RUMPOLE TACKLES VIRGINITY

Judge John Schlessinger ruled on Friday that the confession of a fourteen year old boy is admissible and can be used at trial.

The Herald reported:

Hernandez's attorney, Richard Rosenbaum, had argued that his client's lengthy videotaped confession should be thrown out because Hernandez, then 14, was too severely mentally ill to make a rational decision about his right not to talk to police.

The teenager stands accused of stabbing and killing another boy at Southwood Middle School.

The circumstances of this confession and the outcome of this tragic case bear watching.


The Herald also reported HERE
the Death of attorney Steve Ellison. Before working for the Dade SAO and the Monroe SAO, Steve Ellison was a Metro Dade Officer and a homicide detective. Many attorneys in the REGJB knew Steve Ellison as either an outstanding detective or a fine attorney. We note his passing with sadness.


President Bush actually had a chance to run the country with VP Cheney out of action having his pacemaker tuned up. And yes, in order to have a pacemaker, you must have a heart.

Kudos to the career Justice Department lawyers speaking out against Attorney General “I can’t recall my first name at this time” Gonzales. The NY Times reported HERE
that
Daniel J. Metcalfe, a lawyer who began his government career in the Nixon administration and retired from the Justice Department last winter, said morale at the department was worse under Attorney General Gonzales than during Watergate.

And

John S. Koppel, who continues to work at the department as a civil appellate lawyer in Washington, wrote this month that he was “ashamed” of the department and that if Mr. Gonzales told the truth in recent Congressional testimony, “he has been derelict in the performance of his duties and is not up to the job.”


And finally, while she does not appear to be our long lost dear Portia of the blog, this cry for help arrived early Friday evening:

Rumpole,

In your last post, you said you were "feeling unfulfilled". Well cheer up! Here are my current stats: 30 years old, a virgin and I will have to spend my entire weekend working on a DUI Manslaughter.

A female defense attorney.

And eager to help, we replied:

5:44- my dear unfulfilled colleague. Unfortunately your condition cannot alleviate my condition, as the causes are vastly different. However, tis a noble cause you are engaged in. (Defense not virginity). I am qualified to give you advice on the former, not the latter. However, I wish you the best of luck in both.


Knowing the altruistic nature of our dear readers, we can’t help but think that help may be on the way for our new Portia.

See You In Court.