JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

RANCK WATCH

UPDATE: Check out the Broward Blog on the treatment given the wife of the Fort Lauderdale Chief of police. The better half of the Chief took a coupla shots at her hubby (can anyone say "10-20-Life" ?) and was able to get a first appearance and bond out in about 12 hours. Not even mentioning the fact that any other client would be held no bond on attempted murder with a firearm (the chief's sweetie was arrested for agg assault) the real question is how all of the sudden a circuit court judge was available to do the hearing, and how and why did the jail speed the "shooting spouse" through the booking process? Apparently when Judge Tobin promised "change in Broward" that included a secret expedited process for the wives of public officials.

The breaking story on our favourite blog north of the border is HERE

ASA David Ranck posted on his blog that he has been summoned to a meeting with among others, Don "The Hatchet" Horn in which he will be disciplined for his comments critical on the State Attorney's Office handling of a specific police shooting case and other police shooting cases in general.


We remember from the SAO's Christmas Eve Massacre that things could be worse for Mr. Ranck. He could be supporting a charity or he could lie about why he was fired. Longtime and careful readers will remember Mr. Horn's famous memo in which he informed a prosecutor he was being fired for inter alia, lying about why he was fired.
THREE MEMOS POST BY RUMPOLE


This was the third in a series of posts on the Christmas Eve Massacre at the SAO.
We haven't seen reasoning like that since Bush's justification for invading Iraq.




Click on the title of the post which link's to Mr. Ranck's blog. D-Day is Monday July 14, 2008 and H-Hour is sometime in the afternoon. (his blog has a typo error for the date, but it is probably this Monday, as "June 14th" has already passed. Is blogging about the wrong day Don Horn will fire you grounds for .....being fired? Maybe at 1350 NW 12th Avenue. )


Tequila and chips will be served at Mr. Ranck's office as his friends gather afterwards to help him pack. It's actually a crime to consume liquor on State property, but what the heck? What are they gonna do? Fire him?

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh this is gonna get good. This is where Rumpole is at his best. Ridiculing bureaucrats who do stupid things.
Go getem Rump.

PS. I'm still in lust with you.

Rumpole said...

9:32 I'm so glad you wrote in because you have exposed perhaps my biggest frustration with the blog. Why is it that otherwise intelligent people cannot understand what happens here?

JUST BECAUSE I POST SOMETHING WRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE DOES NOT MEAN I BELIEVE IT OR SUPPORT THE POSITION. IT MEANS IT IS RELEVANT TO OUR WORLD.

Is that concept so hard to grasp? I've posted Jack Thompson's ravings for goodness sake. I hardly believe or support everything (or almost anything) the man writes, but until he attacked me personally, I believed he had a right to say it. Actually, I still believe he has a right to say it, I just don't believe I have to help him when he goes after me.

I've heard judges quote verbatim from a comment in which some idiot wrote something bad about someone else, and the Judge has said "I don't like Rumpole because of what he wrote about so and so."

I mean is the concept of OTHER PEOPLE writing things and me merely facilitating the distribution of ideas in the market place so impossibly difficult to understand?

So with that being said:
1) Mr. Laeser hardly needs me to protect him. He can, and has, and I am sure will in the future respond to matters that are important to him.

2) Just in case the above rant did not sink in: JUST BECAUSE DAVID RANCK (or the Captain, or anyone) writes something that I allow to be posted, DOES NOT MEAN I SUPPORT THEIR POSITION.

Get it? Wheew. I'm tired now.

Rumpole said...

TO THE PERSON WHO WROTE A COMMENT THAT STARTED WITH "OK THIS IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS."

PLEASE RE-WRITE THE COMMENT AND TAKE OUT THE PERSONAL STUFF (STORIES, DIVORCE, THE PERSONAL ATTACK, ETC.) I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT CRITICISM IN THIS CONTEXT. THE REST WAS GREAT AND VERY PERTINENT.

THANKS.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole: Re: The impending Shumie/Q showdown:

Wasn't it Winston Churchill who noted
"It's not the size of the Shumie in the fight, but the size of the fight in the Shumie that carries the day?"


The Q may have bit off more than he can chew here.

Rumpole said...

I saved a copy of it and can email it back to you for editing if you wish.

Anonymous said...

If the SAO cans David Ranck, that is fucked up shit--sorry to use that language. He's one of the best lawyers in the office, is always willing to help younger ASAs. Many of the finest attorneys to come out of that office learned much from him. Plus he has the balls to stand up to the administration, instead of kissing ass like so many ASAs.

Good luck to you David.

Anonymous said...

Why fire Ranck for exercising his first amendment right to speak? This is crazy. Is Lorna going to fire Ranck or is it Donnie boy? Or will Ranck not get fired but just a little letter in his employment file, bad bad boy Ranckster.

It is incredible. I see articles on here about the County Court ASAs who were fired and suspended for being reasonable. I see an ASA get fired for not paying his bar dues. I see an ASA NOT get fired because he sexually harassed women for years at the SAO (i.e. Walker). I see an ASA NOT get fired because he was playing DJ at night and ASA by day and was representing his friends and was disciplined by the Bar (i.e. Grieco).

Come on.....where does this nonsense end? Was KFR disciplined for trying to influence the police during her boyfriend's daughter's arrest? Was KFR disciplined when she allowed her kids misdemeanors to be pled out in branch court without a conflict being filed.

It is time for the Feds to come in and send KFR packing.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole your porn fettish is affirmed.

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

Some porn OK'd for sex offenders
A sex-offender case from Miami prompted a Florida Supreme Court ruling that allows offenders on probation to possess certain pornography.

Anonymous said...

PS---Ranck didn't nickname Horn the "hatchet." You did. You ADDED to the story, you didn't just repeat (yeah, me again)

Rumpole said...

If you want to have a private conversation with me just email me.

I WILL NOT publish comments about an individuals private life absent very very compelling reasons. (Like that urban legend of the two judges in a branch courthouse being caught on videotape in pari delecti as it were. If someone sent me the video, well then there would be proof.) Anyway, your call on what you want to write.
My blog on what I feel comfortable on publishing.

Anonymous said...

(a scene by a pool in Miami. Approximately 11:00 am Monday morning)

The Hatchet: Godmother, we got a problem.

KFR: Tell me about it. Those mopes in county court were caught dismissing a case of a 90 year old woman charged with disorderly conduct when she dropped her walker. How many times to I have to say it? Just because it is someone’s first offense does not mean we should go light on them. Fire them.

TH. Which ones?

KFR. Fire em all! No wait. Then you and I would have to go to court. (sipping Pina Colada) That would mess everything up.

TH. What we need to do is spread fear through the ranks. Pick two people at random and fire them. That will shake things up.

KFR. Make it happen. Peel me a grape.

TH: With pleasure. Now the other problem. Ranck has gone off the reservation.

KFR. That two bit traitor! What has he ever done for us?

TH. Served the people of the state of florida faithfully for almost 30 years?

KFR. (Laughing) Like I said - what has he ever done for me?

TH. (Laughing) You said it boss. What are you gonna do?

KFR. (nods her head and touches her nose).

TH. (his eyes go wide)You mean....?

KFR. You go see him. The order has been given. Make your godmother happy.

TH. (Leaves the pool and picks up his cell phone). “Shirley, do we have the number for....”

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF ALL IN THE FAMILY AT THE SAO.

Anonymous said...

Suffice it to say that the situation at the SAO is not as simple as it seems. There are two sides to this story. If Ranck gets fired it won't be for his position on the police shooting. I like and respect Ranck, but it seems that he is going way over the top.

Anonymous said...

Rumor is that Ranck has been threatening the people in his legal unit like Penny Brill.

"Before he goes postal" is the wotking concept here - in spite of his courtroom skills.

That's what the little mice in the know are saying...

Anonymous said...

Will mondays post be called "RANCK AND FIRED?"

Anonymous said...

As a former ASA, I can say that David Ranck is one of not so many people at the SAO who is a really good attorney, does not let it go into his head and treats all people with respect.

He was always ready to help younger ASA's and was not one of those pompous supervisors who never work for their 60K salary and are Dc's b/c they need to feel superior.

Ranck is one of a kind and I hope that he leaves the SAO himself. There are many better careers out there than the State Attorney's Office could ever offer him.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone read Judge Tunis' 160+ page Order on JT? All I could think of was: Wow. Any other thoughts out there? Nada from Rump.


Doesn't this count as legitimate REG news?

Anonymous said...

This looming Shumie/Q battle has all the makings of Ali/Frzier, but with more hype.

I've got my popcorn and a front row seat.

Anonymous said...

11:04 A.M., I am with you. David Ranck was never my D.C. when I was an ASA. But I always felt comfortable asking him questions and seeking advice from him, and nearly all of my colleagues felt the same way. He never talked down to the "pit" ASAs and most of the time made himself available to help him. Those lucky ASAs who had Ranck as their D.C. loved working with him--he taught them a lot, gave them tons of constructive feedback and respected them. While most D.C.'s were nowhere to be found on evenings and weekends, David was frequently there--and ready to help.

And as for the legal division--they are there to help the Senior Trial Counsel in their murder trials and kiss KFR and co's ass. Oh yeah, I forgot to add that they add another layer of bureaucracy that ASAs must go through to get anything done. When I was in the pits, my D.C. bitched at me for doing my own research since that was what legal was for. I knew my chances of getting anyone in legal (with one exception, and she has long left the SAO) to help me were nonexistent. I had to laugh.

I know Ranck has had some personal issues--I don't know the details, it's none of my business, it's none of your business. But he is well-regarded and well-respected by many of his colleagues as well as the bench and the defense bar. If the SAO cans him, it's their loss.

Anonymous said...

8:19, good one!

Tequila and chips. What about the chip dip?

Attorney Rejected By The Princess,
proud member since 2008

Anonymous said...

The two judges in flagrante delicto was not on tape. It was just seen by courthouse security at the NDJC and widely reported at the time.

And the allegation was heavy canoodeling not copulation, as was exaggerated at the time. Neither one are presently on the bench. And we all know who they are, and they were dating and later married, so who gives a crap.

Anonymous said...

maybe they sped her through the booking process for safety issues - so she could bond out quickly before inmates found out who she was.

It's so blue collar to complain about preferential treatment.

Anonymous said...

Bashing the folks in the legal unit is ridiculous. Line ASAs who do their own research (like any decent lawyer should) and use the legal unit as intended don't have any issues. Penny and her team do a GREAT job. The only people who seem to have problems with them are the lazy folks who don't know what it means to be a real lawyer.

Anonymous said...

Friday, July 11, 2008 11:39:00 AM

The reason Rumpole won't say "BOO" about Jack Thompson is because Rumpole was told by Jack that if he says "BOO" about him he would crush him with a federal and state civil action. Not to mention the bar complaint Jack filed against Rumpole.

Rumpole got scared and just will not mention Jack on the blog.

We should take a poll should rumpole post about Jack or not?

Rumpole said...

Jack Thompson doesn't scare me. He seems to lose all his cases and is about to lose his bar license.
I feel bad for him. I believe he is a bit delusional. I banned him from the blog because he attacked me. I disagree with most of his public beliefs (not his religion) but I support his right to say it.

I believed Mr. Thompson was petty and vindictive when people he thought were his enemies- like Ben Kehuene, had some hard times- and he rejoiced in them.

Unlike Mr. Thompson, I will not rejoice in his misfortune. And I act this way full well and knowing that given the opportunity, he would not extend me the same courtesy.

I view Mr. Thompson as an individual who is so passionately convinced about his beliefs and what is right and what is wrong, that to him the ends justify the means.

For instance: he believes video games are bad and cause violence. Thus anything and everything he does to ban video games is justified because in the end he thinks he is saving a life.

This concrete way of thinking is dangerous on many levels. But suffice to say that Mr. Thompson is not always right, but you cannot tell that to him because he won't listen.

Unlike Mr. Thompson, I do not hate and I do not seek to destroy. This must be a trying time for him and I wish him well. He certainly doesn't need me or anyone else crowing about his problems.

Anonymous said...

BLECHER IS RUMPOLE AND
RUMPOLE IS BLECHER

the truth no longer need s stretcher.

Facts:
Blecher was caught on a public website posting as Rumpole.

Sentence:
Tar and Feather the Blech I say.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole sweetie. It's raining out. Why don't you come by and we can cuddle?

Anonymous said...

Blecher is www.independentgirls.com

Anonymous said...

The Legal Unit for people other than STC?

David Ranck not about to get the Hatchet Job?

People not selling each other out at the SAO, when politics brews?

If only you believe like I believe, baby
We'd get by
If only you believe in miracles, baby
So would I
If only you believe like I believe, baby
We'd get by
If only you believe in miracles, baby
So would I...

Anonymous said...

The treatment of the Chief's wife in Broward is another example of the two tier system of criminal justice in America.

One system for the rich and well
connected. And one system for the poor and not well connected.

The blatant nature of this as
illustrated in the Chief's case
is simply disgusting. I would love
to say it is unbelievable but
coming from Broward's warped justice system anything is possible.

ScottAfrica

Anonymous said...

Rump:

re: Your 9:01pm post

Any reason why you can't just come out and say your read Judge Tunis' 168 page report and give her credit, respect for the time she spent on it. You either agree and or disagree, but why are you so silent? Its frankly weird...considering you spent about a year posting pleadings, etc. And we do know you stopped...but have now since commented.

What's with the Rumpolian change or heart?


What is going on with you and this clearly REG issue???????????

Unknown said...

"PENNY BRILL PROVED CORRECT."

Please read.
www.transcriptsrecordsdocuments.com.

Anonymous said...

RANCK:

BFD. Very gracious of you. NOT.

You should've (and could've) reached that decision before embarassing her and Joel for no reason during the past couple of weeks. That's why you complete your investigation BEFORE reaching conclusions. As a DC, you should know that.

And you paint yourself as a victim. Give me a break.

Anonymous said...

Rump--
I respect your position from your post on Friday, 9:01. You clearly understand the issues are I assume you are right that you would not would receive the same thoughtful treatment you are giving. I don't believe the previous poster for a minute, that you are afraid of being sued, etc.

In the end though, we can all turn to other places to read the report, including the DBR and, other blogs that you link to on this site, like David Markus' and gamepolitics.

The real issue is that you were the one that first provided access, a platform....including pictorial pleadings to all of us who wouldn't otherwise have known about the latest information.

Now because he took pleasure in Ben's situation, you reversed your course (maybe its that boat of yours) and refuse to discuss it.

Anyway you look at it, every hearing and the trial and all that occurred took place at our humble REGJB, broken escalators and all.

If Judge Tunis didn't handle it properly or professionally, something makes me think a comment would have found its way here by you, or someone.

But when someone does the job they've been assigned, (which I can't imagine was asked for)over about two years, not one statement even affirming what 2 yrs of daily contact could be like or the final product is being made by you.

When's the last time an REGJB judge was involved in something like this, which you yourself brought front and center, and then backed off of when it was over.

Either way I respect your choice, it just seems disingenuous. But as you've said before, It is Your Blog.

Rumpole said...

6:47 AM. Up early huh? Just ran Key Biscayne- Including the bridge. And back. Pretty impressive for an old guy, huh?

Anyway, as Nixon liked to say, let me be perfectly clear. I didn't ban Thompson from the blog because he kicked Kuehene when he was down, although I thought that to be very distasteful not to mention un-Christian like. Surely Jesus would have frowned on kicking one's perceived enemies. Be that as it may, I thought Mr. Thompson had a unique view and as such I went out of my way to enable him to be able to share his views here, despite dozens of emails and comments begging me to shut him up.

It was when he filed a bar complaint against me (as Rumpole) that I shut him down here.

He believed he was proving a point. I believed he was an ungrateful cur and I certainly don't have to stand for his abuse or anyone's abuse.

Am I concerned about the bar complaint? I'm more worried about global warming and oil prices. He's a fool and nobody in Tallahassee takes him seriously. So no, I am not worried about his complaint, nor am I worried about being sued by him.

I just value loyalty in an individual. I constantly said I did not support his views but I supported his right to say them in public. I still do. I just don't need to spend my valuable time and energy on someone who is so ungrateful and so wrapped up in their own troubles that they cannot even see when someone is lending them a hand.

As I have said before- he has brought on all his problems, and in the end, he and he alone will suffer the consequences. It is sad. He is obviously smart in someway, but he insists on making a martyr of himself, and when he wakes up one day and realizes no one really cares and the world has moved on, I suspect he will then rue the day he acted as he has.

But I take no joy in his downfall, and of course you didn't see a gentlemen with class like Ben Kuehene celebrating his lifetime disbarment either.

Anonymous said...

The run would be impressive for anyone, but unless you give an age range, or year of birth, no one's falling for the 'old guy' comment.

I didn't read the post as asking you to change your high values and trash someone...It would be un-Rump-like. (Though its has happened to some on here before.) I think the post was just saying it is r.e.g connected news, not something that happened om West Flagler.

Now onto your Times story.

Rumpole said...

In the interest of fairness: 1) I did take some breaks, and walked a bit as well, and I'm not setting any time records for the mile. It's all about heart rates: how long and how high can you hold it?

Anonymous said...

David Ranck is a nice guy but is clearly delusional. Let's see, poke your bosses in the eye and then be shocked your job is in jeopardy? Sure, he has the right to request public records and express himself on his blog, but KFR and co. have the right to get rid of him. His lack of good judgment make him a liability to the office. It's really a shame he has been acting so irrationally.