DWI Not Guilty in Ten Minutes in San Patricio County

Case Outcome
Not Guilty DWI Verdict in San Patricio County, TX

Dunham & Jones attorney Casey Kellum secured a Not Guilty verdict in a DWI jury trial in San Patricio County, Texas. The case was tried in 2025 and resulted in a unanimous verdict after only ten minutes of jury deliberation.

San Patricio County is known as one of the most challenging venues for DWI defense in South Texas. Prosecutors often rely heavily on officer opinion testimony and expect juries to defer to law enforcement conclusions. In this case, the jury did exactly what the law requires. They examined the evidence closely and rejected assumptions unsupported by facts.

This verdict confirms that a DWI arrest does not equal a conviction, even in counties with a reputation for harsh outcomes.

The Legal Challenge
Officer Opinion Without Supporting Evidence

The State’s case rested almost entirely on the testimony of a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper. The trooper claimed the client was obviously intoxicated based on demeanor and behavior during the stop. However, those conclusions were not supported by the physical evidence or the video recordings.

The prosecution argued that the client’s attitude toward the trooper showed intoxication. They suggested that being rude or frustrated during a traffic stop meant impairment. No reliable evidence backed that claim.

There were no clear signs of intoxication on video. The dash camera and body camera footage showed inconsistencies between what the trooper wrote in the offense report and what actually occurred during the stop. Those gaps mattered.

Defense Strategy
Video Evidence Consistency and Credibility

Casey Kellum focused the jury on what they could see and hear for themselves. She compared the written report to the body camera and dash camera footage line by line. Where the report described strong signs of intoxication, the video showed something different.

The defense highlighted how subjective opinions can change when they are tested against recorded evidence. The jury saw that the trooper’s testimony did not align with the video record. When credibility breaks down, reasonable doubt follows.

In closing argument, the defense addressed the State’s position directly. Saying mean things to an officer is not proof of intoxication. Disrespect is not impairment. Texas law requires proof, not inference.

The jury was asked to decide the case based on evidence, not emotion or assumption.

Jury Verdict
Not Guilty in Ten Minutes

After closing arguments, the jury retired to deliberate. Within ten minutes, they reached a unanimous Not Guilty verdict.

The speed of the decision reflected clarity, not chance. The jury understood that the State failed to meet its burden. They rejected unsupported opinion testimony and relied on objective evidence.

What This Means for DWI Defendants in Texas

This case reinforces several core principles of Texas law. An officer’s belief is not evidence by itself. Video matters. Reports must match reality. A defendant’s attitude is not proof of intoxication.

Even in difficult counties, juries can and do hold the State to its burden when defense counsel prepares the case carefully and presents the facts clearly.

Why Clients Choose Dunham & Jones

Dunham & Jones handles DWI jury trials across Texas, including counties known for aggressive prosecution. Our attorneys prepare cases with trial in mind from the beginning. When the evidence does not support the charge, we are ready to present that truth to a jury.

This San Patricio County verdict shows that preparation and focus can overcome assumption, even in the toughest courtrooms.