Renowned
Criminal Defense Attorney Patrick Megaro wins post-conviction relief for
client
New
Jersey, (June 2018) Halscott
Megaro PA announced that attorney Patrick Megaro has won a Post-Conviction Relief
Petition for his client Altariq Coursey. Mr. Coursey was charged on September
24, 2012, by an Essex County grand jury and was convicted after a jury trial
and sentenced to 22 years with 11 of those years’ ineligibility for
parole.
Once Mr.
Coursey was sentenced, Patrick Megaro, Esq. field an appeal on his client’s
behalf. However, the New Jersey
Appellate Division affirmed the conviction, but noted that Mr. Coursey could
challenge his conviction with a Petition for Post-Conviction Relief on the grounds
of ineffective assistance of counsel.
Mr. Megaro
filed a Petition for Post-Conviction Relief in the Essex County Superior Court
in 2016. Mr. Megaro reviewed the case
and stated “Mr. Coursey’s prior attorney committed several unprofessional
errors, that had they been corrected at the time of the trial there is
reasonable probability, that the result of the proceeding would have been
different.”
On June 4,
2016, the Essex County Superior Court granted post-conviction relief, and
ordered the State to give Altariq Coursey a new trial, tossing out his
convictions.
Mr. Megaro went
on to add, “we are very pleased with the decision from the Superior Court of
New Jersey. They considered our petition for Post-Conviction Relief and it was
GRANTED.”
The
term Post-Conviction Relief refers to a law or court rule that allows a collateral
challenge to a judgment of conviction which has otherwise become final
in the normal appellate review process. Post-conviction relief is
governed by federal and state laws, which vary by state, and may be used to
preclude state or federal habeas corpus.
Attorney Patrick Megaro received both his Bachelor's
Degree and Law Degree from Hofstra University. He is also the recipient of the
Leon Stern Award (2002). Mr. Megaro has
had several articles published and has made numerous appearances on national
media such as the “Today Show” and “Happening Now” on the Fox News Channel.
