JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

CHHHHCHANGES

Unfortunately, the more things change, the more they stay the same- which you can see by reading the end of this post.

KEN HASSLETT - former FACDL Miami chapter president, ace criminal defense attorney, and all around nice guy is putting his head into the lion- he is going into the belly of the beast (add whatever other hackneyed metaphors you think apply here); Ken is going North of the Border to meet with Judge Ana Gardnier to discuss....dare we say it..CHANGES North of the Border.

Here is part of the email he sent out:

As The FACDL-Miami Liaison to the BACDL I am making the following report:

On May 29, I attended the BACDL Board meeting organized by their President, Eric Schwartzreich. Also in attendance was the new Administrative Judge for the Criminal Division, Ana Gardiner. I am pleased to report that it was a very informative and productive meeting....

Judge Gardiner has opened the lines of communication with the criminal Defense
bar. It is no secret that change is necessary in Broward. Now is the time for us to bring important issues to the table, that can be resolved by the chief and/or administrative Judge.
...
I am forwarding this message to all of the members of FACDL-Miami so that they can forward any suggestions to me. On your behalf, I will present our suggestions to the BACDL at their meeting. .. I will be attending the meetings of both organizations in order to keep the lines of communication open.

Thanks,
Kenneth P. HassettAttorney at Law


Rumpole says: You can email Ken here: email: defenderno1 @ aol.com

Our advice is that we rarely venture North of the Border without local counsel, a bondsman on standby, and plenty of antibiotics. But that's just us. We wish Ken luck, and if things don't turn out so well, we will post his jail number at the Broward County Jail so you can drop him a line ala- Pais Hilton.

Word also reaches us from North of the Border via the Broward Blog (link on the left) that long time County Court Judge Robert Zach has been caught with his hand- not in the till- but in the pocket of a criminal defense attorney who appeared before him, to the sum of an unpaid personal loan of $2,500.00

Can you say former Judge Ralph Person?

For those of you newer to the REGJB, the saga of Judge Person reads like a Shakespearean tragedy. Judge Ralph Person was the Chief Administrative Judge for the criminal courts. A true Judge. Admired and well respected by all, we often said he had the best poker face of any Judge we ever appeared before. He gave you a fair hearing and you never had any idea which way he was going to rule.

Judge Person was so well respected that when the Feds needed an expert witness to testify to the Jury in the Miami Court Broom Judicial Corruption case as to what a Judge could and could not do, they turned to Judge Ralph Person.

Just one problem: Judge Person had solicited and received loans from attorneys who had appeared before him. This came out on cross examination and it was not pretty to say the least.

The testimony marked the swift beginning of the end of the Judicial and legal career of Judge Person. He resigned from the bench. The bar was relentless in their pursuit of him. He eventually resigned from the bar, remarking something to the effect that he never wanted anything to do with the law or lawyers again. It was a sad if not tragic ending to his career.

It is often said that those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. Apparently Judge Zack in Broward County is many things, but a historian he is not. We do not know how this mess is going to end, but we predict it will not be pretty.

See You In Court, where in case any of our robed readers are wondering, we cannot loan you any money.


PS. You have to check out the comments on the Broward Blog about Zack.
We're thinking of starting a Broward Judicial body count for each month. This month is what, one Judge to TV, one Judge resigned, Ross to probate of all places (on the theory that he can't offend the clients there as much). Just when you think you have heard it all, another Judge in Broward steps up to the plate and does something stupid, unethical, illegal, or all three. This is an epidemic and obviously some of those Judges have something else under their robes besides skivvies.

What is happening in Broward is a continuing erosion in the public's confidence in the judiciary. We will be soon taking bets on what scandal emerges from the voting for the new chief Judge. The way things are going up there, you just know they are bound to screw it up.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh, how the time is ripe to challenge vulnerable sitting judges in broward. this next election could be a different version of court broom, where the old is swept out for the new.

i hope some qualified broward lawyers step up and run.

Rumpole said...

Yes I spelled Paris "Pais". It was a typo. For reasons too long to explain here I can't change it without an hours worth of work. Paris or Pais is not worth it.

Anonymous said...

Let me start things off on the right track:

I'll never be your Shumie of Burden
so lets go home and draw the curtains
music on the radio
make sweet love to me

am I hard enough?
am I rich enough?
am I tough enough?
it's not too hard to see

I'll never be your Shumie of burden'so come on baby
make love to me

you can put me out on the street
you can put me out with those shoes on my feet
you can put me out put me out put me out of my misery

ain't I rough enough?
woo
aint I tough enough?
woo
aint I rich enough?
woo

I'll never be your shumie of burden
I need no fussin
I need no nursin

Anonymous said...

Shumie to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what cash is like
On Telemundo and Starz
In other words hold my wallet
In other words Cris, kiss me

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna rank the Shumie songs:

1. The first the best the original shumie shumie cococ puffs shumie shumie shumie.

2. Hansen's version of shumie bop.

3. The frank sinatra version of shumie to the moon.

4. The stones version of "Ill never be your shumie of burden.

Anonymous said...

Manny Segarra is da man!

Rumpole said...

It always nice to be recognized by your peers. The Broward blog re-posted today's post on their blog. Thanks guys.

Anonymous said...

When is deadline for 08 papers to be filed?

I want to run against a sitting judge who is a easy target?

Anonymous said...

Here's the moral and the story from those who know
I fell to prey and my pain still grows
Ask any fool that he ever screwed, they'll say
Keep away from-a Runaround Shu

Anonymous said...

FBI probing threats to Miami Herald's Pitts
Federal officials are looking into hundreds of racist threats recently made by phone and e-mail to Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.


Click this link for story

http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/146399.html

Anonymous said...

Judge Zack had loans with Bailbondsmen that were undisclosed years ago.

The JQC did nothing. That is why Terri Miller ran against him years ago and lost.

I like Zack. He gives a fair trial but, he should have learned his lession years ago.

Anonymous said...

I am sending a letter to the AG in regard to KFR and her illegal activities. Who wants a copy?

Anonymous said...

Let's go to the videotape ....

Judge Larry Seidlin-Anna Nicole mess to position himself for a T.V. show (and god help us, CBS bit);

Judge Larry Korda-Getting stoned in a public park;

Judge Ilona Holmes-Accused of improper conduct (although I personally think she was justified in her comments);

Judge Charles Greene-"No Humans Involved" [NHI] remark after a trial ends in a not guilty verdict;

Judge Leonard Feiner-Lambasts court cleaning staff for moving his "stuff", accuses them of "living in hovels";

Judge Robert Zack-Demanding a loan from an attorney who appears before him;

Judge Robert Diaz-Anonymous threats to a facist judge who was ordering INS detentions (the only thing he really did wrong is...he didn't sign his name?);

Judge Lee Seidman-See Judge Diaz, above;

Judge Dale Ross-He could take all day just be himself. Offensive comments to defendants and lawyers; lack of institutional control; strong-arming lawyers, and on and on;

Judge Stacy Ross-Really, would she be a judge if not for her father?;

Former-Judge Laran Johnson-Illegally back dating legal documents;

Judge Eileen O'Connor-Submitting an application to the JNC that failed to list the allegations of improper conduct as an AUSA supervisor,including the lawsuit filed against the US Attorney's Office (and paid) due to her improper conduct;

Judge Cheryl Aleman-Improper conduct; refusal to let a defendant dying from AIDS out of jail even though the SAO, the PD and the jail wanted him to go home to die with dignity;

State Attorney Michael Satz-Leads the state in wrongfully convicted death row defendants;

Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne-Soon to be indicted by the feds for unlawful conduct (need I say more?);

Public Defender Howard Finklestein-I love the way you are taking on the system but please, that "Help Me, Howard" segment on Channel 7; give me a break.

Have I missed anyone?

Anonymous said...

Manny Segarra is a complete and total idiot and has no business even thinking of running for judge.

Anonymous said...

Any word on the 3rd dca appointment yet?

Did mike hanzman get it?

Please let me know if you know?

Anonymous said...

Tell Judge Gardiner to tell the Judges it is ok to stand up to satz and the robot ASA's there.

The offers that come from the State are embarrassing bad, and many Judges just go along with their recommendation.

Credit Time Served and a Noll Prosse in exchange for a plea are words never heard.

Anonymous said...

So Susannah is not writing important stories any longer?

Anonymous said...

Who should we draft to run in Broward?

Anonymous said...

Forget Broward! WHo should we draft to run in dade?

Anonymous said...

Can you blame Broward Judge Diaz? He is an almost lone voice up there battling against the establishment. Diaz is a good guy and some Dade judges I know agree.

Anonymous said...

Rump, you also mispelled Kenny's last name as "Haslett". Don't criticize my spelling errors when you can't take care of your own.

CK

Anonymous said...

I guess that depends on your definition of important 5:47 a.m. And I guess you were just blogging because you were bored waiting for your Herald to arrive on the doorstep, right? I did write the first story on the first page this morning. :)

Actually, summers are pretty slow in the courthouse so I'm working on a project. But I'm still around if anyone needs anything.
Susannah Nesmith
Miami Herald

Anonymous said...

I hear Judge Hernandez owns property in Broward and may run there. Any truth to that rumor?

Anonymous said...

Broward here I come!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, seems the good Judge and Mr. Alex Hanna had a bit of a disagreement. Hernandez is looking for a job folks. Broward, here he comes!

Anonymous said...

What about Judge Elijah Williams who also shows favoritism to some public defenders and prosecutors? Has anyone watch him in court with the former prosecutor Sherri Zack? He is like a puppet in her hands, talking about their vacations and personal meetings in court in front of the public eyes. How can anyone trust a judge that leaves his dog with Sherri when he goes on vacation to be fair?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone knows what happened to former prosecutor Sherri Lynn Zack. Is she out because of her father or it has to do with something else?

Anonymous said...

It's really sad that biased judges like Ana Gardiner can get promoted to an Administrative Judge position. Her sentences are 2-3x longer than any other county judge ruling. How can she get away with this? She makes slanderous remarks and still is allowed to sentence people. Isn't there a timeline that's appropriate for a sentence that she must abide by?