Nashville DUI Lawyer Andrew C. Beasley

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 Welcome back to the Mighty Murphy Podcast. We've got criminal defense attorney Andrew Beasley calling in from Nashville, Tennessee. He's going to tell us what happens with all the whiskey downtown when the bars let out. And he's got some very interesting perspectives on, well, people getting arrested in the airport coming and going. Maybe they've been overserved on the flight. Maybe they've been overserved in the bar getting ready for the flight. But he's got some tales to tell. This is Andrew Beasley on the Mighty Merp podcast. 2s Welcome back to the Mighty Murph podcast. I'm excited today to be talking to Andrew Beasley, a criminal defense attorney out of Nashville, Tennessee. Welcome, Andrew. Hi. Thank you for having me. Thank you and thank you for patiently waiting as we worked out all the kinks today. I appreciate that. You're very welcome. So I thought it would be a great conversation between you and I, because we are both criminal defense attorneys and we are both in tourist communities, and we deal with a lot of people that are just coming in and visiting for the weekend and then leaving. And unfortunately, sometimes they're leaving with criminal cases, DUI tickets and so forth. But before we jump into that, I thought it would be great if you can give me a little bit of your origin story, maybe where you went to law school and, you know, have you always done criminal defense work and sort of how you ended up in Nashville? 1s Um, sure. So I was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Um, I moved to Macon, Georgia when I was pretty young. I claim that as my hometown. Um, went up to Georgia Tech in Atlanta and then back to Macon for law school at Mercer University. And how I ended up in Nashville was basically some of my best friends from Georgia ended up in Nashville before I did. One of my best friends enrolled in Belmont University in 1998. So, um, it's kind of aware of Nashville. I've been visiting for a long time. A couple of my other friends are lawyers in town who do other things, and kind of convinced me to to come here. I spent a couple of years as a 2s couple of years as a public defender, and then have been in private practice here in downtown Nashville since 2012, focusing nearly 100% on criminal defense. 1s Okay, so you are a prosecutor. You are a public defender. Now you're a private attorney. So I'm going to ask. We're always asking questions when people were both prosecutors and public defenders. Which did you like better? 3s Okay. So those are both jobs that have their own difficulties. Um. 2s In my particular situation. Mean defense attorney at heart. Guess would have to say so. Did like being a public defender better. But the prosecutor job you're kind of trying to please everybody. You may want to do one thing with a case a victim, police officer. Your supervisor may want to do something else. And that's that's kind of difficult, I think on at least the appointed defense side, that is maybe a little different from what we do. 1s You know, you didn't pick them as a client. They didn't pick you as your lawyer, as their lawyer. And sometimes you know that that that can lead to some difficulties. But at the end of the day, I mean, defending cases, fighting for people's rights. I mean, that's that's what it's about. Did you, when you went to law school, know you wanted to do criminal law? 1s No. Um, so, no, it was really my first summer working for a personal injury law firm. And the folks in that firm think every attorney. 5 or 6 attorneys think everyone had been an assistant Da, and so kind of got me the trial lawyer bug and the litigation bug and then got me interested and that and then, um, really after doing criminal mean just didn't really want to do anything else. Right? I do think it's a great advice. It was fortunate that you got the advice that to be a trial attorney, I mean, it sounds to me like the advice was to be a trial attorney you should go to. District attorney's office or a prosecutor's office to get trial experience. And then you can use that experience in civil or in any other manner, you know. So I mean, agree with that entirely. Mean my I think I had been licensed less than three months and I was doing my first, you know, it was a bar fight, um, jury trial. So yeah, they, they throw you into the fire. Right? I always tell people the same thing. If you want to be trial, a trial attorney, I always tell people to go to the public defender's office. And I started in Philadelphia, and it was the most amazing training that I had. And. But I say, if not a public defender's office, go to a prosecutor's office and you will get the most trial experience and you'll have the most in court experience. So. 2s So you've been in Nashville for over ten years now. Yes. 1s And so what type of cases? You know, I'm sure you handle all types of cases in the criminal courts. But when it comes for people that are coming to visit Nashville, what do you what would you say the biggest 1s concerns or charges that are coming out of it? I know for me in Atlantic City, it's probably different than Nashville. 2s I mean, that's a great question. So a lot of people come here for the entertainment district, also known as Lower Broadway. That's where, you know, a lot of the world famous honky tonks are. There's a heavy police presence down there. So I had some friends in town just a few weeks ago. We ended up going down there and, you know, said, look, just, you know, it's kind of like dealing with a police officer. Like if a bouncer security officer tells you to do something, like, you're not going to win that fight, you know, right there at the time. But, you know, bar fights, whether with other patrons, whether with security, those are big domestic violence enforcement, which also, you know, people do get into it with someone who may be legally a domestic partner while they're out on lower Broadway. And if you know, police see that they're they're going to make an arrest. Um, obviously kind of getting to and from Nashville, there's, there's DUI and then there's, you know, for folks that are flying in, um, I would say be careful of getting overserved at the national airport. There's they have their own police department and and make arrests out there. And guess I should say, um, you know. 1s This is not this is not everyone who comes to Nashville by any stretch of the imagination. But that's definitely things, things to watch out for them. If you're if you're on lower Broadway and drinking and having a good time, you definitely don't want to. Get into it with a police officer or a, you know, security officer at these establishments. So I'm going to ask you some follow I have like ten follow up questions just from that one. Sort of what do you need to look out for? So do you think officers in Nashville, are they more likely to make an arrest or give a, you know, disorderly person a disorderly conduct charge like a summons, you know, where is it in the sense of are they diffusing? And I'm talking about the drinking. The bar fights, those type of cases because I have follow up questions on the DV that are separate from that as well. Okay. 1s You know, so quick to arrest, not quick to arrest, you know. 1s So think the bar fight it more depends on the other person, right? Mean in my experience, it's you know. Hey, are you do you want to pursue this to you? Do you want to file charges? Do you want to come? You know, do you want to come back to court and pursue it? If it's just some random other person, then they might not want to. Um, that could only mean the biggest one is public intoxication. Public intoxication. You know, if they do any anything, a lot of times they'll arrest, put the person in the drunk tank and then dismiss it the next morning. Um, 1s yeah. So you probably already know domestic is completely different. But as far as the standard bar fight, it kind of it kind of depends on, um. 2s It kind of depends on what the other person wants to do. And that's why, say especially security officers, they're here. They may have other liability reasons for wanting to pursue a criminal charge. So they will often prosecute these that that will lead to a case. But but think know think there's some judgment involved. Sorry Andrew. Are they missing their. 2s Is it a misdemeanor? The simple assaults or the. The fights that you're talking about. Are they misdemeanors in. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Um, Tennessee doesn't distinguish between assault and battery, so it all falls under assault. But, um. 1s But yes, unless there's, you know, the enhancement of deadly weapon involved or something like that. That's these are mostly misdemeanors. Yes. So new Jersey doesn't, because we like to be complicated. We don't use the term misdemeanors at all. We use the term disorderly persons offenses. And then you also in our criminal Code says disorderly persons offenses are not crimes. Which sounds really good, right? You're like it's not a crime. But then I say to my clients, a simple assault in New Jersey's a disorderly persons offense. And in every other state it's a misdemeanor. So something walks like a duck and talks like a duck. It's a duck, right? Yeah. Mean and with with the exception there is a a lesser assault. But yeah mean it's not just a misdemeanor. It's a class A so Tennessee ranks them I mean it's the most serious misdemeanor right. And so we have similar situations in Atlantic City. If there is a fight that occurs and it's between two patrons, if neither want to charge it gets there's no charges normally. 1s And even when they are they cross complaint. They cross each other. You know they both file. And then when it gets to court, everyone invokes their fifth because nobody wants a record. If it's security at the casinos or, you know, you know, at one of the clubs, 1s you know, sometimes they want to proceed because of the other potential legal issues in civil lawsuits. I will say that in Atlantic City, not always. I mean, there's cases that are outliers, but many of those cases are resolved with the noise ordinance or some sort of lesser charge, so that. 2s They're not leaving with a record, but they are leaving with the attitude that they don't want to come back to Atlantic City again after that. 1s Well. So, you know, might just I'm curious about that, you know, whether they 1s come back to Atlantic City for the prosecution, because that is one frustrating thing when you have a crime with a victim and don't know if you guys have, like a victim's bill of rights of their right to come to court. But so almost always, I mean, you are you are right. These these often do not result in a conviction. However, because there's an actual victim involved, they often do require a return court appearance, which does not make anyone happy. So it used to be a huge issue. And we do have a victims bill of rights. So I'll say that. 2s But we do most of our municipal court hearings, which are the disorderly persons offenses that we're talking about, that not any assaults with a weapon or any serious matters, but disorderly persons offenses. Most of the courts in new Jersey are handled via zoom now and now, started as a result of the pandemic. And there are cases that end up in person if they go to trial. DUI, please. Domestic violence cases are supposed to be in person. There are exceptions for hardships. But yes. And and I assume Nashville is getting more tourists that are coming from all over the country. I feel like many of our tourists are East Coast tourists, if that makes sense. Yes. I mean, I guess I would call this the Vegas of the East, although you might take issue with that of being the Vegas of the East. But. Yeah. I mean, yes, I think that it's like it's different. People are coming to Atlantic City versus Nashville for a very different experience. So what's the protocol with domestic violence cases. And and I always like to explain that domestic violence, we always think of domestic violence or laypeople think of domestic violence as, you know, one person literally beating or assaulting another person. But really any any argument fight 1s between two people that are in a dating relationship or married, that can be harassment. It could be pushing, which is a simple assault. It can be mutual as well. And because of the nature of the relationship, it falls within the domestic violence. And and then it in and of itself makes it more serious and more complicated. 1s Yeah. Mean. Absolutely. So, you know, of course you've got assault, you've got harassment, you've got stalking. They'll sometimes qualify like a vandalism, like a property damage in there too. And it really is coming the phone. Right. The vandalism, 2s that's the exact scenario, taking the other person's phone and slamming on the ground. That's exactly right. Um, and I mean, so number one, you know, especially like Lower Broadway, which is, you know, kind of they call the entertainment or tourist district. 1s You know, if you're doing that stuff with your significant other in front of the police and just there's a heavy police presence down there, um, you know, you're going to jail and they're not going to let you bond out for 12 hours. Um, are they obligated to make an arrest? Yes. On on domestic. They they are. Um, and so and the the definition here is a little broader. I mean, yes, you got, uh, sexual or dating relationship, but anyone you've ever had a sexual or dating relationship, you know, related to by blood or marriage or even roommates. Um, so people don't. You're right. Think people's perception of what is the violence. It it can be a lot broader than than the typical domestic violence of of what people think of. But no, that's a, that's you're getting you're getting arrested. You're going to jail for 12 hours. So yeah. So the law in new Jersey, I think if the officer saw it, you would be arrested. But if the officers saw any injuries on the person. So if I, if I say my spouse or partner assaulted me or hit me and I had a scratch or a bruise, and if I even if I said I don't want the person arrested, once they see the bruise or injury, they are obligated under law to make an arrest. 2s So I can tell already I was going to ask you this. You said 12 hours before they can bail out in new Jersey. We don't have bail anymore. Oh well. And so if it's a domestic violence case and it's placed on a warrant, you're going to be held at least 24 hours, and then the state can move to make a motion to detain you. And if you're detained, you're detained until the case is resolved. Well, maybe six months. It could be a year. It could be no bail in new Jersey. Wow. So truth be told that for cases that are disorderly persons, which most people say misdemeanors in other states that aren't serious. The no bail system really does work well. 2s But in domestic violence cases, we put those cases on warrants so that you can put conditions on the person, such as no contact, no communication. You know, there might be checking in and if you're not released it, you can end up being detained for a long period of time while the case is being resolved. Doesn't matter if you're a tourist or not. 1s Yeah. Guess that's I guess that's kind of the bad side of the of the no bail system that if, if they find you're a threat, you know, you'll you'll be in there a while. Nashville's kind of answer to that is that we have pretrial release, um, at least within Nashville, Davidson County, which is consolidated government. So there are often for what you're saying, the lower charges, the less serious charges, the lower bond amounts, they will basically release them to pretrial, um, you know, in lieu of posting a cash bond. Oh, it sounds like a hybrid of what we have. Yes. Right. Mean our criminal justice reform says that you could still use bail. You know, you could still put a price on somebody's release, but it's frowned upon. And it was implemented in 2017. And I only do criminal law, domestic violence cases, you know, and I've never seen it occur in the six years that it's been, you know, the law in new Jersey. But it is always interesting because people always say, wait, you don't have bail in new Jersey. You know, anyone coming into new Jersey or and people in new Jersey when they get arrested, they're like, well, can we pay bail? And I have to explain, no, no, we don't have bail in new Jersey. 2s So what about DUIs and those type of cases? 1s So there again, um, you know, there's definitely going to be more enforcement downtown and. Uh, we went through, you know, during Covid, there were there were very few, um, random traffic stops and very few, um, DUI arrests in Nashville. I would definitely say that is back with a passion. Mean DUI enforcement, um, is back in a big way and again with downtown with because of the police presence, you know, think you're more likely, you know, if you bump into a barrier or you forget to turn on your headlights because downtown is so well lit or, you know, now it's starting to get a little colder, you know, you're you're sitting in your car with the heater running. You know, there's think there's a higher chance to to have that kind of interaction. You know, in downtown just because the enforcement is so high is our DUIs criminal or are they traffic or are they, you know, in new Jersey, they're traffic tickets with quasi criminal ramifications, but it doesn't show up on a criminal record. It shows up on your driving record. Is it criminal in in Tennessee? I know in Pennsylvania it's criminal. And in most states it ends up on your criminal record. Uh, yes, sure it is criminal. It's a class A misdemeanor or standard first offense DUI. It's the most serious, um, you know, misdemeanor that we have. And it it really has teeth. Um. 1s Here's a 48 hour jail minimum. There's a one year driver's license suspension minimum. But more than that, it prevents you from ever qualifying for the first offender diversion program again. And it, 1s at least as of right now, is not is an excluded expunge offense. So it it yes mean would say that something that Tennessee is is pretty tough on. 1s So is the 48 hours in jail mandatory in new Jersey. You can do an ID you know, a intoxicated driver resource, 1s you know, course for 48 hours, two days. Is that how it is in Tennessee? So, um. 3s It really. It really depends on on the county. 1s So there, there been some some, you know, some neighboring counties that also practice in that have been doing that for a while. Nashville, Davidson County kind of resisted it. Then they allowed it. And I just heard from a 1s from a actually last week that they're going to that they're going to now disallow it again. So I would say that's a that's a real that's a real gray area. You know, for what qualifies as detention. But um, but no mean as of. 2s Nashville has been allowing it, but don't know what the status is going to be when this airs. Well, I think it's fair to say you shouldn't drink and drive and don't drink and drive in Tennessee because you're going to possibly go to jail for 48 hours. We also, because it's traffic, you can't expunge it from your driving record and your driving record. This is like a public service announcement for everyone in new Jersey. Every ticket that you ever get for your entire life remains on your driving. Abstract. It doesn't matter. Ten years, I mean, so people are going to say, well, the points get removed. And I would say, yes, points can get removed and you can have the points removed. But when you get a full abstract there, it's always there. From the time you're 17 to however you old, you are that moment. Every ticket a full driver's abstract will have that 1s you know. And so 1s you know, and there's no diversionary program for DUIs in our state either, because they're traffic offences and you can't negotiate them either. So but the good news is for your first one, you're not going to jail. 2s That is very good news. Unless, of course, there's other issues. I'm just talking about the, you know, the standard. Yeah. The the regular first offense. That's right. Yeah. So let me ask you, you talked about the airport. Explain to me. Explain to me about it. Is the Nashville airport right? Yeah. And. 2s So you have cases of people coming in and having problems, flying out, having problems. What's the what's the issues there? I mean, we have an airport. And really the biggest things are when people are stupid enough to bring their weapons without a permit to carry. I mean, those are like the big things that we're dealing with. 1s Right. So that definitely happens. Nashville International. We have a direct flight to London. Um, and maybe some others that, that, that I'm not familiar with, but, um, no, I mean, there's all kinds of stuff, um, that that happens at the airport. Obviously there's, um, what we always run in with those cases, right? Is there's a required intent. So are they intending to go armed, you know, in a place where firearms are prohibited? Um, so but that situation definitely happens. Firearms at the airport. Um, but they had their own police department out there, um, DUI on the way to or from the airport. Um, I mean, you know, we we laugh, these things happen. Um, but on the ground, so mean you don't want to get too overserved in downtown Nashville and then, you know, take your rental back to the airport. You don't want to get too overserved on the airplane and then, you know, rent a car or pick up your car and get pulled over that way. Um, the not not so many fights at the airport. Um. 1s You know. Also say. 3s Luggage. We can talk about whether there's a misunderstanding or not, but, um, you know, grabbing other people's luggage. Um, 1s I mean, think they, they try to investigate to have some basis for that. Um, I don't know. 2s Yes. Yeah. So that reminds me of 1s theft of wallets or vouchers. Usually they're left, you know, a wallet is found on the floor. A voucher for one of the casinos is dropped, and somebody picks it up, and they they don't return it right away, you know? And then the issue is were they planning on returning it were they not. And they're, they're charged with third degree charges, which are felony charges in new Jersey. And the person's like, you know, I went up to my room, but I was going to return the wallet. I just didn't do it yet. I'm like. 1s So. 2s Well, I mean, right. So there's usually kind of two sides to those, but, um. They do get prosecuted and mean. Um. 2s Haven't had to look at it in a while, but even stuff that happens, like on the plane, um. So once that door closes, generally that kicks in federal jurisdiction. But. You know, sometimes they the Nashville Airport police will try to make an arrest for that. So there's, um, there's all kinds of issues. I mean, think in general for, for, you know, people, people coming in, um, you know, again, don't don't drink and drive, um, don't walk out even if somebody's luggage looks abandoned, you know, don't don't wheel it out of the airport. Sounds like you're saying don't do stupid shit, right? 3s That that may be what I'm saying. Yes, but I but I never I never realized there would be as much stuff going on at the airport, uh, as as as there is, but but there is. 1s Yeah. So when we have the casinos, which is a whole nother bag of type of cases, I've been getting a lot of. 3s Gambling. Fraud type. You know, cheating. Cheating cases a lot lately. And, you know, it's it is a nominal amount. You know, I have a client today and it was, you know, putting $25 bets down too late in the blackjack dealing. And I was thinking, really, really. So if can ask where we are if can ask mean no you're right. Like and and I sometimes have to tell people that mean if we're going to start arresting everyone who, you know, drinks and has a good time downtown, then you know, Nashville might as well just not exist anymore. But, you know, in that situation, if I can ask, you know, do they do they charge that as as theft, as fraud or, you know, because like that's a gray area. That's a gray area too. We have a cheating statute. Okay. That that makes sense. So and although we have local prosecutors, anything on the casino floors is handled by the attorney general's office, which. Yeah. So we have cheating statutes and sometimes it's theft as well. You know, it's under the theft statute and not the cheating. So but yes. Yeah. You know, say Atlantic City, you know, we have we're the only county, Atlantic County. He's the only county that deals with underage gambling. And every so often there's attorneys that are outside Atlantic, Cape May area, which is our area. And they're coming from North Jersey or central Jersey. And they they're like, it's an underage gambling. And they think they can go in and just get it dismissed. And I'm like, no, that's not how it works down here. You have to file a motion to dismiss. It's more complicated than that. And I'm always thinking, you know, they're definitely cases that anyone can handle. But, you know, we're the only place in the whole state that deals with underage gambling. You hire a local attorney at that point, right? Yes. You know, I would say if someone got arrested in Nashville before I met you, Andrew, I'd be like, hire someone in the city of Nashville. So. Well, I mean, just just knowing little things like that and mean. You're exactly right. I've been doing this a long time. I've never dealt with underage gambling. 1s Right, right. So. 1s Yeah. Is there anything else? I mean, you know, obviously, as much as we're, like, listing things not to do when you're traveling as a tourist, I mean, I can tell you I just had good friends go to Nashville, and they said it was amazing. They had a wonderful time. They want to go back. And so, you know, obviously Nashville has some amazing things to offer. And yet, you know, from our perspective, we sort of, you know, we see the seem like a good idea at a time at the time and, and what I like to call stupid teenage stupid teenage boy syndrome. But I do think for men it might last until they're about 30 or so, maybe longer, I don't know. 2s Yeah. I mean, I agree with that totally. I think Nashville is a great place. I think the overwhelming majority of people are going to have a great time. We see the slice of it, you know, for people that that are going to have to maybe deal with some criminal issues. But I mean, that's it. And I was I was going to make a or at least ask if you felt like that was sound advice for casinos to to not to not get in a fight, not even a physical fight with the security staff or the or law enforcement officers. I think that's that's pretty good. I mean, I say that generally to any of my clients, like, you're never going to win that fight out. Like if a police officer stopped you and it's whether it's on the street or walking down the street or in your car or on a casino floor, whether it's security officer or a police officer, you're never winning that fight at that time. And so, you know, you I'm not saying you need to make things easy. I always say to my clients and I say to my kids that are young adults, you know, when they say, can I search your bag? Can I search your car? Can you know the answer is no, but you don't have to be. 1s I'm tired because I'm like going into my North Jersey cursing phase. So. So I'm always like, you don't need to be an ass about it. You just say no. And if they say, why not? You don't have to give them an answer. No is a full sentence on this. And so. But you're never going to win it if you say you don't have a constitutional right to do that, you don't have probable cause. You're escalating it because you're poking the bear now. And, you know, I say, they're going to say to you, we're going to get a warrant. And the answer is get a warrant. They they're doing their job. And it's just, you know, you're not winning it on the street. You might win it in court later, but why escalate it? You know, 1s I agree with that 10,000%. I tell a lot of my clients the same thing. And, you know, one of the biggest ones, you know, downtown is for whatever reason, they ask somebody to leave, you know, they're wanting to talk to a girl in there or one to talk to. You know, their friends are still in there and, you know, no, they ask you to leave the place again. You're not going to you're not going to win that fight right there. We might have some stuff to deal with to win it in court. But no, I mean, exactly like you're saying that Nashville's is a great place, and it kind of reinvigorated my passion for it because, like I said, I had some friends in town a few weeks ago who had not done all the touristy stuff, and so we did. I did a lot of that stuff with them, and it it really it really was a lot of fun. And Nashville's a lot of fun, and the overwhelming majority of people are going to have a great time and not have to deal with any of this stuff, right. I always say, also, you know, when my client new clients call me that were tourists, they were here and then they have this experience. You know, I always say, like, we don't need to arrest all the tourists when they do stupid things sometimes. Sometimes the officers, the security can just try to redirect or ask them to leave because they're not going to come back. And when I when they have to call me and they say, well, I was visiting and this is what happened, they're never coming back and they're never going to have their friends come back, you know? And so it's not really great for a tourist town to, you know, there has to be that balance of safety and, you know, and also not arrest everyone. 2s I agree with that entirely. So let me ask you a few. Follow follow up or ending questions. Okay. 2s How long have you been practicing law? 2s Uh 15, 2000 September of 2008. So over 15 years now. There you go. Do you still like practicing law? Yes. 1s I do. Um, you know, I, um, I love being in court. I love defending people in court. Um, absolutely. Yeah, I mean, I still love it too, but I think it's because I like what I do. It's never boring. I mean, it's never boring what we do. 1s I heard you say that on one of your other episodes, and it it could not be more true. And then, you know, mean don't know how you feel about the other the other folks that work at your firm but mean think you know, obviously we share confidentiality within the firm but think you know think everybody who 1s who's worked with me feels that way as well. Right. And so I'm going to ask you the final, always the end of the podcast that we're trying to do is do you have a crazy court story? I'm sure you have hundreds, but do you have a crazy court story that is worth sharing? 2s Oh my God. Um. 4s I'm trying to think back to to prosecute her cases because then I'm, you know, am not tied by by the privilege. Um, I mean, really we we referenced it earlier. Um, that bar fight case was a crazy, um, was a the first case I ever tried, like, three months into being a lawyer, and it was real convoluted, right? There was there was drinking involved, and, um. 2s And. 3s The defense attorney. 2s Asked me think we had charged it as like an aggravated, and the defense attorney asked me if I would, you know, he's like, well, hey, you know, I've sent over the medical records during discovery, right? I was trying to prove the the. I was trying to to prove the the severe injuries to the victim. And so he said, you know, hey, he goes, I'll just agree, you know, can we just agree to admit these medical records and, you know, that'll show you guys injury and then we don't have to call. You know, I'm two months into practicing law, right? So about 300 pages worth of medicals. Of course, I should have flipped to the talks and seeing the astronomical levels of cocaine that were in the alleged victims blood. So that was a lesson that I learned very early, when the other side wants you to agree to just admit something, you usually shouldn't do that. But that was a that was a crazy case. And, you know, then basically as soon as the jury went back, the, the, my, my supervisor had said, Andrew, this was a stinker. We we gave it to you because you've been a lawyer for two months, so. Right. And they came back not guilty, which was, which was probably the right result in that circumstance. So I would say that kind of set the tone. And, you know, it's been a wild ride ever since. And you never you never not looked at a toxicology report ever again. 1s You know what? So don't want to 1s learn. It's one of the first things I flipped to. And actually, um, yes, I have I have kind of emulated that defense attorney a couple of times, um, on my own. So, yes, I, you know, that's that's a hard lesson, but learned it, learned it early on and glad did. 1s Right? No, that's a good story, though. I mean, I always say we just always have these crazy criminal court cases that nobody would believe, and, you know. But. 2s I will say that I do say to prosecutors all the time that sometimes their victims today are my clients tomorrow and vice versa. And they need to remember that, especially we we live in a very small community. So it does happen quite often that, 1s you know, my my defendant ends up being a victim later on and vice versa. And they just have to remember that. So. 2s I agree with that completely. And one of the other things is, you know, they they see people that come back into the system again and again and again. What I see in private practice, and you probably see as well, is, you know, the people that have an interaction or two with the criminal justice system and then they straighten themselves out, you know. You know, they may call you, hey, hey, Mr. Beasley got my sobriety chip. You know, I've been doing this, you know, think it's for for the prosecutors, especially the career ones that have been there a long time. You can get frustrated with the people you see get arrested over and over and over. But you got to remember, for every, you know, that there's a lot of people that, you know, just have a scare with the criminal justice system and then, you know, never, never come back to it again. Right. But those are the best calls or the follow ups. Years later, when you get the thank you's or you just bump into someone on the street and they're doing really well and, and I do think most attorneys that do criminal defense work are people that want to help others. You know, and I, I, I've had clients say to me. 2s I mean, I had a text recently from a client. I was trying to really help him get his license, and he kept failing the driver's license test. And I was talking to him about studying and practicing online. And he said he said, you seem like you texted me. You seem like a really nice lady. And I said, I am a nice lady. And he said, I've just never had a lawyer help me like you're helping. And it's like, those are the cases that you're like, that's why I do this, you know so 1s well, thank you very much. I am hoping to get to Nashville soon. I have never been, but as I said, a good friend who just went and was like highly, highly recommending and saying it was an amazing time. 2s Hopefully anyone listening, if you go to Nashville, you don't need Andrew Beasley services. But now you know Andrew and you know that he can help you. So thank you for joining the Mighty Merc podcast. Thank you very much for having me. It's been a pleasure. Thank you. The best place to listen, watch, like and subscribe is at mighty merp.com. That's mighty MRP.