On April 13, a Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati pro bono team secured the release of its Criminal Justice Act client, based on the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened—and potentially fatal—risk his pre-existing asthma condition posed while in custody. The client has been held without bail since his federal arrest in late 2018.

Despite his complex criminal record, nothing in the client’s past justified a potential death sentence, which is what continued detention would have meant for this chronic asthma sufferer. While detained, the client was forced to live in extremely close quarters with dozens of inmates who had either already tested positive or were exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

Wilson Sonsini’s first attempt to secure the release of the client through an emergency application for bail was opposed by the government in a lengthy, 12-page opposition. However, the Wilson Sonsini pro bono team prepared a comprehensive reply brief that addressed each of the government’s arguments and ultimately secured the client’s release – a significant accomplishment given that few of these applications have been granted over the prosecution’s objection.

The Wilson Sonsini pro bono team included associates Kate McCarthy, Tania Abbas, Ariel Jeong, and Adam Toporovsky, and paralegals Anthony Geritano and Lee Ann Almeida.