(Featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not)
Mr. Randolph defended a man accused of multiple felony charges of smuggling Fiji Island banded iguanas in his prosthetic leg. In a blow to the government, who had flown in witnesses from Fiji, Mr. Randolph obtained a not guilty verdict on the main smuggling charge. Further, although the above-mentioned client was convicted on lesser charges of harboring iguanas in his home, Mr. Randolph appealed the client’s convictions and obtained a complete reversal of the convictions from the Ninth Court of Appeal. In subsequent proceedings in federal court, the case was resolved with a single plea to a misdemeanor charge of simple possession of iguanas, with a negotiated sentence of “no time, no fine, and no probation.” After Judge Manuel L. Real inquired of his law clerk whether such a low sentence was even legal, he affirmed the sentence, dismissed all remaining charges, and said “Merry Christmas” to the client. Due to its unique facts, this case was reported world-wide, and was featured in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not”.
