Brian Joslyn
Attorney
Brian Joslyn’s decision to become a criminal defense attorney was shaped by unique personal hardship. His life has been and remains a testament to the pursuit of justice for those subjected to overzealous law enforcement. He firmly believes in the dignified, respectful treatment of every person before the law.
In his late teens, Brian was a victim of police brutality. This experience was the catalyst in his goal to defend the rights of others. While attending a campus block party at Ohio State University, Brian stood on a private lawn holding a milk carton. As the crowds grew, police arrived to maintain order. Instead, utter chaos ensued. The assembly of students was thrown into disarray as the police sprayed tear gas everywhere. Brian was hit in the forehead with a tear gas canister, a blow which threw him to the ground and nearly rendered him unconscious. Frightened and disoriented, he remained in a defenseless posture, while inhaling fumes from the canister at his side. People stampeded by him in fear. Those who didn’t flee were arrested.
As he lay injured on the ground, a police officer approached Brian and hit him on the top and back of his head with a Mag flashlight, splitting his skull open. The officer then proceeded to stomp on Brian’s back and entire body. Notwithstanding Brian’s screams for mercy, the abuse persisted. Four zip ties were then fastened to Brian’s hands behind his back. The officer then picked him up from behind, walked him into an alley about twenty feet away, and slammed his body into the ground, which fractured his right thumb. Repetition of the body slam caused shards of glass to pierce Brian’s forearm. He was then taken to a police paddy wagon, which the police sprayed the back of with mace and shut the doors.
At the hospital, police interrogated Brian despite his request for counsel and refusal to sign any documents. After Brian tested negative for drugs and alcohol, his doctor wanted to administer an anesthetic for the purpose of stapling his head wounds. The police declined the medication for Brian. As a result, the procedure took place without any numbing agent. During intake at the jail, officers ridiculed Brian and called him “Zipper Head.” Unbeknownst to Brian, his blood-soaked clothes had been washed, in an effort to destroy evidence. Ultimately, Brian’s blood-stained wallet and paper money testified to the police officers’ conduct. Nevertheless, Brian’s problems were far from over. He was formally charged on five false counts of assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, failing to leave the scene of an emergency, rioting, and disorderly conduct.
Ultimately, Brian was acquitted of all charges at trial. Following the trial, Brian began working for a law office, where he remained for five years, assisting with his cases and developing a deep understanding of the criminal law. In light of Brian’s ordeal, his compassion for those faced with criminal charges was evident to everyone he encountered.
Brian has developed a profound affinity for criminal law, received his law degree, and has devoted his life to principles of fairness and justice in the treatment of his clients and the outcomes he seeks on their behalf.