A debate broke out on TikTok after a criminal defense lawyer posted a video claiming he got his client off with zero jail time after the client’s second driving under the influence (DUI) offense.
The video, posted by lawyer David Pourshalimi (@pandpfirm2.0), shows the lawyer standing in front of the courthouse with the alleged client explaining the full story.
David’s video received over 564,000 views in a day.
In the video, Pourshalimi shares the full details of the alleged case.
According to Pourshalimi, his client was charged with a second time DUI offense after “admittedly” overdosing on “multiple drugs” in one night. Pourshalimi says the client entered a “drug-induced psychosis” and crashed his car “with two other cars on the freeway.” This, Pourshalimi says, caused his car to flip over.
Pourshalimi says everyone involved “made it out all right.”
Pourshalimi says that when the fire department and police came to help the client, the client attempted to fight the police, earning him a charge for resisting arrest.
“We’re pleased to announce that he’s getting out of this with just a wet reckless,” Pourshalimi says. A “wet reckless” is a reckless driving charge where alcohol is involved. Pourshalimi says his client got one year of probation as opposed to the “five years that is normally given in a second-time DUI.”
According to Pourshalimi, the client “really changed his life around.” Pourshalimi says he’s now sober and has been involved in a rehabilitation program for nine months, which involves daily meetings.
“I’m feeling great!” the client says in the video before thanking the lawyer.
When the video was posted to TikTok, a debate immediately broke out between those who thought the sentence was too lenient and those who thought the sentence was appropriate given the client’s progress.
“Naw keep this man off the road for life,” one said.
“Lmfao bro unleashing supervillains,” another commenter said, to which Pourshalimi replied: “Lmaooo.”
On the flip side, some claimed that, given the fact that everyone emerged from the accident OK and Pourshalimi’s client immediately allegedly checked into rehab, the sentence was appropriate and a model example for second-time DUI offenders.
“This is how most non-lethal DUI offenders should get help,” one user wrote. “W lawyer for giving him a second chance.”
“At least he’s turning around his life,” another agreed. “Everyone needs to learn somehow.”
A few users accused Pourshalimi of creating a false story and stated that all of the videos on his account must be satirical.
“This has to be satire,” one user wrote.
Pourshalimi denied this accusation, writing in response, “No I document real cases, you don’t see this on tv!”
Pourshalimi reiterated this in the caption of the video: “2nd time DUI plus car accident. Client has changed his life ever since and is sober. Whether you agree or disagree with the outcome of this case, all we are doing is documenting real court cases you won’t see on tv.”
The Daily Dot could not confirm the veracity of this individual case.
However, Pourshalimi is a practicing Criminal Defense attorney in the state of California. He is a partner at Perlmutter & Pourshalimi and was admitted to the bar in 2016.
Pourshalimi did not immediately respond to Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.
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