Against All Odds: Dinsmore Trial Attorneys Secure Rare Acquittal in Federal Murder Defense Case
In January 2025, Dinsmore trial attorneys Kenyon Meyer and Philip Longmeyer achieved an extraordinary victory, securing an acquittal in a federal murder trial, an outcome achieved in less than 1% of such cases. Appointed by the Criminal Justice Panel in June 2024, Kenyon and Phil took on the defense of Bobby Smith, an indigent client who had parted ways with multiple prior attorneys during his six years of incarceration. Mr. Smith had been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a 2016 murder investigation in Louisville, Kentucky, and was facing a life sentence, if convicted. While both Dinsmore attorneys have defended clients in high-stakes business disputes, this marked their first murder case.
With just months to prepare, the defense faced the daunting challenge of sifting through over 140,000 documents and more than 25 hours of recorded interviews. To tackle this mountain of evidence, Kenyon and Phil assembled a team from Dinsmore’s Louisville office, including associates Kristen De la Garza and Juels White, along with paralegal Marilyn Nash.
After an intense three-week trial in January, the case went to the jury, who returned a stunning verdict: not guilty on all three murder counts. Mr. Smith was acquitted, spared from a lifetime behind bars.
In a four-part video series produced by Dinsmore, Kenyon and Phil share how they became involved in the case, the pivotal discovery that reshaped their defense strategy and how their team rallied to secure this rare victory.
Watch the videos here: