Recent Results
Jillise McDonough has a proven track record. She has secured a number of not guilty verdicts, dismissals and favorable Motion to Suppress decisions. Some of those wins include:
December 21, 2023
Due to Attorney McDonough’s independent investigation of the case, the Commonwealth decided not to proceed against Attorney McDonough’s client in Brockton District Court, who was charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a large capacity firearm, various drug offenses, and assault and battery on a pregnant person. All charges were dismissed against Attorney McDonough’s client.
July 26, 2023
A Suffolk Superior Court judge suppressed all evidence against Attorney McDonough’s client today. The Boston Police alleged that Attorney McDonough’s client committed a number of traffic violations, so they stopped his vehicle and while approaching, allegedly observed him reaching for something in the center console of the vehicle. The officers claimed Attorney McDonough’s client appeared excessively nervous during the stop, and that he was guarding the center console, leading the officers to believe he was concealing something. Due to Attorney McDonough’s cross-examination during the hearing, the court did not credit many of the officers’ claims and found there was insufficient probable cause to search the vehicle. The court suppressed all evidence, so the firearm charge and enhancements against Attorney McDonough’s client will be dismissed.
March 8, 2023
A Boston Juvenile Court judge suppressed all evidence recovered during a motor vehicle stop where the vehicle Attorney McDonough’s client was operating allegedly had excessively tinted windows. The Trooper claimed that during the stop, he saw one live ammunition on the floor and after Attorney McDonough’s client admitted he did not have a firearms license, the Trooper searched the vehicle and recovered a firearm. All charges were subsequently dismissed.
October 24, 2022
A Brockton District Court judge suppressed all evidence recovered from a motor vehicle search after Attorney McDonough’s client was stopped by the East Bridgewater police, and a trafficking weight of fentanyl and two firearms were recovered from the vehicle. Because the Commonwealth no longer has any evidence to proceed, all charges were nolle pros’ed.
April 27, 2022
Today, and Suffolk Superior Court judge entered a required finding of not guilty as to Attorney McDonough’s client’s firearm charges. Attorney McDonough represented her client successfully at trial, undermining the key State Trooper’s credibility, so the court found that there was insufficient evidence Attorney McDonough’s client possessed the firearm recovered from the vehicle. Attorney McDonough’s client was facing various enhancements, with a seven-year mandatory minimum, but a not guilty entered on all charges.
April 12, 2022
The Supreme Judicial Court found today that there was insufficient evidence presented during Dario Baxter’s trial that he harbored any “lethal intent” when he allegedly drove a vehicle to and from the location where a shooting occurred. As a result, the SJC entered a not guilty on the murder charge. Read the decision here.
July 29, 2021
Attorney McDonough successfully argued to a three-judge panel of the Appeals Court that a Suffolk Superior Court judge correctly suppressed a firearm recovered from Attorney McDonough’s vehicle. As a result, the Commonwealth will be unable to proceed to trial, resulting in a dismissal of the charges. Read the appeals court decision here.
November 5, 2020
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office nolle pros’ed all charges against Attorney McDonough’s client, after Attorney McDonough successfully argued to a Norfolk Superior Court judge that the police had no probable cause to obtain a search warrant for her client, where over four pounds of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana, and a firearm were seized. The court suppressed all evidence recovered from the search warrant, so the Commonwealth was unable to continue to prosecute the charges.
October 22, 2019
After a jury trial in the Concord District Court, Jillise McDonough’s client was found not guilty of Operating Under the Influence of Liquor (OUI). The officer claimed he first encountered the client because her vehicle was stuck on a rock wall on the side of the road. After speaking to her briefly, the officer ordered her out of the vehicle and claimed at trial that she failed all three field sobriety tests. Attorney McDonough successfully undermined those claims, and the jury found the client not guilty.
October 3, 2019
Attorney McDonough successfully convinced a Suffolk Superior Court judge to suppress a firearm allegedly possessed by her client. Members of the Boston Police claimed they saw Attorney McDonough’s client brandish a firearm during a Snapchat video. The next day, they stopped her client, and allegedly found a firearm in a bag in his vehicle. Attorney McDonough convinced the judge that the Snapchat video was not a sufficient reason to stop and search the client and his vehicle.
June 27, 2019
After a jury trial in the Haverhill District Court, Attorney McDonough’s client was found not guilty of assault and battery on a pregnant person and animal cruelty. Not only was Attorney McDonough’s client facing time in the House of Correction if convicted, he was also facing serious immigration consequences.
June 24, 2019
Today, in the Boston Municipal Court, Jillise McDonough’s client was found not guilty of Operating under the Influence of Marijuana (OUI drugs) and Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle. A State Trooper testified that Attorney McDonough’s client was speeding; that he failed to see a police officer with flashing lights and did not pull over; that his eyes were bloodshot; his speech was slow and slurred; and he admitted to almost hitting the trooper as he sped by the parked cruiser. Attorney McDonough successfully poked holes in the Commonwealth’s case. After a jury waived trial, Attorney McDonough’s client was found not guilty.
April 12, 2019
A judge in the Woburn District Court issued a decision today reversing Attorney McDonough’s client’s conviction for assault and battery. The judge found the testimony of a defense expert presented during the motion for new trial hearing provided a defense that should have been pursued during trial.
April 8, 2019
Today, the Appeals Court issued a decision overturning a revocation of probation out of the Chelsea District Court. Attorney McDonough successfully argued to the Appeals Court that the probation department failed to present sufficient evidence during the probation surrender hearing to warrant the judge’s revocation of probation. The Court reversed the imposition of the two-year suspended sentence. Read the decision here.
December 18, 2018
Today, after 25 years, the Commonwealth dismissed the first-degree murder and robbery charges against Sean Ellis. Learn more here.
August 14, 2018
After a jury waived trial today in the Boston Municipal Court, Jillise McDonough’s client was found not guilty of failing to register as a sex offender. Attorney McDonough successfully convinced the judge that the client attempted to register, but was turned away at the station because he was late for his appointment. As a result, the Commonwealth could not prove the client failed to comply with his registration requirements.
May 9, 2018
Today, a judge in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court suppressed all evidence against Jillise McDonough’s client. The client was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance (cocaine and fentanyl) and possession with intent to distribute a Class E substance. Attorney McDonough successfully convinced the judge that the police prolonged the traffic stop without justification, and ordered Attorney McDonough’s client out of the vehicle without cause. Since all evidence was thrown out, the Commonwealth dismissed the charges.
March 26, 2018
After a jury trial in the Boston Municipal Court, Jillise McDonough’s client was found not guilty of Operating Under the Influence of Liquor (OUI). The State Trooper who arrested Attorney McDonough’s client testified at trial that her client had glassy, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, smelled of alcohol and failed all three field sobriety tests. The Trooper claimed that he did not offer a fourth field sobriety test because he was concerned she was too intoxicated and would fall. Attorney McDonough successfully pulled apart his testimony to demonstrate that her client was not intoxicated. The jury found her client not guilty.
October 3, 2017
After a jury trial in Boston Municipal Court, Jillise McDonough’s client was found not guilty of two counts of assault and battery on a family or household member and assault and battery on a person over 60 years old. This victory was especially important to Attorney McDonough’s client where he was facing serious immigration consequences. He likely would have been deported if he was convicted.
September 6, 2017
After a trial in the Lowell District Court, Jillise McDonough’s client was found not guilty of two counts of possession with intent to distribute Class B substances (fentanyl and cocaine). Attorney McDonough put pressure on the Commonwealth prior to trial, and as a result they dismissed a firearms charge against her client. The Commonwealth claimed at trial that the Lowell Police recovered the drugs during the execution of a search warrant at the client’s apartment. Attorney McDonough was able to secure a not guilty verdict after exposing the shoddy police investigation.
March 10, 2017
A Wareham District Court judge suppressed over 10 grams of fentanyl allegedly found on Attorney McDonough’s client. The Middleboro Police stopped the client’s vehicle after allegedly observing a hand-to-hand transaction between a pedestrian walking on foot and a passenger in the vehicle. Attorney McDonough demonstrated that the police did not have probable cause to stop the vehicle and conduct a search. As a result, the possession of a Class B with intent to distribute charge was dismissed.
December 16, 2016
A judge dismissed possession charges against Attorney McDonough’s client today after she successfully argued for dismissal. Attorney McDonough was able to demonstrate that the Commonwealth had insufficient evidence to prove her client jointly possessed a quantity of crack cocaine.
October 4, 2016
The Commonwealth agreed to dismiss one count of trafficking in cocaine (200 grams or more) and one count of trafficking in heroin (100 grams or more) against her client. Her client pled guilty only to two conspiracy charges, preventing him from having to serve a mandatory minimum, which was 12 years on each count. He was sentenced to time-served (approximately one year in jail). Attorney McDonough tirelessly investigated a case, and the Commonwealth agreed to this plea if her client agreed to withdraw a discovery motion that was likely to uncover damaging information from the Boston Police.
September 26, 2016
Attorney McDonough’s client was charged with distribution of marijuana, and the case was scheduled to begin trial today. The Commonwealth sought to present a Sergeant with the Boston Police to testify that the substance seized was marijuana. Attorney McDonough successfully demonstrated that a Boston Police Officer was not an expert in identifying a substance as marijuana. As a result, the Commonwealth was unable to answer ready for trial, and the case was dismissed.
September 9, 2016
Today the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld the Motion for New Trial decision in Sean Ellis’s case, and agreed with the motion judge that newly discovered evidence casts real doubt on the justice of Mr. Ellis’s conviction. As a result, the Commonwealth will now have to decide whether to re-try Mr. Ellis, or dismiss his case. Learn more here
August 11, 2016
Today, the Appeals Court overturned a Harassment Prevention Order issued against Attorney McDonough’s client. Attorney McDonough successfully argued that there was no grounds for the court to enter the initial Harassment Prevention Order, or to extend the Order for an additional year. Read the decision here.
November 20, 2015
In Dorchester District Court today, Attorney McDonough convinced the Clerk-Magistrate that there was insufficient probable cause to charge her client with annoying and harassing text messages/phone calls. Since no charges were issued, Attorney McDonough’s client was able to avoid the burden of defending a criminal case, and the case will not show up on the client’s record.
May 6, 2015
Attorney McDonough served an integral role in overturning Sean Ellis’s wrongful first-degree murder conviction after he served 22 years in prison. Mr. Ellis was convicted of killing a Boston Police detective in September of 1995. After several days of hearing in Suffolk Superior Court, the judge allowed Mr. Ellis’s Motion for New Trial on the basis that the Boston Police withheld exculpatory evidence and based on newly discovered evidence which showed the lead detectives on the homicide investigation were involved in a corruption scheme with the detective prior to his death, and tampered with evidence. Learn more here