Defense attorney was ‘100 percent sure’ Vanessa Brown would be acquitted
Edward Bilinkas says facts were on his client’s side
Many were shocked when Vanessa Brown was acquitted Thursday of recklessly causing the death of Ralph Politi Jr. in East Hanover in 2012.
Brown’s lawyer was not among them.
“I told my client the first day, if I take this case, you will be found not guilty,” defense lawyer Edward Bilinkas said. “And when the jury came out (of deliberation on Thursday), I knew they would do the right thing. I was 100 percent sure they would find her not guilty. I can read juries very well.”
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Not guilty: Morris jury clears woman in East Hanover fatal
Brown, 35, was found not guilty of both aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the May 5, 2012 death of Politi, 49, as he stood outside his pickup truck on Ridgedale Avenue in East Hanover.
According to trial testimony, Brown’s blood-alcohol content measured .133 percent when it was tested two and one-half hours after the 1:48 p.m. crash. The legal limit in New Jersey is 0.08 percent. But a BAC over the legal limit does not automatically equate to recklessness if a fatal crash occurs.
The verdict prompted the victim’s widow to storm out of the courtroom asking, “Are you kidding? Unbelievable! You people are all nuts.” Dozens of relatives and friends who had gathered for the verdict followed her out.
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Courtroom explodes after jury finds Vanessa Brown not guilty
“It’s a great triumph for us, but I’m torn to be perfectly honest,” Bilinkas said. “We understand somebody was killed here and I don’t get any pleasure out a family suffering, no matter what happened. Vanessa is extremely sad. She feels for the family. She knows nothing she can say or do will change the family’s mind, and I don’t blame them for that.”
Bilinkas said when the trial began, there was a public perception that there was overwhelming evidence against Brown.
“I don’t think the evidence was overwhelming at all. And we broke that down and shared with the jury all the problems with the case,” Bilinkas said. “This case was decided in the public, with misinformation and misrepresentation. People got the wrong impression. But in that courtroom, the jury can see exactly what happened.”
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Bilinkas referenced a video shown to the jury, which displayed where Politi was standing at the time of the crash.
“When they saw he was on the shoulder (of the road), it was just different than (what the Prosecution) said. Her car didn’t jump a curb,” Bilinkas said. “She is clearly the cause of the death, but circumstances the jury saw were different then the impression they were given.”
Bilinkas said any time he tried to reach a plea deal with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, they said Brown had to admit to aggravated manslaughter.
“They took a real hard line, that was the start and end of it,” Bilinkas said. “And that was easy for me. There was no way we were agreeing to that.”
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Morris jury sees footage of fatal East Hanover crash
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office did not respond for comment Friday.
Brown was charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Aggravated manslaughter carries a punishment upon conviction of up to 30 years in jail and vehicular homicide carries a punishment of 10 years behind bars.
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Now that the trial is over, Bilinkas said the best thing for Brown to do is get away.
“Vanessa is stepping out of the limelight,” Bilinkas said. “You’re never going to hear from her again. She’s going to fade off into the sunset. I just wish this were decided many years ago.”
Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com