Monday, March 27, 2006

MORE MEMORIES OF JUDGE HENRY LEYTE VIDAL

Judge Mary Barzee wrote this beautiful post in memory of her friend:

Leyte died on a glorious spring day. He would have loved this past weekend, and, had he not been in the hospital, he would have been outside, coaching Danny’s softball team, playing golf or boating. Henry heartily loved life. He was a compassionate, genteel man. He was a generous friend. He loved food—French mussels, fresh anchovies and garlic in vinegar, spaghetti and clams. He drank scotch. He loved art and music. He’d been to the Opera at La Scala, he sang and played guitar in a rock band, he liked The Black Eyed Peas. The judge was a great dancer. And he loved his boys more than anything. His passing is our great loss.

Rumpole notes that the loss of Judge Leyte-Vidal, a man who apparently loved life and lived it to the fullest has left us sad ever since we heard the news. We sometimes take solice in poetry and think this poem by Keats, one of our favorites, seems appropriate at this moment in our lives:

An Irish Airman Forsees His Death:

I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;

My county is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.

Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;

I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.


Keats. Barzee. Good company both.

17 comments:

  1. Judge Leyte-Vidal was a nice guy and good judge whose personality and demeanor were not affected by the robe.

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  2. Is it possible Rumpole is a judge? Or Phil? Or both?

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  3. Upon my ascension to the bench, I would gladly "admit" to being Rumpole despite evidence to the contrary. If you think about it, if someone who is not Rumpole admits to being Rumpole, it may force Rumpole out into the public spotlight to deny it.

    Phil "not tony soprano" R

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  4. Isn't it interesting how quickly Phil responded? It leads me to believe he truly is the blog, he is certainly always on. But I also think there are 2 people doing the blog. Possibly he and his wife!

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  5. Sorry Insp. Closeau, but I am just bored. Anyone who knows me knows that I spend my days trying to look busy while reading pitsburgh steeler bulletin boards, fishing magazines, etc and like today, reading the blog -mainly to read about Judge Leyet-Vidal.

    As to my wife having the time to do this, anyone who knows us, knows that while I am working on looking being busy, she actually is busy.

    Judge Krieger Martin will confirm I was in trial Monday to Wednesday Last week. I know I did not post last week. When did Rumpole post? if it was during the day, then you will need to believe that during voire dire, I did posts from my cell phone. While I find voire dire boring (important but boring) I did not do that.

    Phil R

    PS- any reason why you don't use your name when you post?

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  6. I still think Dan Lurvery and his partner Chris Lyons are doing this.
    1) Lurvey was an ex prosecutor;
    2) Lyons is keyed into county court stuff;
    3) they have very effectively remained in the background during all of this-laughing at us?
    4) The blog is written in the plural;
    5) it seems like a lot of work for one person.

    Not going to sign my name and get beat up.

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  7. BREAKING NEWS:

    Your self-anointed political reporter, who first reported the unusual happening of an incumbent Broward Judge actually facing opposition, has some very interesting news .....

    Judge Robert Diaz no longer has opposition.

    Attorney Brian Peter Wolk, who filed to run against Judge Diaz on March 13th, (that's the Judge Diaz, who was suspended from the bench without pay for two weeks for some past problems) has DROPPED OUT of the race.

    Why ... we can't answer that one yet .....?????

    On a separate note, can you believe the amount of judicial fundraisers that have been taking place in the last couple of weeks and those that are scheduled to take place this week.

    I've got envelopes piling up from the following campaigns:

    Candidate Stephen Millan
    Judge Stanford Blake
    Judge Maria Espinosa Dennis
    Judge Mary Jo Francis
    Judge Mindy Glazer
    Judge Luise Krieger-Martin
    Judge Lester Langer
    Judge Cindy Lederman
    Judge Ellen Leesfield
    Judge Steve Leifman
    Judge Bronwyn Miller
    Judge Karen Mills-Francis
    Judge Dennis Murphy
    Judge Catherine Pooler
    Judge Sheldon Schwartz
    Judge Sam Slom
    Judge Ellen Sue Venzer

    Makes you want to vote for a constitutional amendment where all judges get appointed instead of elected!

    Next financial reports are due next week ... so lots of money will be coming in this week. Get out your checkbooks..........

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  8. amazing how some judges around the courthouses are so blatantly rude to the attorney's or the agencies they work for but have no money passing out the envelopes asking for money! go figure

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  9. Not to give any more time to the idiot, but it looks like March 24 came and went and a certain poster forgot to file his judicial application.
    Captain, do you know of anyone who's filed?

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  10. That Broward dude couldnt run. Quirtk in law, gotta be a member of the bar 5years at qualifying time for county court and 5years at time of election or take office for circuit. he wouldnt be 5 years by May 12.oops!!!!!!!!!!!

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  11. Phillip-
    You were quick to point out when you were in trial to prove you were not Rump, but if you are two people, that would be irrelevant. I say Phil, Jackie and "wild" Bill Barzee.

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  12. Henry, rest in peace. You were the one of the coolest guys that I have ever met. I wish I could have said good bye.

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  13. The use of the poem is confusing. Keats pointed out the conflict the Irish in picking up arms for the English. That could be the attitude of a judge. However, he can't be a Dade County Judge. None of them can read.

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  14. thanks for the lesson Milton

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  15. whopee! And Now for some A.E. Housman.

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  16. Rumpole notes, we just like the poem. Sometimes, when its 5:30 and we are crossing the bejesus out of the lead detective, and no one save the participants are there to see our brillance (the sad story of our career) we just think of this stanza:

    Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
    Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
    A lonely impulse of delight
    Drove to this tumult in the clouds;

    Poetry just helps the healing.

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  17. Agreed, Just not so somber.(See, Terrence this is stupid stuff).

    There once was a man name of Rex,
    Who's thing was too small for his sex.When booked for exposure, the Judge said on disclosure, de minimus non curat lex.
    Milt will no doubt translate. now where is the ZZZZZZZZZZ guy?

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