Women Criminal Defense Attorneys: Angie Halim Successfully Defends Philadelphia Traffic Judge

Just last week Angie Halim, a criminal defense lawyer from Philadelphia, won an acquittal of the primary charges for a Traffic Court Judge who was charged with fraud along with five other Traffic Court Judges. The US Government alleged that the group of judges conspired to fix traffic tickets and give associates breaks on traffic tickets, which supposedly cost the city thousands or possibly millions of dollars. The judges were charged with conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and perjury. Halim represented Judge Robert Mulgrew who, along with all six judges, was acquitted of the most significant charges. Mulgrew was convicted of perjury, along with some of the other defendants, for lying about receiving consideration for fixing the tickets of certain VIPs. It seems a little counterintuitive but we all know that is how the jury system works sometimes.

Halim reportedly used a very effective demonstrative aide in closing that sent a clear message about the ridiculousness of the Government’s case. The Philadelphia Magazine summarized the closing arguments and highlighted a pie chart that Halim used to demonstrate what amounted to a frivolous amount of “fixed” tickets. She pointed out through her chart that of the 66,000 tickets Mulgrew adjudicated from 2008-2011, the FBI deemed only 16, which was 0.01 percent, of them as “fixed.” The Philadelphia Magazine reported that “in what was arguably the most crowd-pleasing visual aid of the day, Halim used a gigantic orange pie chart to demonstrate how miniscule 0.01 percent really is, zooming in on an otherwise invisible green dot that represented the amount of tickets Mulgrew is accused of ‘fixing’.” Halim was reported as arguing, “Mr. Mulgrew did the best he could in an imperfect system.” In the end, the jury clearly agreed with her and acquitted her client of the primary charges, but ironically found him guilty of perjury. Mulgrew was also charged in a separate fraud and tax case which he had previously plead guilty to relating to the misuse of State of Pennsylvania grant funds and filing a false tax return. The sentencing was postponed until the conclusion of the ticket fixing trial.

Any criminal defense attorney that has fought for a client in federal court knows that you should never underestimate the Government in a trial. But it is also safe to say the Government should never underestimate Angie Halim. Bravo to her. I continue to be impressed by the caliber of women champions of justice in Philadelphia.