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.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

THE DRUG WAR

Which former US Attorney declared the United States war on drugs "a failure"?
None other than New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.


Cocaine and heroin are now no longer the prime targets. Prescription painkiller drug abuse is now the new top priority. 


John Kerry, upon returning from Vietnam and before he entered politics,  famously asked how do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?


Who wants to be the last Judge to sentence someone to a 15 or 25 year drug minimum mandatory? 


When Governor Christie called the drug war a failure, he said that the war "imprisoned people who really needed treatment." 


A quick aside about minimum mandatory sentences- where do they come from? How did the Florida Legislature decide that 28 grams of cocaine should merit a three year minimum mandatory prison sentence? Why not 30 grams and two years? Were studies done? Was there any rationale behind the 3 or 5 or 7 or 15 year minimum mandatory sentence? Or did we just lock people up for the hell of it, because the numbers sounded nice? 


Here's the NY Times article on the drug war. 


Donald Sobol, the author of Encyclopedia Brown passed away at age 87.  And author Stephen Covey who wrote the 7 Habits of Highly Effectively People also passed away, he at age 79. 


The BBC reports that President Assad of Syria may use chemical weapons against his own people. Nice. 

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Syria is an artificial state of various tribes and loyalties. Tribal loyalty transcends everything. Gassing non Alawites means absolutely nothing to Assad because they are not "his people." To Assad they are less than human.

The lore is that Nero fiddled away while Rome burned. The truth is that Asma Assad went shoe and furniture shopping while the country descended into madness. Even the Syrians don't deserve this.

Secret Judge said...

In a rather bold prediction, Secret Judge predicts Gov. Christie will be Mr. empty suit's choice for veep. This is based on the word of a prominent member of the Repub. party here in Florida who I had lunch with last week. Mr. Christie has been thoroughly vetted and the powers that be love the guy and are urging Romney to choose him. Conni Rice was nothing more than a trial balloon to see how Black America would respond.

MLM-MLM said...

Miami Loves Migna
Migna Loves Miami
Governor Scott can't you see?
Miami Loves Migna
Migna Loves Miami
Put her on the 3rd DCA by January 3.....

A Man in Full said...

Jeeze its hot. I'm shuming it now. Don't care what anybody says. There's a boat and a cooler of Michelob on ice waiting for me at the Marina. Just need to find a law student/ct reporter/bimbo who has her bikini nearby....

Anonymous said...

So not even the great Rumpole comments on the comment Sunday 1- from the male law school big firm intern who was offered a job by his boss if he sleeps with her and 2- the judge who responded by saying he/she got their appointment by sleeping with a politician when they were in law school and the job and judicial appointment were the payback.

Nothing? Nobody?

Real Fake Former Judge said...

Secret Judge is Former Judge. I know. I can bust him anywhere.

Anonymous said...

PANDO PANDO PANDO ranked Dead Last in Bar Poll. That's sure to help the reelection bid...

A Man In Full said...

Rain today so the boat stays at the dock which just means I can add shots of tequilla with the beers. There was a comment on the prior section about the old Alibi lounge. The move in the day was to take the Porsche to the Alibi Friday afternoons, grab a young pd/ court reporter and roll to the Mutiny in the Grove. A few lines and the girl was yours for the weekend. Easy as apple pie. Thise were the days when a Porsche, a gold rolex, a roll of five K cash was all you needed for a happy life.

Anonymous said...

The White House will not do anything is Syria until after the election.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9404452/US-refuses-to-help-Syrian-rebels-until-after-election.html

Anonymous said...

I agree Man in Full. These days the frickin broads are googling you on their phones in the bar, checking out your tweets or facebook or what people are saying about you. Some broad listed me in some bullsheeet dont-date-em website and it took two years and 8k in legal bills to remove it. But those damn google comments last forever. These 20 somethings are two frggin web savy for me to con. Im stuck with non internet savy 40-50 yr olds which sucks.

Anonymous said...

Man in Full-- geez, you need boots to read your comments. Full of it ain't ya?

Genuine Fake Ticket Lawyer said...

Hay Man in Full, go to Tootsies. Plenty of 23 year olds who don't care about your Google comments. More interested in the 300 bucks they can earn. Same 300 bucks you'd spend trying to woo some 25 year old pd, but with less hassle.

Just remember to leave the Amex at home.

Anonymous said...

Slow news days always seem to have people reminiscing for the good old days of hookers and coke, scotch and the Mutiny.

Those days need not be history. Ciroc, a handful of prescription pain killers, and a pass to the VIP room in any Strip Club brings the past to life!

Anonymous said...

when we were Broke ass Pds( I started at 18k a year and worked my way up to 27k 3 years later) we would go to the alibi for the free buffet( meatballs and mini eggrolls etc.) Sy would sit on the same stool every nite buy drinks for all of us and tell stories.Great guy ,fun times. Between the alibi and the marine bar there was at least a sense of community for those of us who toiled in the pits. Both sides could have a drink and put aside the bullshit .it seems to me there was a lot more anger and open warfare in court back then. now there aint shit. Boring. Jason Grey

Anonymous said...

So Rump, what do you make of the prosecutor's latest bit of "strategery" in the Zimmerman case, releasing statements from a "witness" who claims he "molested" her when they were both small children (called "playing doctor" in days gone by)?

What's the plan here, Rump? Is the goal to ensure there's not a juror anywhere in the state who might consider the events of that night dispassionately? And when Angela Corey has whipped the mob into a fevered frenzy,then manages still to lose a case she has wildly overcharged, causing an eruption of rage and discord, do we suppose Rick Scott will make her a judge somewhere?

Anonymous said...

I am way way over the hill. Advice to young attorneys. Bang as many women as you can for as long as you can. The actions you take today will be the memories you survive off of tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Man in "Full of it":
Back in the day you were a hot shot 30 year old with cash, fancy car, drugs.
Today you're an old balding paunchy middle-age guy who may still have some cash but you also have an ex-wife and two high school kids to deal with. And that fancy car, not fooling anyone, trying to act like you're still 30 at 55.
And the loser who agrees with you thinks you can't get 20 year olds because they google you?? Perhaps it's becuase they have some decency and don't want to date their dad.

Why don't you guys just ask your best friend if you can screw their daughters? They're probably of legal age about now. See how well that goes over.

A Man in Full said...

Marine Bar had its uses. Especially that one blonde bartender with the set of large...uh...shot glasses. Used to go on Tue and Thur afternoons and buy a few shots from her. Great mid-week stress reliever. Had that regular for a few years.

Tootsies is shooting fish in a barrell. I don't run 10 miles a day 4x a week for some Tootsies bar girl. Its the 24 year old with the tan smooth stomach that I want to bag, even at my age. Keeping in shape, keeping up a pitch, and more often than not- whammo it works!

Anonymous said...

Go to the Fla Bar website and look up chief judge Fred Moreno.

He's not even a member of the Bar anymore?

Is it asking too much for judges to pay Bar dues?

Rumpole said...

Jason- Sy bought me plenty of drinks at the Alibi. And then there was a time when I could start buying him drinks and it was a pleasure to do it.

Anonymous said...

Man in Full- you and me - we got to party. Us together? Forget about it!! When you stole that cow....and then tipped it over..... You and me pal.

Anonymous said...

Remember the judges going to the Alibi for three-plus martini lunches and coming back blasted for court in the afternoon?

A Man in Full said...

5:25 pm. Regrettably I have engaged coitis with a colleague's daughter who was a real estate agent and wandered into a bar looking hot and ready for whatever. I didn't make the connection until a few days later. I ended our brief relationship and of course never spoke to the colleague about it.

I made a decision in my mid 20's to live my life a certain way. I have always been honest with women that I did not want to marry and raise a family. I have had longer term relationships including two spectacular years with a playboy centerfold. But as I get older I am sorry I guess but I have no attraction whatsoever to women my own age. That's just how it is. I've tried. Almost to a T all of them are divorced, bitter, angry, with troublesome teenage kids and bodies that just don't do it for me. Plus they are desperate to get re-married. So contrast that woman against a 24 year old with a killer body. No kids. No desire to get married. I say to her "Hey, lets leave wednesday night, fly to Paris, stay at the George V and fly back Sunday night." She has nothing holding her down, we go and have a great memorable time. What's wrong with that? Maybe we get along and take a longer trip to Italy in August (and I have one all set to go with a beautiful 2L just before her law school begins). I pay for everything. We have a great time, and nobody gets hurt. This is my life. I live it my way. WHy does it bother you so much?

Anonymous said...

I do the same thing only I don't have as much money as you do ( private school) so i take em to new York , or Atlantis

Anonymous said...

Let me throw something out here: newish lawyer in one of the local training offices, I came here from the Pacific Northwest. I was shocked and remain shocked that you people out here eat Dolphin. Its on every freakin menu. These are sensitive mammals and not some stupid fish. I just can't believe how this happens and there is not more of an outcry.

Flipper Blows said...

9:05- despite being the lovable intelligent creatures portrayed by the Hollywood media elite, Dolphins are actually loathsome, bothersome creatures, that invade and destroy fisheries and habitats. The harvesting of these animals is no different from eating pork or beef. By hunting these dolphins, the local fisherman keep the herds down low, which in turn creates more fisheries for grouper and snapper which otherwise these dolphin would decimate.

Anonymous said...

So much for great legal minds.

old guy said...

Fishing Idiots: We do not eat Dolphin or Porpoise -- no matter what the restaurant menu says.

We eat mahi-mahi or dorado, which Florida allows the eateries to call Dolphin.

I repeat: We do not get served slabs of Flipper!

Anonymous said...

It's isn't the dolphin that bothers me...

It's the buffalo wings. To Cut the wings off and throw away the rest of that majestic animal is such a waste.

And don't get me started on the matzoh balls. All those lonely matzos roaming in the fields after being castrated is the saddest thing to see.

Anonymous said...

I pay inactive bar dues because the bar takes positions that may come before me. I receive the Florida Bar news but not the Journal and cannot vote thus pay the lower dues of an inactive member. FAM

Anonymous said...

10:50--I actually LOL at this one.

Anonymous said...

Man in Full,
Why was it regrettable that you did a colleagues daughter? If you are choosing to live your life that way, why not accept it, own up to it, and be proud of it?

You think your buddy would be upset?

Remember, every one of those 24 year olds is someone's daughter.

And you say nobody gets hurt. Have you ever been a 24 yr old girl? Most likely any 24 yr old who is willing to fly with a middle age man to paris for weekend already has some self worth issues. You're not helping much.

Anonymous said...

Maybe 'cause the legislature was on a metric kick and 28 grams is much closer to an ounce than 30 grams? Guess you've never bought or sold an ounce of coke.