In the Rumpole abode, on Saturday nights we open a nice bottle of wine, finish off the Pasta Amatriciana-made only with guanciale (cured pig jowls) naturally, open the ice cream machine to see what we have made, and gather-round the Ipad for our favourite Podcast- For the Defense, by Mr. Markus, available where ever quality podcasts are disseminated (Apple, Spotify, Starbucks, et.al).
And in the latest episode Mr. Markus sheds the rarified confines of federal court, where his interviewees wax poetic about the changes in the admissibility of scientific evidence from Frye to Daubert, and drill deep in the committee notes on Federal Rule of Evidence 404. Instead Mr. Markus heads to the intersection of 12th street and 12th avenues, finds some parking and enters the real criminal courthouse where real trials have been taking place since it opened its doors circa 1960. None of this nonsense where agents sit at counsel table. The cops wait in the hallways like everyone else, until called to face the crucible of cross examination like only Rumpole can deliver it.
It's a 305 Miami murder case that started in the 1980's with a Miami religious sect and ended with an acquittal in 1992 with famed Miami Criminal Defense Attorney Jane Weintraub defending the lead defendant Yahweh Ben Yahweh. The State-led by ASA Trudi Novicki was seeking the death penalty Many defendants were on trial. Some having been acquitted in federal court several months earlier were acquitted again and released. Robert Rozier, a former NFL football player was the flip who testified for the state. Rozier testified to several murders committed on the orders of Yahweh Ben Yahweh. "This case starts and ends with Rozier" REJBG legend Rayfield McGhee, who successfully defended another member of the sect on trial, told the jury in closing argument.
It took three hours for the REGJB jury to say those sweet two words Rumpole hears many times a year: Not Guilty.
So, gather the family around the Ipad and hook up some blue tooth speakers and be prepared to be entertained and transported to a time when we tried big murder cases, and we won them. Mr. Markus interviews Ms. Weintraub, and its a great podcast. And don't forget to download the other episodes with interviews of Roy Black and other great criminal defense attorneys like Tom Mesereau who successfully defended Michael Jackson. In the crowded world of podcasts, this series stands out, especially in our profession. And NO, there are no plans as of now for the biggest "get" for the Podcast- your humble blogger. If the medium is the message, ours is electronic print.