Anthony Cullen Case Summary

Ryan Nelson, a respected criminal lawyer, was reviewing the case files on his desk for his future and potential clients. One case stuck out in particular. It was about a twenty-two year old male named Anthony Cullen, who is being charged for raping twenty-year-old Lina Davis.
Anthony Cullen is a senior at Harvard University, he has remained on the dean’s list all four years of college and received a full-ride to Harvard on both academic and sports scholarships. Anthony is the captain of the men’s soccer team and pledge master in the fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. Students, teachers, and family members have described Anthony as an intelligent, friendly, and well-liked individual.
The incident occurred on December 17, 2016, around 1:30 a.m.

when an anonymous call was made to the police. When authorities arrive on the scene, Lina Davis, was curled up in fetal position behind bushes in a parking lot just a black away from the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house. Her pants were ripped and around her ankles, there was blood on her clothes, bruise marks all over her body and she breathing, but unconscious.
Lina was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where she was treated for her bodily wounds and vaginally examined for rape.

When she woke up she had told authorities that she went to a party with her sister, where she was the designated driver, and the last thing she remembered was talking to Anthony. Lina exclaimed that Anthony tried to kiss her, but she rejected him. She began to feel very foggy and dizzy, but could not find her sister anywhere. Lina claimed that Anthony offered to walk her back to her sister’s apartment, but cannot recall any memory after that. When her blood work and sexual assault screening results came back it was found that she had no alcohol in her system. However, she did have flunitrazepam, also known as the “date rape drug,” in her system and her sexual assault screening proved to be

positive.
Lina isn't the type of girl to be caught in a situation like this. She does not attend Harvard and was only there to visit her sister. Lina has been in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend and is rarely at the party scene, and when she is, she doesn’t drink alcohol.
Anthony Cullen’s parents hired criminal lawyer, Ryan Nelson, to defend him in court; he is being charged with both assault and sexual assault.

Ryan called Mr. and Mrs. Cullen and Anthony to come in and hear his side of the story. Anthony explained that he was talking to Lina Davis at the party and she suddenly started acting too intoxicated so he offered to walk her home. He claimed that he went upstairs to get her jacket and when came back downstairs he looked for her, but she was no where to be found. After he spent a few minutes looking for her he went upstairs to go to bed. Anthony also stated that he assumed that someone else helped her get home.
After hearing Anthony’s side of the story he went over the case multiple times. He did receive other statements from a few people that also attended the party who claim that they think they saw the two leave together. There were no witnesses to the assault, there was no DNA or other forensic evidence to link Anthony Cullen to the rape of Lina

Davis.
Although Anthony claimed he was innocent, Ryan felt in his gut that he was guilty. However, he was hired to defend Anthony, not convict him. Ryan knew that there was not enough evidence against Anthony to convict him of this crime and that he would win. But, was he going to be the person who let this young man walk away after committing such a serious offense? He had never turned down a case before, and it was his job to defend his clients whether he believed they were guilty or not guilty. Does this mean he would have to turn down every case he believes is wrong to defend? Turning down cases could put his job in jeopardy. Ryan decided to go home and clear his head. Perhaps the decision will be easier to make tomorrow.