Panama City, Florida – Criminal defense attorney Bob Sombathy joined host Christopher Washington on The Iron Gavel to recount a wrongful attempted murder prosecution where, in Sombathy’s words, “there was no investigation.” In the episode, he explains how conflicts of interest, ignored evidence, and overreliance on motive nearly led to a life sentence. That is, until cell-site data and a disciplined trial strategy refocused the jury on proof, not assumptions.
“There was no investigation,” Sombathy says in the interview. “They had no evidence that he was ever at the crime scene. The case started at the end. They thought they had a suspect and killed the entire criminal investigation.”
According to Sombathy, the lead investigator was a close relative of the alleged victim, a fact that raised serious concerns about the integrity of the process. Key evidence in the case was overlooked or not secured. Ultimately, cell phone records mapped the defendant’s movements miles away at the time of the shooting.
“The phone data is scientific evidence. You can’t intimidate it,” Sombathy explains. “It’s always going to be the same.”
At trial, Sombathy centered on credibility and the jury’s duty to “speak the truth,” reminding jurors that the verdict rests on evidence, not character attacks. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning not guilty verdicts on the most serious counts.
“The word verdict comes from the Latin ‘to speak the truth,’” says Sombathy. “And I really leaned in on that. I said [to the jury], ‘If we’re speaking the truth, then where’s the video from across the street? Where’s my client’s statement?’”
Sombathy, a former homicide prosecutor who has tried more than 200 jury trials, says the case reinforced a core lesson: “Never assume the police properly investigated a case.”
Listen to the full episode: “Uncovering the Truth: A Shocking Case of Injustice and Flawed Investigation.”
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