Indianapolis lawyer preparing for the death-penalty trial of his life - Indianapolis Star

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»In 1976, Kammen successfully defended an Indianapolis man accused of broadcasting obscenities over his CB radio. That led to his defense of a series of cases involving the First Amendment rights of book and video stores to sell adult materials. And now, Kammen is part of a team of lawyers challenging a 2003 city ordinance that seeks to restrict where and when adult stores can operate.

»Kammen has been the lead attorney in about 35 death-penalty cases. In one notable case in Indiana, Charles "Red" Smith was sentenced to death for the robbery and murder of 20-year-old Carmen Zink in a purse-snatching in 1982 in Allen County. But Smith was acquitted of all charges in a retrial after evidence emerged regarding the reliability of a key prosecution witness.

»In 1996, Kammen defended Carroll Horton, in 1996, who was indicted by a grand jury and charged with an unsolved triple homicide that happened in 1971. Dubbed the LasSalle Street Murders, the in a case that received national attention. , Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman eventually dropped the charges after Kammen challenged the evidence.

»In 2003, Marion County prosecutors dismissed murder charges against a teen accused in the shooting death of a pregnant 16-year-old girl. Kammen at the time described the evidence against his client, Jarvis "Dennis" Johnson Jr., then 18, as "extremely suspect" and "marginal." Charges never were refiled.

»Victoria Farahan pleaded guilty in 2006 to charges stemming from a $ 100,000 baby adoption scam in Carmel but was sentenced to home detention rather than 140 years in prison. Kammen convinced the judge she had myriad of health problems and would not live long in prison.

»In 2008, Marion County prosecutors dismissed sexual misconduct charges against a Parke County Council member arrested after police found him in a Speedway motel room with a 15-year-old boy. When ! challeng ed by Kammen at a deposition, the boy gave a conflicting account and said he had lied about his age to council member Roger Fisher.

»Kammen is now defending David Camm, a former state trooper accused of killing his wife, Kimberly Camm, and their two children in 2000 in Southern Indiana. This will be Camm's third trial. He was convicted in 2002, but the case was overturned on appeal. He was convicted a second time in 2006, but the Supreme Court overturned that verdict in 2009.

Star research

Richard Kammen

Professional
»Partner at the law firm of Gilroy, Kammen, Hertzel & Moudy.
»Graduated from Ripon College cum laude in 1968 and New York University School of Law in 1971.
»Admitted to the bar in 1971.
»Served in the U.S. Army Reserve, 1972-74.
»National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, board of directors, 1996 to 2002.
»National Criminal Defense College, member, 1982 to present. -current.
»Trial Lawyers College, member, 2001 to present. -current.
Personal
»Enjoys traveling internationally with his wife, Linda Kammen, most recently to Argentina, Scotland, Brazil and Chille. Chile.
»The couple have two grown daughters.
»Has run the past eight Mini-Marathons. He also enjoys working out, yoga and golf.

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