After being charged with the 2013 murder of Santa Clara County paramedic Quinn Boyer, Christian Burton has received a mistrial. The jury spent five days deliberating about the teen and were split 7-5 in favor of conviction, even after Burton confessed to the murder.
Attorney Castillo, who represented Burton, presented a false confession defense. He indicated that Burton’s confession was unconvincing due to his low IQ and the low credibility of the other teen co-conspirators. Castillo also established that someone other than Burton was involved in the homicide. The independent witness involved in the case described the shooter to be wearing clothes that matched those worn by 15 year-old Nazhee Flowers, not Burton.
By highlighting these facts, Castillo was able to create reasonable doubt within the jury. Jurors shared some of the other reasons they doubted Burton’s guilt, such as the lack of his fingerprints in the getaway car, video evidence that showed Burton wasn’t involved in a carjacking 45 minutes before Boyer’s death, and the fact that Burton’s confession didn’t align with the other confessions.
The six teens involved ranged from 13 to 16 at the time of the murder. The three teens that pleaded guilty as accomplices to murder in juvenile court will have sentences ending before they are 25. Burton faced the possibility of life in prison without parole. Castillo’s dedication and excellent defense has given Burton the opportunity to be judged fairly and avoiding crime convictions he doesn’t deserve.
If you have been charged unfairly for a crime and need an experienced and successful criminal defense attorney, contact The Castillo Law Office at (510) 894-6626 to share the details of your case or fill out our online form.