Notable Cases
With decades of experience defending those facing criminal charges in San Antonio and the surrounding areas of Texas, the attorneys of Goldstein & Orr have fearlessly tackled a wide range of cases. Some of these have garnered media attention and even impacted future cases in courtrooms across Texas. Gerry Goldstein and the team of attorneys at Goldstein & Orr have shown their dedication to justice even in the face of stressful media attention and high stakes.
The public eye has turned to cases related to Goldstein & Orr in several instances, giving the firm a respectable reputation as one of the leading sources of legal counsel in the State. The details of some of these incidents are outlined here on our website.
High Profile Cases
Vernon “Trey” Farthing III
exonerated of federal bribery and money laundering charges
Businessman Trey Farthing was unwittingly caught up in a bribery scheme by former Texas State Senator Carlos Uresti and former County Judge Jimmy Galindo. Farthing faced up to 25 years in prison for unknowingly participating in the scheme, but with the help of Gerald “Gerry” Goldstein, Cynthia Orr, John Torrey Hunter, and Abasi Daudi Major of Goldstein Goldstein Hilley &Orr, he was exonerated of all charges.
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“Jury acquits Uresti co-defendant in bribery case” San Antonio Express-News. 10 November 2018
Michael Morton
exonerated of murder charge
with attorney Goldstein.
Ralph Barrera
Gerry Goldstein, for the Defense Williamson County resident Michael Morton, was acquitted of charges of murdering his wife. Mr. Morton had already served 25 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted, partially brought about by misconduct on the part of the Prosecutor presiding over the case.
- “Texas Man Freed After Serving Nearly 25 Years for Murdering His Wife That New DNA Evidence Shows He Didn’t Commit.” Innocence Project [Austin] 4 October 2011.
- “Ex-Texas Prosecutor First in History to be Jailed for Withholding Evidence“. NBC News. 8 November 2013.
- Smith, Jordan. “Morton Prosecutor Wrote the Book on Crime.” Austin Chronicle. 18 November 2011.
Cameron Todd Willingham
pursuing posthumous pardon of arson and murder charges
pursuit of posthumous pardon.
American-Statesman, Rodolfo Gonzalez
Nine of the nation’s top fire scientists and the Texas Forensic Science Commission concluded that the original investigation was severely flawed. Goldstein & Orr has worked with the Innocence Project and other legal minds to petition for a posthumous pardon for Cameron Todd Willingham who was executed in 2004 for the murder of his 3 children in a house fire.
- Turner, Allan. “Innocence Project sues to clear executed Corsicana man“. Houston Chronicle. 27 September 2010.
- “Cameron Todd Willingham: Wrongfully Convicted and Executed in Texas“. The Innocence Project.
- Tomlinson, Chris. “Family Seeks Pardon Review For Executed Texas Man“. CNS News. 24 October 2012.
Hannah Overton
wrongfully convicted of murder
Raley and Orr.
On September 17, 2014, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Hannah Overton’s capital murder conviction. In 2006, Overton was given a life sentence for the death of her soon-to-be adopted 6-year-old son over salt poisoning. Overton’s appellate team included distinguished attorneys Cynthia Hujar-Orr, Gerry Goldstein, and John Raley.
- “Overton Wins Appeal in Capital Murder Case.” Corpus Christi Caller Times. 17 September 2014.
- “Until Innocent: The Hannah Overton Story.” Documentary Trailer. P&R Productions. 5 April 2014.
- “Murder or Medical Mystery? Hannah Overton’s Story.” Katie: Talk that Matters. 15 October 2012.
- Chang, Juju. “Texas Mom Convicted in Salt Poisoning Death Back in Court, Hopes to Be Freed.” ABC News. 27 April 2012.
- Colloff, Pamela. “Hannah’s Prayer” Texas Monthly. June 2012.
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
first and fourth amendment rights violations
leaves courthouse.
Gerry Goldstein served as lead counsel for defense team of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after their West Texas compound was raided by police in 2008. The defense challenged the probable cause given by the prosecution, the manner in which evidence was taken, and further argued that the church members had a constitutional right to their faith and privacy.
- Scharrer, Gary. “Sect’s attorney, state agree to Eldorado probe details“. Houston Chronicle. 9 April 2008.
- “More details released on FLDS compound raid“. KSL. 10 April 2008.
- Kovach, Gretel C. “Raid on Sect’s Temple Detailed“. NY Times. 11 April 2008.
Published Cases
Gerry Goldstein
- United States v. Leon, No. 82-1771, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 468 U.S. 897; 104 S. Ct. 3405; 82 L. Ed. 2d 677; 1984 U.S. LEXIS 153; 52 U.S.L.W. 5155, January 17, 1984, Argued, July 5, 1984, Decided, Petition for Rehearing Denied September 18, 1984
… et al. by Gerald H. Goldstein and Marvin Miller.Briefs of … - United States v. Karo, No. 83-850, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 468 U.S. 705; 104 S. Ct. 3296; 82 L. Ed. 2d 530; 1984 U.S. LEXIS 148; 52 U.S.L.W. 5102, April 25, 1984, Argued, July 3, 1984, Decided, Petition for Rehearing Denied September 18, 1984
… for respondent Rhodes. ** Gerald H. Goldstein filed a brief … - Barefoot v. Estelle, No. 82-6080, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES , 463 U.S. 880; 103 S. Ct. 3383; 77 L. Ed. 2d 1090; 1983 U.S. LEXIS 110; 51 U.S.L.W. 5189; 13 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. (Callaghan) 449, April 26, 1983, Argued, July 6, 1983, Decided
… Bar Association; by Gerald H. Goldstein, Maury Maverick, and Burt … - NLRB v. Yeshiva University, No. 78-857, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 444 U.S. 672; 100 S. Ct. 856; 63 L. Ed. 2d 115; 1980 U.S. LEXIS 25; 87 Lab. Cas. (CCH) P11,819; 103 L.R.R.M. 2526, October 10, 1979, Argued, February 20, 1980, Decided ** Together with No. 78-997, Yeshiva University Faculty Assn. v. Yeshiva University, also on certiorari to the same court.
… Kramer, Mark L. Goldstein, and Gerald A. Bodner. + + Briefs of …
Click on the following link to see a full list of Gerry’s Greatest Hits.
Gerald Goldstein and Cynthia Orr
- Moreno-Gonzalez vs. U.S., No. 07-400 in the Supreme Court of the United States. Certiorari granted. Judgment vacated and case remanded for further reconsideration in light of Cuellar vs. U.S., 553 U.S. ___ (2008).
- U.S. vs. Moreno-Gonzalez, No. 05-14475 in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Affirmed in part, vacated in part and remanded in part. (Sept. 25, 2008)
- State of Texas vs. Julian Hernandez, No. 89-CR-3036-B (Bexar County, Texas) [death penalty case was settled for aggravated assault]
- State of Texas vs. Powell, No. 911,524 (Travis County, Texas) [capital case-reversed]
- State of Texas vs. Heredia No. 90-CR-6371 (Bexar County, Texas) [conspiracy to commit solicitation of capital murder – dismissed]
- State of Texas vs. Armstrong, No. 92-CR-6425 (Bexar County, Texas) [acquitted of capital murder, convicted of simple murder]
- U.S. vs. Wilder, 15 F.3d 1292 (5th Cir. 1994) [No. 92-4790, won appeal of bank fraud case]
- U.S. vs. B.B., No. 5:93-CR-056-C in the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock Division [insurance fraud case, prevented indictment]
- In re Grand Jury Proceedings, No. SA-94-CR-69 [bankruptcy fraud case, prevented indictment]
- U.S. v. Martin, No. SA-95-CR-059 in the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division [settled major insurance fraud case for two year sentence]
- Mauldin vs. Coats, 1989 WL 139110 (Tex.App.-Tyler 1989) [organized crime case-reversed]
- U.S. v. Richter, No. 2:97-CR-20048-001 in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. v. P.L., in the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division (insurance fraud case, prevented indictment)
- U.S. v. White, 258 F.3d 374 (5th Cir. 2001) [reversal of conviction for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence] in essence – the Fifth Circuit held that pointing a weapon at your wife does not constitute a crime of domestic violence under Federal law
- U.S. vs. B.W., in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division (antitrust case, avoided indictment and kept fine under $1 million dollars)
Cynthia Orr
- In re Zapata, No. 01-CR-3607-W1 [State of Texas v. Zapata, Cause No. 2001-CR-3607 in the 290th Judicial District Court, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas] – Court of Criminal Appeals set trial court judgment aside. (October 2007) Case returned to 290th where negotiations resulted in defendant being released. (January 2008)
Van G. Hilley
- Dickerson, et al. vs. U.S., Cause No. 5:99-CV-0001-JRN [judgement on behalf of plaintiff for $44,717,681.00]
- Rodriguez, also known as Linda Rodriguez Mata, 142 F.3d 242 [reversal of 26 year prison sentence]
- U.S. vs. Meissner, No. SA-81-CR-102(3) [acquittal of conspiracy to possess narcotics]
- State of Texas vs. O’Connor, Cause No. 1983-CR-0906 [acquittal of murder charge]
- State of Texas vs. Weatherman, Cause No. 3048 [acquittal of perjury charges]
- State of Texas vs. Mendoza, Cause No. 030222 [suppressed 240 pounds of marijuana]
Cynthia Orr
- Obtained the first Confession of Error by the State of Texas in a death penalty case, Miguel Angel Martinez vs. Gary Johnson, No. L-98-37 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division, underlying case – State of Texas vs. Miguel Angel Martinez, Cause No. K-91-294-D3 in the 341st Judicial District Court, Webb County, Laredo, Texas
- State vs. Moreno, No. 90-CR-6371 (Bexar County, Texas) [not guilty, acquitted of murder]
- Ex parte Cathcart, No. 04-98-00231-CR (Bexar County, Texas) [intoxication assault, dismissed on appeal]
