Michael J. Reinhart

Mr. Reinhart is a 25 year veteran trial lawyer with more than 100 civil and criminal jury trials completed.  His litigation experience ranges from civil wrongful death and products liability to the prosecution of major gangs and homicides.  This trial record includes the first ever successful prosecution of the infamous Hells Angels under California’s criminal gang statutes, a death verdict in the double homicide case of People v Potts and the first ever introduction of “chemical fingerprinting” evidence at trial in California in People v Hamilton.  Mr. Reinhart is presently a Chief Deputy District Attorney and has taught seminars to the California District Attorneys Association, the probation departments of Alameda, Tulare and Kings County, numerous local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as well as a guest lecturer on Ethics and the Law at CSU Fresno. 
 

Educational History: 

University of Salzburg,   Diploma in Advanced           International Legal Studies 

McGeorge School of Law   Juris Doctorate  

Sacramento, CA 

University of California, Irvine  B. A. Economics          B. A. Social Ecology/ Criminology   
 

Professional Work History: 

Kings County 
District Attorneys Office   Chief Deputy District Attorney   

Haight, Brown and Bonesteel   Senior Associate Attorney        

Los Angeles, CA 

World Health Organization   Intern     

Office of Legal Counsel

Geneva, Switzerland  

Admissions to Practice: 

All California State Courts. 

United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.  

United States District Court for the Central District of California.  

United States District Court for the Southern District of California. 

Teaching Experience: 

Law and Ethics:  California State University, Fresno. 

Witness Protection:  California District Attorney’s Association 

California Criminal Sentencing Law: Alameda, Tulare and Kings County probation departments. 

Prosecution under California’s Criminal Gang Laws: California Gang Task Force; Southern California Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association. 

Expert Testimony:  Bikers Investigators Association of Northern California;   RUBICON Conference in Northern California. 

Substance Abuse and Treatment Options:  CourtroomTactics.com 

Ethics and Jury Selection:  CourtroomTactics.com 
 

Published Articles: 

“Chemical Fingerprinting of Narcotics”  Did You Know … , California District Attorneys Association.   
 

Awards and Recognitions: 

Fellowship:  The Dana Fund for International legal studies.

State Bar of California Commendation for the delivery of Pro Bono Services.   

Caesar O. Julian Award.  Free Clinic of Simi Valley.   

Letter of appreciation from Kings County Sheriff’s Department regarding the Morales    murder case.   

Recognition Award from the Bikers Investigators Association of Northern California   
 

Significant Trial Experience:

People v Lobretto, et. al.

Case Summary:  This sixteen defendant case involved the Fresno Chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in a group assault committed upon members of one of its puppet clubs located in Kings County.  After two jury trials and several pleas by other defendants, all sixteen defendants were found guilty of one or more of the charges filed against them.  Most significantly, this case resulted in the first jury convictions of the Hells Angels under California’s Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act.   

People v Thomas Potts

Case Summary:  On August 5, 1997 Potts murdered an elderly couple in their home.  There were no witnesses to the crime; however various items of trace evidence established the defendant as the killer.  Potts was charged with and convicted of two counts of first degree murder with special circumstances.  The jury returned a death verdict and Potts is currently on death row in San Quentin Prison. 

People v Hamilton

Case Summary:  A Sheriff’s deputy made a vehicle stop on a truck driven by Carlos Garcia.  Gail Hamilton was a passenger and had long been suspected of trafficking in Methamphetamine.  The stop occurred in front of a country store.  Hamilton went inside the store as the Deputy spoke with Garcia.  The stop led to a search of the truck.  Methamphetamine and weapons were found.  At the same time, the store clerk found a baggie of Methamphetamine in the area of the store where Hamilton had been.  Hamilton denied any knowledge of the drugs or weapons.  In preparing this case for trial, I contacted Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories for assistance.  They were able to chemically fingerprint the Methamphetamine in the truck and from the store. The Methamphetamine from both locations matched as having come from the same “cook”.  Thus I was able to tie Hamilton to the drugs in the car.  At trial, the jury convicted Hamilton of transporting Methamphetamine and possession of Methamphetamine for sale.  This case is significant in that it is the first in the country were this “chemical fingerprinting” of Methamphetamine was introduced in trial.  The Laboratory published a paper on the techniques it used in the case. 

People v Samuel Gonzales

Case Summary:  In 1996 Garza led a woman to a secluded ravine apparently to engage her services as a prostitute.  The act was never consummated and Garza took a large piece of concrete and struck her several times in the head.  No one witnessed the killing.  Her dead body was discovered the next day.  At jury trial, the defendant was convicted of first degree murder.

People v Joe Wilson

Case Summary:  In 1995 Wilson was in custody awaiting trial on a charge of first degree burglary.  The complaining witness was Wilson’s former girlfriend.  Wilson solicited his uncle to kill the girlfriend.  The murder occurred in her home February 15, 1995.  The jury convicted Wilson of first degree murder with the special circumstance of killing a witness.   

People v Munoz, Serna, and Garcia

Case Summary:  Rene Anselmi was assaulted by Gina Serna, Lily Garcia and Corcoran city councilwoman Joan Munoz outside of the local hospital.  Although the charges were minor in the abstract, the case was difficult to prosecute given the political pressures arising from defendant Munoz’s political position.  At jury trial, all defendants, including the councilwoman, were found guilty of assault.   

People v Christiansen

Case Summary:  Defendant, the City Manager for the City of Hanford, falsified a request for payment submitted to the City.  In a politically charged atmosphere, a jury trial was conducted and ultimately the defendant was convicted.

People v Hutsell, Miller and Alviso

Case Summary:  An undercover narcotics operation resulted in the arrest of Hutsell, Miller and Alviso on charges of the sale and transportation of Methamphetamine. At the time of arrest, it was the largest Methamphetamine seizure in county history.  Alviso was a former local police officer and had concealed his involvement well.  Our case depended in large part on the admission of a canine’s recognition of the sent of the drugs in one of the defendant’s cars.  The court allowed the admission of this evidence and all three defendants were convicted.