“The Nightmare of Six years behind bars and facing Life in Prison on a First Degree Murder Prosecution ended with a three week trial and a brave Jury Verdict of NOT GUILTY!”

– Criminal Defense Trial Attorney Ken Padowitz

Friday, November 21st, 2025, 6:30 p.m., Broward County Courthouse

Justice was served when a Broward County Jury ended a nightmare for a client on Friday, who faced life in prison on a First Degree murder charge.  Arrested almost six years ago, Conn Errico had been originally arrested on a warrant for First Degree Murder. A month later, the Broward State Attorney’s Office filed a Second Degree Murder Charge against him and a co-Defendant Christopher Snyder. Approximately a year and a half later, the State up filed the charge with an indictment for First Degree Murder against the two. The Defense argued this was a State strategy to put pressure on the co-Defendant to get him to testify, we believe falsely, against Errico and save his own skin. After three years in jail on a no bond hold,  the Defense argued the tactic worked and Co-Defendant Snyder was released on his own recognizance (ROR) from jail, no house arrest, no ankle monitor with charges downgraded to Accessory to Murder and sent on his merry way to Idaho. In effect, Synder went from being exposed to  Life in Prison with no parole and three years in jail, down to a probable probation sentence for his testimony against Errico.

Attorney Ken Padowitz and Conn Errico seconds after the Jury found him Not Guilty of First Degree Murder

and he realized his life had been restored.

Half the Country used or tried Marijuana in 2020. Ken Padowitz’s client sold Marijuana to Doctors, lawyers accountants and any any other buying customer.

In 2020, a young man decided to premeditate a Robbery of Conn Errico. He lied about being on an ankle monitor to get the place for the sale of pot to be not in a public place but in a dark apartment complex parking lot. The buyer lied about part of his address. He laid in wait and as the car parked, driven by the co-Defendant Snyder, he walked over  to Errico who was now standing outside the car on the passenger side in what the defense argued was to check to see if Conn Errico was armed. He was not. This was all on video taken from cameras on the rooftop of the apartment buildings.

Attorney Ken Padowitz with Conn Errico and his family and supporters

after he walked out a free man through the courtroom doors

The pot buyer then strangely walked away to a nearby parked truck.  The testimony revealed that Errico kept asking what are you doing?, and heard only “hold on a second” as a response. After some time, the pot buyer walked back towards the trunk of the car and according to Errico, said “Don’t worry, I got a gun for my own protection” as a bulge in his pocket revealed the handel of a gun that his hand grasped.

The video shows the young man in a hoodie walk around towards the client and punch him hard in the face, grabbing the bag of marijuana in an unmistakable violent Robbery. The Robber took off running as Errico stood there, deciding a $75 bag of pot was not worth being shot and dying over. Co-Defendant Synder in the drivers seat had other plans. In four seconds he ran out of the car and began to chase the Robber in an attempt to get back the stolen product. As he ran past the front of the car, Errico repeatedly yelled for him to stop because the robber was armed and it was not worth it. Snyder stopped and later admitted in a prior deposition he wanted to get what was stolen back. He laughed and giggled in the deposition when confronted how absurd it was to go after a Robber who just punched in the face his friend. He replied he was not making good decisions under the influence of Marijuana and alcohol.

After the Robbery, Conn Errico stood there and did not chase the Robber. He decided it was time to go home. He spent the next full minute putting baggies of marijuana into the trunk with no intention of pursuing the buyer turned violent thief. The testimony and video showed co-defendant Snyder had other plans. Being the driver in control of the car, the testimony was he began a hunt for the Robber over the protests of Conn Errico. The various video cameras  had gaps, allowing time for the Robber to hide a gun prior to his realization he was being pursued by the driver. Ignoring the repeated calls to stop and go home, Co-defendant and driver Synder, hunted down and eventually caught up with the Robber. Errico testified that Synder yelled “he’s got a gun!!”, “grab the gun, he’s going to shoot us!!” Adrenalin pumping and in fear of his life, he watched the Robber who he believed had a gun, turn and point in the direction of their car. He saw a flash. Errico grabbed a gun stashed between the driver and passenger seat and fired in self defense from the passenger seat of the car and struck the Robber who fell forward to the ground. The States own Medical Examiner Forensic Pathologist testified the path of the bullet was consistent with the Robber turning and pointing at the car when he was shot. A black cell phone with a clear case and a bag of pot was found near his body. Deputies were called to the scene of “Shots fired” but only stayed one to two minutes and never searched the apartment complex as the young man lay bleeding and alive on the ground. An hour later someone found him alive and the police were called back to the scene.

One of the fairest Judges on the criminal bench, Judge Rothschild, presided over the lengthy trial as the 15 jurors sat through days of testimony and evidence. This shooting ended in a tradgedy and a young man lost his life.  But it was not murder. The courtroom was awash in Reasonable Doubts, but it took a brave and hard working Jury to sift through the lack of evidence to finally produce what we were waiting on the edge of our seats to hear. Not Guilty. With Liberty and Justice for all.