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.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

SEAN TAYLOR WAS KILLED ONE YEAR AGO TODAY

It's 61 degrees this morning in Miami. 

It's been one year since the tragic death of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor. The title links to the article.   I recall being in the courtroom for either the arraignment or one of the early hearings as all these attorneys from the West Coast of Florida descended upon our little building amidst the media coverage and thinking: "six months from now all these guys will be gone."  And I think I was correct;  most if not all of the defendants now have local counsel. I remember thinking that this is must what it feels like for local lawyers in some small town when half a dozen Miami lawyers come in on a big drug trafficking case. The feeling was not pleasant and gave me a better insight into how I am treated in other counties (Not including North of the Border, which always makes lawyers feel unpleasant) and other states.

Anyone have an inside update on the case before Judge Murphy? 

Our local federal blog had inside coverage of the motion to dismiss the money laundering count against Ben Kuehne that was heard by Judge Cooke yesterday. David Markus wrote an amicus brief on behalf of the NACDL supporting the motion to dismiss.  The highlight of the motion appeared to be when  the government lawyer, managing to keep a straight face,  told Judge Cooke that yes, section 1957(f) which contains an exception for lawyers fees in criminal money laundering statutes, has absolutely no meaning whatsoever and should be ignored my the court. 

If you think we wisecrack on the blog , you should see us in court, especially when a prosecutor says something so abysmally stupid as that. I would have wanted the court to inquire, "while we're on the subject" of any other laws enacted by congress that the Department Of Justice is actively asking courts to ignore?  Just for the record and all that. 

The Broward blog has a neat little post on Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz sitting on a jury as a forewoman and signing the NOT GUILTY verdict form yesterday on a Felony possession of cannabis before outgoing Judge Dijols.  Congrats go out to defense attorney Faisal Afzal for a job well done. 


Quick financial tip: for those of you looking to get back into the market (and there are some great values out there) remember that starting the first week of December, people traditionally start selling stocks to take the financial loss for the tax year. And you can't throw a dart without hitting a stock that has a loss this year. So be careful and bide your time. I'll give you my buy signal when I see it. 

Anybody still in trial in the REGJB? Last day of the work week. We'll have something up tomorrow,  including football picks for Thursday and the weekend. Have a great holiday. 

See you in Whole Foods buying our organic turkey. 



13 comments:

Anonymous said...

cant believe they had a whole article re sean taylor that wasnt filled with the usual sharpstein self promotion. maybe we should believe in miracles?

Anonymous said...

Is there anything better than the Shield?

Anonymous said...

Here is something better: Try the case in February 2008- 2.1 million plaintiff verdict. Tried it by myself, financed 89K in costs myself. October 2008 after we exchange briefs, I raise the settlement figure to 2.75. They counter with 2.7. Done deal. Check clears last week. Client gets their piece. 175K to the IRS. And Yesterday walked into the Porsche Dealership and picked up the Turbo Carrera. paid for it in full. No financing.

I LOVE being in private practice. I don't just like it. I LOVE IT. Talk about Shumie time for me. I'll work a bit for the rest of year. Cigars. good wine. Great Car. Hot GF. I'm set for a bit until the next blockbuster goes to trial. I got two more set for 09. 3 Million minimum to settle.

Isn't this great?

Anonymous said...

10:01 did you know Sharpstein knew Taylor for a long time? Naah. So shut up you whiny worthless hack

Anonymous said...

Why the poll on who will be next prez still up? Lame.

Anonymous said...

I though ST hired a bunch of other lawyers before Sharpstein...if he knew him so long, why not hire him first, second...etc.?

Anonymous said...

Plenty of people died in the last 12 months why should we particulary care about this football player anymore than Joe Shmoe?

Anonymous said...

How pathetic is it that you comment on a guy's death and you end up with people trashing his lawyer? Are you kidding me?

Anonymous said...

Sharpy's daughter went to high school with Taylor. He knew the boy a long time.

Sharpy is livin right in a 5 million dollar house on the water. you enjoy your turkey day in your two bedroom two bath that you at the top of the market, HATER.

Anonymous said...

hey rump - are we getting closer to Armageddon? with the global econamic collapse and possible world depression, 9/11, multiple wars and now this tragedy in india - what do you think? rump, you are a brilliant man (or woman?) - tell us, are you optimistic about the future or do you think that america has seen its best years? please advise.

Anonymous said...

the only person who would mock the sharpy is that wannabe model dj x state atty that got beat like mule in the taylor case. that kid is still spinning records at planet hollywood.

Anonymous said...

4:34 maybe because he knew shapstein too well and felt uncomfortable hiring him. Go back to your stupid one dimensional credit card practice and leave the real shit to the real lawyers.

Anonymous said...

OK follow me on this.

A successful miami circuit court judge, often on the 3rd DCA short list leaves the bench for fame and fortune with a TV show. The show does Ok but Hollywood types love the Judge. They shop her for a development deal. Now heres what you need to know- when a new star is shopping a development deal and gets one offer, a bidding war automatically starts because the other TV executives want to at least make an offer. WHy? Because if the Judge signs with say FOX and gets a hit show, at least the other execs can tell their boss "we offered her a deal but Fox topped us at the last second."

OK the Judge gets say 3 million up front and has to accept one of the first three or four offers made.

Two offers-two rejections and then this gem- pay close attention:

"A TV sitcom about a judge who leaves the bench and has an OK reality TV show who then gets an offer for a development deal and has to then work on a new sitcom about (now get this because it gets real confusing) about 'a judge who leaves a TV reality show to work on a sitcom.' "

So Rump - this judge of ours is now starting pre production on a TV show sitcom about a Judge who leaves a TV show to star in a sit come.

It's life mirroring life mirroring life.

Put another way- its like the Seinfeld episodes about a show about a show about Seinfeld.

The script here is genius and the buzz in Hollywood is that this makes it on the September Fall preview as THE hottest show of the new season.

Stay tuned. Confused? It gets more confusing later.