Top Minnesota Homicide Defense Lawyer
Sarah Gad | Gad & Gad Law Offices LLP
If you are facing a homicide charge, everything feels urgent and terrifying at once. Families are overwhelmed. The stakes are enormous. And the pressure to “just take a deal” often begins immediately.
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Sarah Gad is the most sought after criminal defense lawyer for people charged with murder, attempted murder, and aiding and abetting murder in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and throughout Minnesota.
Her practice is built around one principle: she does not back down when the consequences are life-altering. She prepares homicide cases to be fought — not rushed, not conceded, and not resolved out of fear.
Our founding attorney Sarah Gad (left) with client Ben Richardson after his murder charge was dropped for lack of probable cause.
Why Families Seek Out Sarah Gad for Homicide Defense
Families often come to Sarah Gad after being told:
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“There’s no defense.”
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“The risk is too high.”
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“You should take what they’re offering.”
They seek her out because she:
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Is respected by judges and prosecutors
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Takes the time to understand the case fully
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Explains risks honestly without using fear as leverage
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Prepares every case as if it may go to trial
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Is willing to stand firm when pressure escalates
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Sarah Gad’s homicide defense work is front-loaded. She litigates early and aggressively because that is where leverage is created — and where cases are often won. Her clients know that their case will not be surrendered simply because it is difficult.
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If You Are Facing a Homicide Charge
A homicide charge is the most serious offense under Minnesota law, but it does not mean your life is over. It means the work must be done carefully, deliberately, and without fear. If you or a loved one is facing homicide or aiding and abetting allegations in Minneapolis or Saint Paul, early defense matters. What happens at the beginning often determines everything that follows.
A Different Approach to Homicide Defense
Homicide cases in Minneapolis are often overcharged and
poorly investigated. Prosecutors frequently rely on:
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Sloppy investigations
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Aiding and abetting theories
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Unreliable or incentivized witnesses
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Weak circumstantial evidence
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Prior convictions, even if unrelated
A Defense Built on Fighting the Case, Not the Clock
Homicide cases are often decided long before a jury is ever selected. They turn on whether the defense is willing to:
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Challenge weak or speculative charging theories
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Test the credibility of cooperating witnesses
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Push back against overbroad aiding and abetting allegations
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Force the State to prove intent, not assumptions​​​
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Results in High-Exposure Homicide and Aiding & Abetting Cases
Every case is different. Outcomes depend on facts, law, and circumstances. But Sarah Gad’s homicide practice has included:
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Acquittals and dismissals of homicide and homicide-related charges where the evidence did not support the State’s theory
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Successful challenges to aiding and abetting allegations that relied on association rather than proof
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Advocacy that dramatically reduced proposed prison sentences from extreme exposure — including a probationary sentence for a client charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault.
These outcomes did not come from quick deals. They came from fighting the case.​Sarah Gad takes these cases apart piece by piece. She forces the State to show actual intent, not guilt by proximity. When the proof is not there, she says so — clearly and persistently.
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Recognition for Standing Firm in the Hardest Cases
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Sarah Gad has been recognized as a Top Ten Under 40 criminal defense attorney for multiple consecutive years, recognition driven in large part by her work in serious, high-exposure cases, including homicide matters. That recognition reflects not just outcomes, but how those outcomes were achieved — through preparation, persistence, and refusal to yield to pressure.
If you or a loved one has been charged with homicide in Minnesota, early strategizing is crucial.
Call 612-412-1710 to setup a free consultation with attorney Sarah Gad.