositions of the investigating officer and consultation with an accident reconstruction expert, Attorneys J. Dean Keegan and Jerry Kinnamon negotiated the dismissal of Vehicular Homicide as part of a plea in which the Defendant entered a plea to the lesser offenses of Driving While Revoked and Leaving the Scene of a Fatality Accident. The Defendant was ulitmately sentenced to serve six months in jail with work release and a three year probationary period.
January 2009, OWI Dismissed
Johnson County No. OWCR083001 - Iowa City, Iowa
Attorney J. Dean Keegan alleged that the Defendant's rights to contact a lawyer or family member may have been violated after his arrest. He requested video of the breath test from the arresting officer to support his allegation. When the officer failed to produce the video evidence in response written requests, a subpoena, and a Motion to Compel, the State conceded the issue and dismissed the offense.
December 2008, Third Offense OWI (felony) Reduced to Simple Misdemeanor and License Revocation Overturned
Johnson County No. OWCR084261 - Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa Dept. of Inspection and Appeals Docket No. 08DOTOW2471
The Defendant in this case was approached by officers while in his car. The radio was on but the engine was not running. Attorney Thomas D. S. Farnsworth challenged the OWI on the basis that the Defendant was not operating the vehicle. He negotiated an agreement in which Defendant entered a plea to a simple misdemeanor, Public Intoxication. Using the same arguement, the two year administrative driver's license revocation for OWI test refusal was overturned and the Defendant was not subject to a driver's license revocation of any kind in connection with this case.
May 2008, Assault Causing Bodily Injury Dismissed
Johnson County No. SRCR 080565- Iowa City, Iowa
The Defendant in this case was charged with assault causing bodily injury. The charged stemmed from a typical "she said/he said" situation. Thomas D.S. Farnsworth successfully impugned the credibility of the State's witness and also located additional witness which the State could not produce. The State dismissed and stating "The Defense located a witness who was present during the time of the alleged assault... The State acknowledges that her testimony could create reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant."
April 2008, Illegal Hunting
Louisa County, No SMSM031446-8- Wapello, Iowa
Acquittal at jury trial of a defendant accused hunting with an illegal high powered rifle, hunting without a license, and hunting without deer tags. The acquittal resulted in the return of all of the property seized from the Defendant. Tried by Attorney Thomas D. S. Farnsworth
April 2008, OWI, Aquittal at Jury Trial
Johnson County No. OWCR080952 - Iowa City, Iowa
Acquittal at jury trial of a defendant accused of Operating While Intoxicated who refused a breath alcohol test. Tried by Attorney Thomas D. S. Farnsworth.
April 2008, Felony Criminal Mischief amended to Simple Misdemeanor Trespass
Poweshiek County No. FECR 009832 - Montezuma, Iowa
Attorney Thomas D.S. Farnsworth successfully negotiated a felony criminal mischief charge which carried a maximum term of incarceration of five years down to a simple misdemeanor trespass charge, the same level of offense as a routine traffic citation. The State alleged that Defendant operated a motor vehicle after a night of drinking that caused nearly $2500.00 in property damage. At the conclusion of depositions Thomas D.S. Farnsworth demonstrated to the State that their witness was too intoxicated to identify his client as the driver.
November 2007, OWI Dismissed
Johnson County No. OWCR079580- Iowa City, Iowa
Attorney Thomas D.S. Farnsworth filed a motion to suppress the probable grounds of the stop of defendant's vehicle. The State argued that the police had probable grounds to stop the Defendant's vehicle because his headlights were off. Attorney Thomas D.S. Farnsworth discovered through the officer's squad car video that the lights were indeed on. Attorney Thomas D.S. Farnsworth hired an expert who provided testimony in favor of the Defendant. The case was dismissed despite Defendants blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .097.
October 2007, OWI, Aquittal at Jury Trial
Johnson County No. OWCR077717- Iowa City, Iowa
Acquittal at jury trial of a defendant accused of Operating While Intoxicated who refused a breath alcohol test. Tried by Attorney J, Dean Keegan.
March 2003, OWI, Challenged the Use of the Datamaster Breath Testing Device in Iowa
State v. Hornik, Segura, et. al. Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
When the state of Iowa established that the Datamaster breath testing machine could be used to test subjects being investigated for OWI, it failed to establish a protocol for its proper use. Attorney J. Dean Keegan, in conjunction with the Johnson County Public Defender's Office, mounted a challenge to the use of the machine based on the lack of uniform instructions for its operation. A ruling issued by the Johnson County District Court in response to the Motion to Suppress filed by Attorney Keegan and the Public Defender rendered any breath test result from the Datamaster machine instrument inadmissible as evidence. Even though ultimately overturned by the Iowa Supreme Court, this ruling led criminal defense attorneys across the State of Iowa to mount challenges to the legitimacy of breath tests in OWI cases and forced the state of Iowa to adopt an emergency rule to ensure that officers were using the instrument correctly and uniformly.
Media regarding the Datamaster Case
http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2003/04/15/Metro/Owi-Trials.Wait.For.Review.Of.Ruling-417923.shtml
February 2003, Embezzlement Investigation Results in No Criminal Charges Filed
Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa
An employee of a Cedar Rapids business accused of embezzling six million dollars was not charged criminally after the County Attorney agreed to abide by an agreement negotiated by Attorneys J. Dean Keegan and Jerald Kinnamon in which the accused would pay two million dollars to the company.
December 2002, Vehicular Homicide- Supression of Blood Sample Drawn Without the Defendant's Consent
Johnson County No. FECR058630- Iowa City, Iowa
Attorneys J. Dean Keegan and Jerald W. Kinnamon successfully challenged the withdrawal of blood from a Defendant without his permission after a rollover accident in which a passenger in the vehicle was killed.
April 1996, OWI, Drug-Related- Challeged DRE Protocols
Johnson County No. OWCR039210, Iowa City,Iowa
Attorney J. Dean Keegan conducted a three-day long suppression hearing which presented the first challenge to the "Drug Recognition Protocols" used in Iowa.
If you've been charged with a criminal offense in Iowa call 319-887-6900 or e-mail us to schedule your free initial consultation. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30-5:30. We accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card.
J. Dean Keegan, Attorney at Law
Iowa City Office
103 East College Street
Suite 312
Iowa City, IA 52240
Telephone: 319-887-6900 | Fax: 319-688-2754
Map and Directions to Iowa City Office
Cedar Rapids Office
425 2nd St. SE
Suite 1250
Cedar Rapids IA 52406
Telephone: 319-364-6000 | Fax: 319-688-2754
Map and Directions to Cedar Rapids office
