Prevailed in Fifth Circuit for Prominent Real Estate Developer, Vacating Bribery and Conspiracy Convictions

Defended Dallas property developer Ruel Malcolm Hamilton in a widely reported criminal case, in which he was charged with two counts of federal programs bribery under 18 U.S.C. § 666, one count of conspiracy, and one count of violation of the Travel Act. He was alleged to have bribed two former Dallas City Council members to help him build a Dallas development.

Following the June 2021 two-week trial, the jury returned a split verdict, with Mr. Hamilton acquitted of the Travel Act count and convicted of the bribery and conspiracy counts. Mr. Hamilton was sentenced to eight years in federal prison and a US$150K fine.

In February 2022, Mr. Hamilton appealed his convictions for conspiracy and bribery to the Fifth Circuit. Winston and co-counsel Paul Clement represented Mr. Hamilton in his appeal. In August 2022, the Fifth Circuit vacated Mr. Hamilton’s convictions, finding that the district court improperly instructed the jurors that section 666 included gratuities in addition to bribes and had other errors. We also successfully opposed the government’s petition for rehearing, which was declined by the full court in February 2023.