On Friday, Kerry Armstrong achieved a trifecta of victories, winning his third trial in a row since February 10th. This latest triumph occurred in El Cajon, where his client, an attorney, faced charges under Penal Code 273.5, 243(e)(1), and 236/237. The case? The client’s now ex-wife had called 911 back in late 2022, alleging that her husband had violently assaulted her the night before.
At first, she claimed a broken clavicle, bruised ribs, strangulation, and a nasty cut on her clavicle area. However, the DAFE exam revealed that her clavicle wasn’t broken, throwing a wrench into her story. The defense was particularly tricky, as the client insisted no physical contact had occurred—and no self-defense. The classic “I didn’t touch her, she’s making it up” defense is always a tough sell in domestic violence cases. It’s one thing to argue self-defense, but claiming the incident was fabricated? That’s a whole other level of challenge.
Kerry had the alleged victim on cross-examination for nearly six grueling hours. At first, she was combative and confident, thinking she could outlast him. But as Kerry introduced a parade of impeachment evidence—photos, videos, audio recordings, you name it—her demeanor quickly shifted. She began lying about things she didn’t need to lie about, which only made her credibility crumble faster than a house of cards in a windstorm. Luckily, Judge Hanoian allowed a substantial amount of the defense’s impeachment evidence, which turned out to be the game-changer in the case.
By the third day of her testimony, the alleged victim was practically in tears, probably wondering if she’d signed up for a role in a courtroom drama. The client testified and, to no surprise, nailed it. The DDA only spent 14 minutes cross-examining him—probably running out of questions after his stellar performance.
In his closing argument, Kerry didn’t hold back. He pointed out the alleged victim’s numerous lies and made sure to use the word “liar” with enthusiasm, almost like he was giving a TED talk on dishonesty. The jury deliberated for over two hours before returning a not-guilty verdict on all three counts. One juror even stuck around to chat afterward and confirmed that after hearing the cross-examination, they didn’t believe a word the alleged victim had said.
After eight straight weeks of trials, Kerry is understandably looking forward to a bit of R&R before diving into his next case in a month. And let’s be honest, after a victory like that, he’s earned it—preferably somewhere with no courtroom drama for at least a week.
Kerry L. Armstrong
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