A retired member of the judiciary was recently robbed at gun point. Thankfully he was not hurt. David Ovalle has all the details on his twitter. But it reminds us of the time that Gerry Klein was robbed on the Miami Beach Golf Course around 11:30 or so in the morning during the week.
The Herald dutifully reported the story, and then the Herald being the Herald, called Judge Klein back a few days later (probably soon after retracting the Dewey Beats Truman Headline) and asked him what a sitting county court judge was doing on the golf course during a weekday?
Klein responded to the effect that he was waiting for someone to ask that question and that "every now and then" he finished court early and on those rare occasions that he wasn't labouring late into the evening on a difficult point of law, he would try and squeeze in a quick round of golf.
Those of us who knew him had a good laugh at that one. Rare was the day that Fast Gerry Klein hadn't finished his calendar and was out on the links before lunch.
It was a different time folks. A simpler time.
We also recall several circuit judges who would routinely cover two Friday calendars one week- theirs and a friend's, only to have the favour returned the following week. So every other week the judges had a nice three day weekend. That all went along swimmingly until one of the judges began to take advantage of his friend by setting bond hearings on Fridays, taking a bribe to lower the bond, and then telling his pal that the case was on the calendar and he had already heard it and decided to lower the bond. Nothing better than taking a bribe for something your friend unknowingly does for you. That scheme, which pre-dated court-broom, went on for some time until some one dropped a dime to the FDLE.
Anyway, those were the days.
See you in court.
When you see something that is not right, not fair, find a way to get in the way and cause trouble. Congressman John Lewis
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Monday, September 15, 2014
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16 comments:
Oh poor Kenny W! Now what? Kenny W. Is blaming this loss on the NFL commissioner's lack of leadership! An appeal is definitely in the cards.
Kenny.... What is better? Men's Warehouse or Jos. A. Bank?
I'm Out!!
Sir, Kenny knows Austin Burke, , personally
Most Judges leave the building and don't return once they're done with calendar. I don't have a problem with it either. They have earned it. Its not like they are at a firm and need to put in face time. Once there work for the day is done they should leave without feeling guilty about it.
Judge "fast Gerry" Klein knew how to beat the system. He would certify that the defendant would not go to jail if convicted. Therefore, no legal requirement to appoint the PD. Thus he avoids jury trials and makes his 11:00 AM tee time on the beach.And at thte initail bond hearing if a lawyer was present he would advise the defendant he has a great lawyer, even if he/she wasnt.
Miami Herald, April 20, 1988:
Four men, including Dade County Judge Gerald Klein , were robbed at gunpoint Monday in the men's locker room of Bayshore Golf Course, 2301 Alton Rd.
Hal Hertz, one of the men in the locker room, said a man came into the locker room with a gun and demanded they hand over their money and wallets. Murray Sheldon and George Franzman were also in the locker room.
Franzman lost $320 cash, Klein about $250 and Hertz $227, police said. Sheldon had no money on him when the crime occured. He was undressed.
Hertz said he gave the robber his money but asked if he could keep his wallet since it only contained his driver's license. At that point, the man cocked his gun and put it up to Hertz's head.
"My heart was pounding so hard. When he put that gun up to my head, I didn't think my chest would hold out," Hertz said.
The robber warned the men not to walk out the locker room door after he left. The four men waited several minutes and then walked over to the pro shop to call police.
Baloney. Judges didn't earn a vacation at taxpayer expense. They should be studying the law and reading the pleadings in their cases (there's a novel concept) when they aren't trying cases (which, for some of them is most of the time). We don't pay them to go golfing, play tennis, do their nails, etc. When one of them demonstrates that he or she knows everything there is to know about the law, maybe I'll feel differently (of course, that will never happen since the law constantly evolves).
BTDT
I'm proud to announce kenny weisman will attend and speak at a retrospective this week entitled "all I learned in bombing out of the survivor pool in week two. " location to be determined. Drinks and light snacks will be served. Speech should take about 30 sec.
Once fast Gerry tried a bench DUI trial. There was very little impairment but, the cop made a big deal out of how the Defendant's eyes were super bloodshot and watery and "blown away."
Fast Gerry, asked the cop to look at his eyes.
Instant not guilty.
(Gerry had very bloodshot eyes all the time)
The Fast Gerry article goes on to say that the robbed Judge went on to accept a plea to CTS for the offense.
Gerry was one of the most interesting men to ever draw breath on the planet. He was purported to have been a dynamic playboy who had steamy affairs with Hollywood stars, the most famous of which was Dyan Cannon. He was a real man and a great judge.
With all that cash in their pockets, You can rest assured that Gerry and his buddies were not playing for swizzle sticks out there.
Has anyone seen Kenny W. since his huge loss last weekend?
Is he not Master of his Domain?
I always find it hilarious when people say that Gerry Klein was a great judge. If doing whatever he wanted in spite of what the law requires made him a great judge then I guess you're right. A judge today would NEVER get away with the stuff he did. In fact, years later and probably still to this day, many of cases he closed, especially jail arraignment cases, had to be set aside and many convictions on serious cases were affected by his poor work.
3:56: thank you for injecting reality into the discussion. people may have liked fast gerry, and he wasn't awful, but he was not a thoughtful, hard-working or knowledgable judge.
When Gerry Klein partnered with Judge Murray Klein to do bond hearings, their motto was "two Kleins, no waiting."
When Ben Willard was the only criminal court judge it was well known by mist attorneys that Willard liked to hunt or fish in the afternoon. His motto: if you plead not guilty and request a jury trial, bring a toothbrush." (because if I convict you you are doing jail time for cutting into my fishing/hunting time.)
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