Altchiler LLC and Robert Altchiler Secure a Dismissal of Indictment and All

Charges Against Poker-Playing Lawyer Ralph Pecorale

Altchiler LLC and Robert Altchiler Secured a Complete Dismissal of All Charges Against Its Client
Ralph Pecorale, Rendering the prosecution and case against Pecorale a Nullity.
New York, NY, May 06, 2014 --(PR.com)-- On Monday, May 5, 2014, Justice John Ingram of the
Brooklyn Supreme Court dismissed the indictment and all charges against Ralph Pecorale, a New York
lawyer who had been charged with participating in a criminal conspiracy to control a Brooklyn property.
Assistant District Attorney Richard Farrell moved to dismiss the entire indictment against Mr. Pecorale,
citing a lack of evidence, stating the government simply could not prove its case. Farrell had previously
cited several conversations and meetings with Pecorale's lawyer, Robert Altchiler, during which Altchiler
opened the prosecutor's eyes to evidence that pointed to Mr. Pecorale's innocence, in explaining why the
government, after four years, was moving to dismiss the case. Farrell informed the Court that Altchiler
convinced him Farrell simply could not prove the government's case.
I have never had a moment's doubt of Ralph's innocence, and am grateful the Brooklyn DA dismissed
the case on its own motion. It's not easy convincing the government it is wrong in a case of this
magnitude, but I finally, literally after years of trying, was able to convince the government we were right
and that despite an 82 count indictment, and 18 counts against Ralph, the case had to be dismissed. Rich
Farrell, who has a high level of expertise in cases like this, and truly wanted to know the truth, was
willing to listen to me, and review hundreds of pages of documents we had provided to his predecessors
on the case, and the flawed evidence and theory of the indictment, that drove this case to the eve of trial.
Rather than simply let a jury decide the case, Mr. Farrell took action to ensure there would be no trial. All
too often prosecutors are unwilling to take such action, and we thank Mr. Farrell and District Attorney
Thompson for their willingness to be persuaded, and halt the momentum of the case toward trial and the
case itself. They say you can't un-indict a defendant, but you can. You just need prosecutors willing to
listen and look at their evidence with a critical eye.
Brooklyn D.A. Kenneth Thompson, who has told the community that preventing and undoing wrongful
convictions will be a priority of his, has proven to be a man of his word and a prosecutor who honors his
commitments, Altchiler said.
Pecorale, who has been a successful poker player, appearing on ESPN, thanked Altchiler for his efforts in
the case, and spoke about the long journey that just ended. Bobby believed in me from the moment he
met me, and I will be grateful to him forever. He was simply relentless in defending me, and kept on
coming back at the government with more and more information, all of which showed I committed no
crime. If there's a better lawyer in the country, I'd like to meet him.
Altchiler said he believed Pecorale was indicted in large part because Mr. Pecorale's law firm conducted
all of the closings, and because the prosecutors who had the case at the investigative and grand jury stages
misunderstood the nature of Mr. Pecorale's law practice. I kept telling the government they had the
wrong impression of Ralph and that their own evidence did not prove what they thought it did. I told
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A.D.A. Richard Farrell I was going to prove at trial that Ralph and others at his office had been defrauded
themselves. Farrell was a tough nut to crack, especially because at the outset of the case the prosecutors
then in charge of the case believed Ralph was the mastermind of a scheme, which in fact, he was never
even involved with at all. In the end, Farrell's expertise and seniority told him that I was right in
connection with a number of factual issues, that proving Ralph committed any crime whatsoever, was
problematic, and that his [Farrell's] ethical obligations would require the office to dismiss the case. He did
his job the right way. We had a great trial case and were ready to go, but I believe my obligation is to do
everything I can to win a case before a lengthy and expensive trial begins.
Altchiler said he believed the complexity of the transactions involved in the case, from the financial and
real estate perspectives, as well an abject failure to understand the relationships and lack of relationships
between the parties charged in the investigation, led to the government's misimpression of Mr. Pecorale,
his office, and their respective roles in the case.
My first experience with the new administration at the Kings County District Attorney is that it is
interested in doing what is just, not simply what is expedient or easy. This dismissal is justice embodied,
Altchiler said, continuing. Under the laws of New York State, the dismissal of this indictment renders
the entire case a nullity, and Ralph is restored to the status he held before being arrested. In short, this
case never happened. In truth, this case never should have happened.
Altchiler LLC
590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, NY 10022
T: 212.541.2422
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Contact Information:
Altchiler LLC
Robert Altchiler
203.545.0412
Contact via Email
www.AltchilerLLC.com
Online Version of Press Release:
You can read the online version of this press release at: http://www.pr.com/press-release/556784
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