Edward J. O’Donnell has over 40 years of federal and state criminal defense experience. He has successfully defended individuals accused of crimes ranging from first degree murder, DUI manslaughter, and drug trafficking to fraud (healthcare, mortgage, and tax), espionage, and money laundering.
He began his career as a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office with Richard E. Gerstein, where he eventually became head of the Major Crimes Division. He was instrumental in obtaining convictions for the Ricky Cravero Gang in the 1970’s.
Ed left the State Attorney’s Office in 1977 and has practiced criminal defense trial litigation, quickly earning a reputation as one of Miami’s most skilled defense attorneys. He has tried over 300 criminal cases to jury verdict in both state and federal courts throughout the country.
His clients include professional athletes, judges, attorneys, public officials, law enforcement officers, corporate executives and a Bay of Pigs veteran. He has been featured on “60 Minutes”, “24-Hours”, “Dateline”, and “Court TV”.
Ed O’Donnell has distinguished himself as a creative and aggressive criminal defense attorney. He represented a Miami judge charged with bribery in the “Operation Courtbroom” case, a Metro homicide detective charged with killing his wife, a Hollywood actor accused of trafficking in cocaine, and numerous professional athletes charged with crimes ranging from possession of drugs, DUI, domestic violence and assaulting a police officer. He has defended dozens of individuals charged with first degree murder who were facing the death penalty.
Ed grew up in Miami Shores, where he still lives with his wife, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Diane Ward.