JAY HOGAN AND BILL RICHEY HAVE BOTH PASSED AWAY

It was an era when being a criminal defense attorney meant being a trial lawyer. And two of the very best trial lawyers of that era were Jay Hogan and Bill Richey and both have passed away within the last 24 hours. 

Jay Hogan was one of the true superstars of the Florida criminal defense bar. He looked and talked and dressed and acted like a trial lawyer, and it was a case of if you can walk the walk and talk the talk. When judges got into trouble, Jay Hogan was called. People still talk about his performance in the Miami Court Broom Corruption case. When Jay Hogan walked into the courtroom, prosecutors took notice, judges took notice, and jurors, even through they may not have known his reputation, quickly learned they were in the presence of greatness. 

Bill Richey was an alumnus of the Dade State Attorneys Office when Richard Gerstein and then Janet Reno routinely turned out legal superstars. Bill was the type of prosecutor unrecognizable today- his word was his bond, he was concerned with justice, and defendants weren't punished for taking discovery, filing motions, or going to trial. When Bill Richey left the SAO he went into the world of criminal and civil practice and we didn't see him as much, but Judge Jonathan Goodman has some great memories which are on DOM's blog here. 

We lost two more legal giants today. The ranks are thinning fast. 

See you in court.