GRIECO TO PLEAD TO MISDEMEANOR

Former ASA, current criminal defense attorney and Miami Beach City Commissioner Michael Grieco will plead guilty Tuesday to one misdemeanor count of a state campaign finance law. He will serve one year probation. 
The Herald went live with this story at about 9:45 pm:

One source with knowledge of the investigation said Grieco, a criminal defense attorney, will plead to one misdemeanor count of accepting a political donation disguised through a straw donor, a violation of state campaign finance law. As part of the plea deal, he will submit his resignation at City Hall on Tuesday morning before going to Miami-Dade criminal court. He will receive one year of probation during which time he will not be able to run for public office. Grieco will also pay the costs associated with the state attorney’s public corruption investigation.

Grieco, a former assistant state attorney, was investigated by the same office that once employed him. He resigned from the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office in 2006 after an ethical misstep — he was accused of using his position as the prosecutor on a high-profile case to promote his side job as a weekend nightclub disc jockey.

HIJACKED

For those of you bored enough to ponder civil law and who have recently checked out the South Florida Lawyers civil blog,  we have learned that the blog has been Hi-Jacked and is being held hostage. 

You see, if you give someone your log-on credentials, they can log on and change the password. And then you, as the owner, are locked out. 

Meanwhile, for our less gullible readers, we offer this business opportunity which involves the tragic death of a Nigerian business owner, and the offer of 50% of the proceeds of the recovery of 37 million dollars being held by the Bank of Canada in Nigeria. 

What Rumpole is Reading:
We were pleased to see the release of two wonderful biographies by two accomplished biographers this past week. Grant, by Ron Chernow, who has also written biographies of Alexander Hamilton and Geo. Washington. And Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson, whose last subject was Steve Jobs. 

Fun fact: Grant's given name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. When Grant's father asked his congressman to nominate Grant for a spot at West Point, the application was inexplicably filled out for Ulysses S Grant. When Grant arrived at West Point, his name on the board was U. S. Grant, which caused his classmates to nickname him "Uncle Sam", shortened to Sam Grant, which is how he was known to his classmates forever more. 

From Occupied America, where Chief Justice Chase wrote in Texas v. White  that "the Constitution in all its provisions, looks to an indestructible Union composed of indestructible States", fight the power!

SUNDAY DOLPHINS GAME

UPDATE: After a late Jets-McCown INT in Fins territory, the home team kicked a 35 YD FG, to win the game after the Dolphins came back to score the last 17 points after being 14 points down with Matt Moore, the back-up to the back-up leading the team. The view here is that Moore has won the starting QB Job. Cutler is a stiff who needs to retire.  

The real story here today however is the reprehensible condition of the field which saw innumerable players slip and fall.  The footing was akin to a December game in Chicago on a frozen field. Shameful. 


We will do  a little live blogging from todays game against the J...E...T...S Jets Jets Jets from the luxury suite where we are enjoying the game. Pardon us a moment while we try some of the lobster...

Currently the Fins are down 14-7 and it looks ugly. 

Query: When did football become synonymous with patriotism? Despite the kneeling controversy, the NFL works to make a connection between soldiers overseas and football. What if you're a football fan who is a pacifist?  It all has the feel of fake jingoism with a twist of xenophobia. It's not pleasant and it takes away from the game. We get the feeling that if some fan, sitting and sweating in the stands, didn't stand during the anthem or during some patriotic mini-event during a commercial, it would get ugly. And shouldn't politics be a refuge from sports and not a continuation thereof? 

Isn't it time to do away with the playing of the National Anthem before every sporting event? Maybe if we played it less, it wouldn't be taken for granted and would be given more respect. Just a thought. 

We highly recommend the Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2015 reserve, with shellfish. 

With six minutes left, QB Matt Moore has hit WR Kenny Stills twice for tying TDs. The first was nullified by a flagrant offensive pass interference, but the second was good and props to Moore and the Fins for fighting back from two TDs down. 

BLACK TUESDAY

Tuesday of this week will forever be known henceforth as "Black Tuesday" judging (pun intended) from the moaning, groaning and shocking movement of judges in and out of the REGJB pending the New Year. 

For example, Judge Richard Hersch was said to be beside himself (and not in a good way) with his pending assignment to Juvenile in the new year. Ditto Judge Pooler. 

Some judges are calling it a massacre. Others could just be heard weeping softly into their cafe-con-leche's Wednesday morning. 
The loss of these judges along with De La O and Rudy Ruiz, along with the loss of Judge Colodny who already went to probate (Probate???) recently, means that the REGJB has suffered and will suffer a substantial talent drain. 

The list is below:
(btw that new judge "vacancy" listed as going to Juvie could well be the best of the bunch. Guaranteed not to screw anything up.)

Judicial Rotation 2018 by Rumpole21 on Scribd

YOUR NEW FEDERAL COURT JUDGE

Your new federal court judge may just come from the following Miami State court judges who have applied and think they have the right stuff for Federal Court (Motto:        " The benefits include: Really big chambers; the guidelines are advisory; no idiot can run against you") 

Antonio Arzola (Former Fred Moreno Clerk)

Mark Blumstein (Not been on bench long enough to find his parking spot)

Betty Butchko (Former ASA)

John Kastrenakis*

Peter Lopez (Well respected judge, often spoken of as Fed Material) 

Migna Sanchez-Llorens (Former Fed PD)

Orlando Prescott (Former ASA, distinguished himself as Administrative Judge in Juvenile Court)

Thomas Rebull

Rudy Ruiz (Making very positive impressions during his short time on the bench)

Rodney Smith (Former ASA, very compelling personal story and journey to becoming a Judge)

John Thornton (Not his first federal rodeo, Fred Moreno connection which is not something to be overlooked)

Daryl Trawick (Former AUSA)


*Judge Kastrenakis sits in West Palm Beach, but he is a former Dade ASA, Former Southern District AUSA, and rumored to be a reader of the blog, so we include him in the list. 

ROY GONZALEZ HAS PASSED AWAY

There's a new Hawaiian shirt in heaven today. 
We received some very sad news that long-time Assistant Public Defender Roy Gonzalez, who had retired, has passed away. 
Below is the obituary that we received from his wife.

Roy was a wonderful man and a great and dedicated attorney. And, as legions of young assistant public defenders learned, he was one of the go-to guys in the office when you needed help on a case. And if he wasn't in court, then he wasn't hard to find- just look for the guy wearing a brightly coloured Hawaiian shirt. 

Roy loved reading our blog.  His reading our blog and participation was a source of pleasure and pride  for us.  

None of these are easy, and these last two- George and Roy, have hit hard because they were good men, and their passing was so unexpected. 

Hang in there folks and make every day count. 


Roy Gonzalez, Jr., went to be with his Lord on October 14, 2017, after a short battle with cancer.  He was born July 10, 1944, to Rogelio (Roy) and Margarita (Casanueva) Gonzalez, in Miami Beach, Florida.  He attended Miami High, graduating Class of '62; the University of Florida (Go Gators), graduating Class of '66; and the charter class of the Florida State School of Law, graduating Class of '69.  He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army like his father before him, serving at Camp Howze near the DMZ in South Korea as a 1st Lieutenant with the 2nd Infantry Division during the Vietnam Era.  He worked in the Florida legislature and practiced criminal defense law in Miami, both in private practice and with the Public Defenders Office of the 11th Judicial Circuit, where he was famous for wearing Hawaiian shirts when not in court. 

He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Robin (Ledee) Gonzalez, who he cherished and loved to spoil.

Luke 10:15 says there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents, and what a party the angels had in 1994 when Roy found Jesus and was born again into the Christian faith. He lovingly served his Lord by becoming a choir member and moderator of the Key Biscayne Community Church from 1995 until 2006, when he moved to Highlands County, where he continued his service as deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Placid and where he also continued to make a joyful noise to the Lord by singing in their choir.

A celebration of life will be at First Presbyterian Church, 118 N. Oak Avenue, Lake Placid, FL,  on Saturday, October 21, 2017.  Visitation with the family will be at 1 p.m. with the service at 2 p.m., with Rev. Raymond Cameron officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Genesis Center Building Fund, P.O. Box 326, Lake Placid, FL, 33862, or Heartlandcatrescue.com in honor of the beloved cats Roy and Robin had adopted through their years together.

NEW JUDGES

"No Judge writes on a wholly clean slate."
Felix Frankfurter, 1937. 

Judges Ivonne Cuesta and Laura Stuzin were elevated from county court to circuit court this week, replacing the vacancies that occurred with the retirement of Judge Cardonne-Ely, and elevation of Judge Lindsey to the 3rd District Court of PCA Appeals. 

Judges Altfield, Brinkley and Multack, along with ASA Luis Perez-Medina were among those whose names were sent to Tallahassee but were not given a seat when the music stopped. 


Judge Rosa Rodriguez, a former Dade Public Defender, resigned from the Circuit court after 18 1/2 years on the bench, effective Halloween, 2017. Boo!

Judges ought to be more learned than witty, more reverend than plausible, and more advised than confident. Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.
Francis Bacon, "Essay LVI: Of Judicature", Essays (1625).

GEORGE CHOLAKIS FUNERAL DETAILS

There will be a visitation with family on Thursday evening at Van Orsdel Funeral Home at 4600 SW 8th street, Miami, Fl, from 6-9. 

The funeral services will be Friday morning at St. Sophia Church, 2401 SW 3rd Avenue at 10:00 AM.  

No more of these for a while please. This has been very very hard. 

He was a man. Take him all in all. 
I shall not look upon his like again.  Hamlet, Act I, Scene 2.  

Peace.