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Monday, May 16, 2011

FACDL REDUX

Ok everyone, lets take a deep breath. Follow us...Breath in....hold it....out and "ohmmmmmmmmm". Very good.

Now relax and lets take a closer look at the FACDL banquet Saturday night.

The night was not about food. We can all help ourselves and the planet by eating less meat.

The night was about remembering and honoring those of us who do the very tough work of criminal defense. We are the last line of freedom. When we hang it up and give in to the government, no one is left to defend the Constitution. And make no mistake about it, the biggest threats to our freedoms comes not from some disjointed terrorist group. It comes from those group of ignorant citizens who, given the chance, would repeal the bill of rights. And it is not those who don't know any better that we really need to fear. It is those who do know better- and who seek profit and power by inciting the ignorant to attack the rights that make us great.

Saturday night was about remembering and honoring a fallen hero from our midst: Gregg Wenzel. And thanks to Brian Tannebaum, Gregg's memory will endure in Miami long beyond the time when this contretemps fades.

Saturday night was about remembering the great Public Defender Rodney Thaxton. A whole generation of young lawyers have now matured without his guidance. And yet because we have lawyers like Edith Georgi, whose amazing defense of perhaps the indefensible, Rodney's spirit lives on strong.

Saturday night was about remembering a great champion of justice: Judge Roberto Pinero, who left us way too soon. We are all better lawyers and persons for having known Rob Pinero and for having practiced before him. Somehow, we manage to struggle on without his wise guidance.

So now we have all had our say about the bad food, or no food, and the bad acoustics. But lets remember what's important: lets remember Gregg Wenzel, Rondey Thaxton and Judge Rob Pinero.

And now lets go do our jobs as the good lord saw fit to give us the ability to do.

See You In Court.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

My vote for "Best Dressed" : Betty and Jude and all the ladies at DOM's table.

Anonymous said...

none of you even knew greg. he wouldnt have given three shits if you all were talking over his memory. he thought most of you were pussies. he was a real trial lawyer. would try a case at the drop of a hat. he was no bleeding heart. he was a soldier type of pd. he had a " i have man men mentality." people like greg and others of his ilk, make the system more fair. because, if you dont give them what they want in court, they will make you try a case and then offer to buy you a drink after trial.

Secret Judge said...

About 1979 Rodney Thaxton was recruited for the P.D. office out of NYU by a small delegation that Mr. Brummer & Mr. Weed sent to NYC pursuant to a grant to recruit minority law students. Turned out to be a pretty good hire.

Anonymous said...

anyone have an update on Mike Walsh?

Always looking for something to complain about said...

Please leave God out of your opinions. There is no place for it on this public forum.

Anonymous said...

Careful you don't break your arms patting yourselves on the back for the bottomfeeder work you do. Defending common criminals is nothing but a necessary evil in a democracy. Don't make it out to be more than it is.

angry gurl said...

Ok. First, I TOLD YOU SO. Putting your Saturday night in the hands of those facdl putzes, is like putting your client's future in the hands of some hack from regional counsel. Hah! Those guys aren't even up to the PDs minimal standards.

Second: how come all you self important defense attorneys scream bloody murder when a judge accepts an award from MADD but don't see the hypocrisy of ytou giving sitting judges "defender" awards year after year?

Third: Why would anyone expect class and consideration from the rude mopes who masquarade as judges and attorneys in our state court criminal courthouse? I don't. I've been there and seen you creatins up close. None of this should have been a surprise to anyone.

That's it for now. I feel better. Have a great angry gurl week!

Anonymous said...

Did you notice how few guys were wearing a tux?

So much for formal attire.

I go every year and would rather it be a casual affair.

Anonymous said...

Since not all of us are FACDL memebers, where was this event held and who were the caterers that screwed up?
Wanna make sure not to book a large event there.

william said...

thanks for remembering Rodney..he and i went to college together and he was always an outstanding scholar..progressive thinker and he spoke truth to power... may he rest in peace...

Anonymous said...

I was there and I had a seat behind a huge wall that kept me from seeing what was going on. On top of that, I couldn't hear a word anyone was saying.

Call me rude but, all of us at our table were bored so we talked to each other. We did not mean any disprespect but, we had almost no idea what was going on.

At least we got food but, no wine.

Anonymous said...

337- the event was at the S And S at downtown Miami. There was seating for 10 at the counter and the rest of us just milled around. Idiot.

Some dude too said...

My favorite comment from yesterday was about "the dude Jude The Hammer Faccidomo". Classic

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

Update on Presidential happenings

Gingrich is IN

Paul is IN

Trump is OUT

Captain is OUT .....

Anonymous said...

I had a table rather close to the podium and even there, we could barely hear what was going on.

I really think they made a mistake going to that venue.

I also don't think anyone felt disrespected. We all knew the acoustics were horrible.

Anonymous said...

TAKE NOTICE:

You will not be denigrating the Regional Counsel's Office. They accept EVERY appointment that the PD's file.

And the PDs conflict on cases where there is not a true conflict. They conflict on cases where the client is difficult, the case is complicated, or just to reduce their own case load.

Some PDs leave right after calendar in a judge's division where the trial schedule is not heavy and they are totally unaccountable for their time. Some PDs will purposely try to get into a division where the trial load is light.

This is the South and there is a senority system in place, but to have a county employee's time be unaccountable is not fair to the rest of us who work very hard.