Gregory B. English

Education

Mr. English received his legal education at the University of Virginia (J.D., 1973) and George Washington University (LL.M. in criminal law, 1979).

Military Service — LTC, JAGC, DCARNG (Ret.)

His legal career began as a Captain in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, where he served as a trial counsel, chief of military justice, and government appellate counsel during his four year tour of active duty.  Following his discharge, he served in the D.C. Army National Guard as the Staff Judge Advocate until his retirement with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  His military decorations include the Army Meritorious Service Medal (twice), the National Guard Distinguished Service Medal, the Minuteman Statue, and numerous other awards.

U.S. Department of Justice — Former Senior Trial Attorney

Prior to entering private practice, he was a Senior Trial Attorney at the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice.  He was responsible for prosecuting complex, multiple defendant conspiracy cases involving major drug traffickers.  These nationally significant cases typically included CCE, RICO, and tax charges.  He received the Drug Enforcement Administration's "Black Box" award which is given annually to the top drug prosecutor in the United States, as well as commendations from the Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service.  He also spent two years detailed to the United States Attorney's Office in Alexandria prosecuting major drug cases.

Private Practice — Criminal Attorney

In 1986, Mr. English began private practice in partnership with David B. Smith, a colleague from the Department of Justice.  Their combined talents and experience has produced a firm capable of handling a wide variety of criminal matters.

In a practice devoted primarily to criminal defense, with an emphasis upon courts-martial, drug conspiracy, and fraud, Mr. English has successfully defended cases ranging from premeditated murder to traffic offenses.  He has defended hundreds of clients in felony criminal trials, has prepared numerous criminal appeals, and has been approved to represent defendants in  death penalty cases in federal court.

Experience

While at the Department of Justice, he prosecuted Angelo Lonardo, Boss of the Cleveland Mafia family, and various underlings in a thirteen-week RICO trial.  His devastating cross-examination of Joseph Gallo, a capo in this Mafia family, was profiled in the National Law Journal (January 17, 1983).  He also participated in "Operation Swordfish" in Miami, "Operation Gateway" in East St. Louis, and United States v. Garmany, a 12 week CCE trial in Phoenix.  Cases he has handled in private practice include a six month trial in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia defending the "R Street Crew," as well as successfully defending a soldier at a General Court-Martial who was charged with ten offenses including kidnapping and multiple rapes, and obtaining acquittals in three consecutive trials as the court-appointed attorney for clients charged with capital murder.  His criminal defense clients have ranged from Commander Richard Marcinko, author of Rogue Warrior (Pocketbooks, 1992); to the Black Hebrews;  alleged members of the Medellin and Calli cartels; reputed Mafia members; MS-13 members; Rayful Edmond, III, King of the D.C. drug dealers; military officers facing courts-martial; corporations and businessmen charged with defrauding the government.

Lectures and Media Appearances

Mr. English has lectured on the defense of major drug cases in Key West and San Diego, and taught as a trial practice guest speaker at the University of Virginia Law School.  He has been interviewed on the "Today," "Nightline," Fox News "War on Terror," and "The Right Side" nationally televised shows, appeared as a witness before the United States Senate testifying about the use of RICO against drug traffickers, and qualified as an expert on cocaine distribution in federal court.  Mr. English was a frequent lecturer at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, and at the Attorney General's Advocacy Institute.  Both Mr. English and Mr. Smith appear in the film Ray: The Rayful Edmond Story, Part 2 produced by Street Stars Films, LLC, distributed by Troibult Distribution (www.nycstreetstars.com).  Mr. English is listed in Who's Who in American Law.  The cross-examination skills he honed as a prosecutor have earned him praise for his effort as a defense counsel (e.g., “I thought Mr. English did about as effective a job in impeaching Mr. Agu's testimony as anybody is ever going to do in a courtroom in the United States,” the Honorable Liam O'Grady, United States District Judge (EDVA), in United States v. Melvin Taylor, December 12, 2008).

Bars:       

Virginia
District of Columbia
Pennsylvania (retired status)

Courts:   

United States Supreme Court
United States Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the Fourth Circuit
United States District Courts for the District of Columbia and Eastern District of Virginia
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Virginia Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

Memberships:   

D.C. Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers [founder]
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
American Bar Association (Criminal Justice Section)
Editorial Advisory Board, Federal Criminal Practice Rules, James Publishing

Publications:.   

• A Federal Prosecutor's Guide to Bond and Sentencing Issues, a Justice Department Monograph (1984).
• "The Continuing Criminal Enterprise: 21 U.S.C. §848," 9 Drug Law Report (July-August, 1993) at 1.
• "Constitutionality of the Court-Martial Death Sentence," 21 Air Force Law Review (1979) at 552.
• "International Narcotics Trafficking," testimony before the Permanent  Sub-committee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate (November 10, 1981) at  5.
• "Should Laboratory Reports be Admitted at Courts-Martial to Identify Illegal Drugs," The Army Lawyer (May, 1978) at 25.
• "The Impact of Cost-Effectiveness Considerations Upon the Exercise of  Prosecu¬torial Discretion," The Army Lawyer (December, 1977) at 21.
• "Opportunities for Advocacy During the Pre-Sentencing Phase of Courts-Martial," The Advocate (September - October, 1977) at 5.
• "Litigating the Denial of Individually Requested Military Defense Counsel," The Advocate (May - June, 1976) at 7.
• "Payment of Court Costs by Defendants," Narcotics Newsletter (September - October, 1985) at 16.
• "Sentencing: Dangerous Special Drug Offenders," Narcotics Newsletter (June, 1984) at 17.
• "Operation Gateway: A Prosecutor's Analysis," Narcotics Newsletter (October 1981) at 2.
• "The Broadening Scope of the Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute," Drug Law Report (November - December, 1986) at 1.
• "Protecting the Stakeholder: Defense of the Government Agency's Interests During Reverse FOIA Lawsuits," 31 Administrative Law Review (Spring, 1979) at 151.
• “A Gideon Moment,” The Champion, January 2004 at Page 41.

Call 1-703-548-8911 to speak with attorney Gregory B. English