News coverage, firm announcements, and interviews featuring Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Robert M. Helfend of the Helfend Law Group. His Southern California practice includes state court and federal criminal cases. These links document representation of defendants and witnesses, defense arguments, and reported court decisions.
Each item identifies its publication date and source. Archived coverage describes the proceedings at that time; it should not be read as a statement of a case’s current status. Firm announcements are identified separately from independent reporting.
Media coverage and firm announcements
ABC7 — November 11, 2025
Judge denies request to dismiss murder charges in the PCH crash case
ABC7 covered proceedings arising from the crash that killed four Pepperdine students. Helfend represented witness Victor Calandra, not defendant Fraser Bohm. The article includes his response to allegations concerning Calandra and reports the court’s decision concerning phone-location evidence.
Firm announcement / PR Newswire — October 2, 2024
Helfend Law Group Secures Dismissal in FAA Drug Transportation Case
The firm’s release reports dismissal at an FAA hearing after Helfend’s evidentiary objections in a marijuana-transportation matter. It is a firm-provided account of that proceeding, rather than independent reporting or a basis for assuming the same result in another aviation case.
Firm announcement / PR Newswire — September 24, 2024
Not guilty verdict in a self-defense murder case
The announcement reports acquittals following a two-week jury trial involving a defense-of-self-and-family argument. More detail appears in the firm’s criminal defense practice overview.
Associated Press / Courthouse News Service — September 26, 2023
Capitol riot sentencing coverage involving Edward Badalian
The AP report, carried by Courthouse News Service, describes the September 2023 sentencing and quotes Helfend’s defense arguments in court filings. It reported a sentence of four years and three months. The dated article records that proceeding and the positions presented to the judge.
Davis Vanguard — June 23, 2022
Archived coverage of a burglary-related return to court and sentencing. The link preserves the original publisher’s headline; it is not a claim that the proceeding or sentence is current.
TheWrap — December 8, 2017
Disney Suspends Music Exec Jon Heely After Felony Child Sex Abuse Charges
The entertainment publication reported the charges, a not guilty plea, and Helfend’s statement denying the allegations on his client’s behalf. The article concerns the case’s early proceedings and does not report a final verdict.
Daily Pilot — September 30, 2014
3 accused of pimping plead not guilty to torture, kidnapping
The arraignment report identifies Helfend as Flores-Davis’ counsel.
Thousand Oaks Acorn — January 26, 2012
Teen pleads not guilty in Kramer case
The Acorn identified Helfend as Corey Baumann’s attorney and reported not guilty pleas on drug charges. It also reported that prosecutors did not pursue an earlier manslaughter allegation, citing uncertainty about who supplied the heroin. The article does not attribute that decision to a particular defense intervention.
Criminal defense interview with Robert Helfend
In the firm’s interview, Murder Charges in Real Life: What TV Gets Wrong About Criminal Defense, Robert Helfend discusses the preparation behind a serious criminal trial. He describes why the courtroom’s unpredictability drew him to criminal defense and why a lawyer must adapt while protecting the client’s rights.
Evidence and jury selection
Helfend explains the difference between a public narrative and the evidence a jury may consider. Defense preparation includes testing admissibility, examining reasonable doubt, and evaluating whether potential jurors can remain impartial. Headlines and assumptions cannot replace proof of the charged offense.
Forensic interpretation and preparation
His discussion also addresses the limits of television’s rapid timelines and surprise revelations. Real criminal defense preparation involves discovery, investigation, pretrial motions, and expert review when appropriate. DNA or another forensic result must be understood in context; the existence of a test does not answer every question about identity, timing, or conduct.
Families can help by preserving records, tracking court dates, and discussing public communications with counsel. Case schedules and available resolutions depend on the evidence and governing law. California’s mental-health diversion statute expressly excludes murder and voluntary manslaughter. Other charges require their own eligibility and suitability analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Are all the links on this page independent news reports?
No. The page distinguishes news reporting from announcements supplied by the Helfend Law Group and distributed through PR Newswire. The interview is firm-published content.
Do reported case results guarantee the outcome of another case?
No. Historical results concern their own evidence, charges, and proceedings. A new matter requires a separate assessment of the facts and current law.
References
The coverage links above identify their publishers and dates. Legal source reviewed October 6, 2026: