DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #15

[facundo]

The American Institute of Legal Counsel is essentially a company that you pay to say you got awarded by them. It just reenforces my feeling that Hanover is a fraud.

As for obstruction of justice, they would have to show that justice was obstructed. Were his lies material to the investigation? I don't know. I don't know that any of us know.

Even if someone tried to make that conclusion they would have to recognize that he corrected his mistakes and admitted the lies. Tough call for a judge to conclude obstruction of justice.

 

[BellaVita]

JW must not have obstructed justice or he would be charged with a crime.
JMO

Just because he wasn't charged doesn't mean anything. Could be for many reasons there are no charges right now. It could just be prosecutorial discretion or a LE strategy. And there may never be charges. Cindy Anthony should have been charged with perjury, IMO but prosecutors chose not to. Doesn't mean she didn't commit perjury.

 

[FelicityLemon]

Even if the family sought Hanover out (which I actually don't believe) but, if they did, and if it was because of deportation issues, I would have no issue with him agreeing to represent their family member in that area, IF the issue of deportation was ever to arise in the future.

I have a major problem with him representing Wint for murder charges. I think he is doing his clients a disservice, I think he is making a mockery of the Justice system and I believe he operates with questionable ethics.

I was curious about the awards his office claims to have garnered in November of 2014 from The American Institute of Legal Counsel. When you go their miserable excuse for a website there is no evidence that Hanover was given any awards. The organization was 'founded' in 2014 and is divided into individual categories and operates out of a post office box in Paso Robles, California. If one joins

Member Benefits include:

Listing on American Institute’s Top 10 Directory;
Listing on each specific Division website;
10 Best logo in jpg and png format to display on website or any other advertising medium;
Award Plaque for office display;
Interactive Blog- allows attorneys to connect with one another, have questions answered, and network; and
Press Release documenting 10 Best to Google, Bing, and Yahoo News, 2 local papers, and 3 local television stations.​

To me, there is something fishy about the American Institute of Legal Counsel and the awarding of "awards". A name associated with it is an attorney who got his degree in Maryland and was admitted to the bar in 2002. An attorney using the same name and background actually practices law in Hawaii and seems to have immigration law as one of his specialties. (See Ohana Legal Immigration Law Firm). I am left wondering who really started that organization.

I knew that Hanover had operated a card, gift, jewelry and watch repair shoppe on Braddock Road in Fairfax, Virginia. It was listed under his HHC (Hanover Holding Co, Inc.) listings. I started to post about it, but it seemed a little too freaky so I withheld and deleted the post before anyone saw it. And, I think that he sold it in about 2013. Anyhow, too much time wasted today in anticipation of the USA Women's Soccer match in a few hours.

If Wint is not represented by a competent attorney, the appeals, the lawsuits and the grief will be endless. It isn't fair to the people who lost their lives and it isn't fair to their loved ones. IMO.

bbm

Holy cow. Website began June 2014, Hanover award five months later?

There is some seriously weird stuff going on with that lawyer's experience and work history, but it obviously doesn't bother the people who hired him for a defense to the kidnap, torture murder of four people.

I'm soooo curious as to why he was chosen.

 

[jjenny]

He is an immigration lawyer. Wint was flagged for deportation.
Family really must think Wint is in danger of being deported. He got almost no time on any of his previous crimes, so they could think he will be walking out of that jail any day now.
Anyhow, the family wanted to hire this lawyer, judge approved him. So there is no point of worrying why the family picked him. Wint could have decided to represent himself, so this guy is definitely a step up from that.

 

[FelicityLemon]

He is an immigration lawyer. Wint was flagged for deportation.
Family really must think Wint is in danger of being deported. He got almost no time on any of his previous crimes, so they could think he will be walking out of that jail any day now.
Anyhow, the family wanted to hire this lawyer, judge approved him. So there is no point of worrying why the family picked him. Wint could have decided to represent himself, so this guy is definitely a step up from that.

I'm not worried and I doubt anyone here is worried, either.

I'm curious, naturally.

 

[pinkandgreenmom]

The American Institute of Legal Counsel is essentially a company that you pay to say you got awarded by them. It just reenforces my feeling that Hanover is a fraud.

As for obstruction of justice, they would have to show that justice was obstructed. Were his lies material to the investigation? I don't know. I don't know that any of us know.

I think they are in way over their heads. Most of the associates are right out of school, and some list "traffic court" as their area of expertise. I think this is a very small potatoes law firm.

I am licensed to practice in DC and NY. I haven't practiced in 10+ years but still get a constant barrage of advertisements from entities like the American Institute of Legal Counsel saying that I, too, can be listed as a top attorney (in areas in which I never ever practiced) if I send in x amount of dollars.

 

[kammiemc]

The S family strikes me as polite and gentle...I believe they thought they would not be murdered so were cooperative (initially) until the horror story began to unfold (torture, and whatever else happened).
I can't help but think, when I hear SS on the voice mail, that his saying his 'wife was sick and at the hospital' was his disengaging from the reality of what was happening to all of them. Maybe she was already dead by morning, we don't know. What we do know is that DW was torturing the little boy to keep the father under control.
Also, for those of you who talked about the construction signs on the driveway at the S's home, they read:
Silver Spring Concrete
&
BDC
I don't know the significance, but I do know that some of you were looking at Google photos (or other photos) of the driveway and wondering what the signs read.

What's interesting is that it was said early on that the flurry of calls on Thurs AM included calls to a construction company (or contractor, can't recall the wording). But I thought that was kind of odd. Why would SS be calling a construction company to get money? Maybe it was to tell them not to come in that day?

 

[blessedlife]

He is an immigration lawyer. Wint was flagged for deportation.
Family really must think Wint is in danger of being deported. He got almost no time on any of his previous crimes, so they could think he will be walking out of that jail any day now.
Anyhow, the family wanted to hire this lawyer, judge approved him. So there is no point of worrying why the family picked him. Wint could have decided to represent himself, so this guy is definitely a step up from that.

I think DW a has much bigger problems other than deportation. Makes no sense the family hired this dog and pony show. [emoji237]


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[facundo]

He is an immigration lawyer. Wint was flagged for deportation.
Family really must think Wint is in danger of being deported. He got almost no time on any of his previous crimes, so they could think he will be walking out of that jail any day now.
Anyhow, the family wanted to hire this lawyer, judge approved him. So there is no point of worrying why the family picked him. Wint could have decided to represent himself, so this guy is definitely a step up from that.

Maybe they think he is not guilty of murder because he told them he didn't do it. They were the ones who told Ficker that he doesn't like pizza and doesn't eat it. Guess they misunderstood when he said pizza crusts.

 

[facundo]

What's interesting is that it was said early on that the flurry of calls on Thurs AM included calls to a construction company (or contractor, can't recall the wording). But I thought that was kind of odd. Why would SS be calling a construction company to get money? Maybe it was to tell them not to come in that day?

AIW works with many construction companies. He may have had an important meeting with one of them and told DW they would be looking for him. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...00af9e-ff07-11e4-8b6c-0dcce21e223d_story.html

The calls were among these people. The police record does not state that Savopoulos originated all of them.

 

[i.b.nora]

​

What's interesting is that it was said early on that the flurry of calls on Thurs AM included calls to a construction company (or contractor, can't recall the wording). But I thought that was kind of odd. Why would SS be calling a construction company to get money? Maybe it was to tell them not to come in that day?

Can you please supply a link that says flurry of calls included to a construction company? I have followed from the very beginning and have zero memory of that.

Oops, nevermind, I see it in the Washington Post article posted above:

"The documents show a flurry of phone calls among Savvas Savopoulos, a bank, an accountant, the personal assistant, a construction company executive and Savopoulos’s American Iron Works company in the hours before the fire. The calls started shortly after 7 a.m. May 14 and ended just before noon. The fire was reported at 1:15 p.m."​

 

[rkf]

Both accounts. IMO

Both accounts can't be true.

 

[rkf]

Thank-you! I'm brand new to this case, and initials drive me nuts! Just found this case because of the 20/20 show on it. Don't understand why we must use initials when the players and victims are in the news media...

I'm not sure you have to use initials, it just saves time. WELCOME!

 

[rkf]

JW must not have obstructed justice or he would be charged with a crime.
JMO

People don't always get charged when they do something for which they could be charged. JMO

 

[i.b.nora]

If Hanover had an ounce of integrity he would have told the family to contact him if and when Wint is ever released from jail.

 

[nikki80]

He is an immigration lawyer. Wint was flagged for deportation.
Family really must think Wint is in danger of being deported. He got almost no time on any of his previous crimes, so they could think he will be walking out of that jail any day now.
Anyhow, the family wanted to hire this lawyer, judge approved him. So there is no point of worrying why the family picked him. Wint could have decided to represent himself, so this guy is definitely a step up from that.

No one is worried. It's all our opinion.

 

[stmarysmead]

If this is gang-related...could this be part of a larger movement...of gang sponsored criminal activity now? For example, there have been five home invasions in Buckhead, the exclusive suburb of Atlanta since January...all with people at home.

http://www.11alive.com/story/news/l...130719/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

At least, so far, there have been no killings, but these have been armed invasions. I wonder if other wealthy suburbs outside other large cities have seen an increase in this pattern of crime?

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/another-violent-home-invasion-robbery-reported-in-/nmjDk/

"The case has striking similarities to recent robberies at two other Buckhead homes.

On May 25, two gunmen entered a $3 million mansion on Paces Ridge Road, covered residents’ heads with towels and drove one victim to an ATM to force him to withdraw cash. The robbers stole jewelry and “demanded more money by morning and threatened to harm (the) family if demands were not met,” police said at the time."

 

[rkf]

To the best of my knowledge there's no rule that only initials are permitted. The rules restrict discussion of family members but I don't see a rule against key player names posted on the first page of the thread. There is an out of date reference table of initials to guide you. It seems to be a standard practice for brevity rather than a regulation. Occasionally you will see names used. You should ask the Moderators if full names are prohibited.

I have sent the updated one to the mods for the last several threads, but they haven't used it. I'll attach it here. Let me know if you see anything out-of-date on it. I can only put names that have been confirmed by LE or MSM. (LE = Law Enforcement, MSM = Main Stream Media)

 

[FelicityLemon]

If Hanover had an ounce of integrity he would have told the family to contact him if and when Wint is ever released from jail.

I was thinking the same thing, that he should have told them that this is not his area of expertise and "could I recommend _____________ or provide you with a list to choose from" or he could have consulted with a lawyer who's qualified with years of experience in murder defense to get some sound advice.

Yeeks. Then again, maybe there won't be a trial and all he'll have to do is plead guilty. No muss, no fuss something lots of lawyers could handle. It's not like there's anything to bargain with or for.

 

[rkf]

The bit about any attorney who defends DW ill be persona not grata in this town is not true.

Yeah, I was thinking s/he would be a hot commodity on the cocktail circuit.