SOCIAL SCENE

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS ON THE REGJB SOCIAL SCENE:

SOCIAL SCENE:
On Saturday evening, 350 guests gathered at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables for the 30th Annual FACDL-Miami Installation Dinner. Our spies tell us that it was a very well attended event - especially given the fact that half the County Court bench has drawn opposition in the Fall election. Judges and their challengers could be seen on opposite sides of the room, wearing their badges, pressing the flesh and jockeying for support.

Ivan Hernandez was there as was his opponent Robin Faber. Lawrence Schwartz and Gina Mendez too. We understand that Judge Murphy enjoyed the entire evening while opponent Josie Velis made a surprise entrance and an even quicker exit soon after her arrival; (we are trying to find out more on that story).
We understand that Patricia Marino showed and she was followed closely by Judge Shirlyon McWhorter. Both County Admin Judges Leifman and Slom were there too. Judge Pando found her way from Hialeah to Coral Gables, and Judge "Shelly " Schwartz was seen handing out pens - just in case you ordered an absentee ballot for the election and needed something to write with.

During dinner, Judge Stan Blake paid a warm tribute to Judges' Crespo, Leyte-Vidal and Dakis. Fed. Judge Federico Moreno was honored with the Justice Gerald Kogan award and gave a funny acceptance speech.

Sworn in as the new officers were Prez. David Marcus, VP Barry Wax, Treas. Rick Freedman and Sect. Faith Mesnekoff.

TOBACCO ROADThe flesh pressing continued on Thursday night at the DCBA-Crim. Ct. Committee judicial happy hour with some new faces in the crowd. According to our sources, new judges Antonio Arzola and Norma Lindsay - both of County Court fame - came out to meet and greet. The beer was flowing as Slom, McWhorter, Faber, Shelly Schwartz, Pooler, Blake, Echarte, Bob Scola, Murphy, and a host of both ASA's and defense attorneys enjoyed the party.

DAKIS TRIBUTE:For those interested, there is a special tribute honoring Judge Linda Dakis on Friday at 4:00 pm. This "Celebration of Life”ceremony is open to the public and begins at 4 p.m. at the Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, on the University of Miami campus.
CAPTAIN OUT ...............



A reader who’s schooling omitted several important documents and events like…the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Struggle for Civil Rights in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Nazi Germany, etc., wrote in to say:

I really don't understand how some of you members of the defense bar talk as if you hold the moral high ground.Is putting drunks back on the road God's work? Aren't all those underpaid felony ASAs trying to make it less likely that someone rapes your kid? Carjacks your wife? Breaks into your house? Sells dope in front of your kid's school?It's an epic battle between good and evil, and you, 8:15, represent evil.One last thing-- did you ever wonder why you have it so good in State court but federal judges treat you and your clients like the scum that you are? Yes, it is in part because of the differences in the law. Do you think that it is maybe also because the federal judges don't need your fucking blood money and dope money to keep their jobs?

Rumpole responds: At least one reader tried to answer this poster, but quickly became frustrated and the post denigrated into cursing.
This is a job for a professional, so step aside and read and learn:

Dear Sir/Madam:

Dr. Martin Luther King wrote from his Birmingham Jail cell on April 16, 1963, that
“ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Now perhaps your view that when the police arrest someone there must be a good reason, and when a Judge keeps someone in jail there also must be a good reason, prevents you from remembering that Dr. King was merely trying to reverse 175 years of racism and our government’s treatment of people of color as second class citizens. Of course, history has shown that the Judge and the Police were wrong, and Dr. King was correct.

However, maybe Dr. King’s frequent arrests and incarcerations are too remote in time. Perhaps you don’t remember a time in the not to distant past when it was common to see signs on Miami Beach that said “no colored or jews” and that police would arrest and the government of our state would prosecute individuals who violated that law. Surely there are some brain cells left in your addled skull that would recognize the need for good counsel and a vigorous defense against the actions of the police and a government that enforced such laws?

Lets move to more current times. Are you aware of how many INNOCENT people have been exonerated from death row after being arrested, convicted and having their initial appeal denied? As Of May 19, 2006 the innocence project has exonerated 177 people convicted of all sorts of crimes whose initial appeals were denied. In this country 123 people have been exonerated from death row as innocent. Our own fair state Florida leads the way with wrongful convictions of death row inmates at 22.

Lets get more local. Ever hear of the River Cops in Miami? All they were were a bunch of City Of Miami Police Officers, who, when not arresting people they didn't like on trumped up charges, were murdering drug dealers, stealing their money and dope (the same dope you worry about being sold to your kids) and dumping them in the Miami River.

Your post mentioned DUI’s. Have you read on our blog recently that veteran Miami Dade Officer Jerry Davenport was disciplined for punching and beating up a DUI suspect, and then lied about it? How would you feel if DUI Tough Guy Davenport beat up your spouse or teenager and then came into court and lied about it? The sad fact is that you will continue in you dim witted beliefs until the police come for you. And by then, when you need us most, it may well be too late.

Finally, you mentioned the differences in treatment between state and federal court. It is true that the defense has less rights in federal court. It is also true that the same government that runs the federal courts has been illegally gathering evidence and illegally taping the phone calls of US citizens without warrants. That same government seeks to hold defendants without bond, trial, or even counsel in certain cases. I certainly hope for your sake that you have not been chatting with any friends from the middle east, or you might just get an invitation to go hunting with Dick Cheney in Cuba.

On the other hand, while we abhor the acts of our government and its abuses of the constitution, if there is any type of individual who is so dangerous, and whose thoughts are so anti-american and whose ideas are so insidious to the principles that our country was founded on, that they need to be locked away forever without counsel, bond, or a trial, —IT IS YOU. We sincerely hope that you get all that is coming to you and which you so richly deserve. Let us conclude in the language that you probably understand best: Sieg Heil.

Your humble and faithful servant,

Rumpole.

See You In Court.