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, September 10, 2009

LOOK AT HIM MR. SATZ AND MR. CARNEY




This is the picture of the man Mike Satz and Robert Carney sent to prison 24 years ago for a crime he did not commit.

This is the picture of Anthony Caravella, sent to prison as a fifteen year old boy whose only crime was he was mentally deficient.

This is the picture of an innocent man who "confessed" to a crime he didn't commit.

This is the picture Mike Satz and Robert Carney never wanted you to see because this is the picture of a 41 year old man. Mike Satz and Robert Carney wanted him executed when he was 15 years old.






This is the same theme of a post on the Broward Blog. It bears repeating here.



28 comments:

Anonymous said...

David Van Drehle's "Among the Lowest of the Low: The Culture of Florida's Death Row" is a book that merits reading on the subject of the lengths the State will go to maintain a wrong conviction just because they were able to initially illegally obtain a death sentence. All rationale, analysis of the evidence and just plain old common sense goes out the window once a case gets stamped "Death Penalty."

Anonymous said...

Just picked up a case in front of Broward Judge Imperato. Never had a case in front of her. What is she like?

Anonymous said...

Rumpole: another good reason to keep the ol' identity a secret:

http://www.abajournal.com/news/blogging_assistant_pd_accused_of_revealing_secrets_of_little-disguised_clie/

Kiddimmee Kid said...

D. Sisselman;

You are a carpet-bagging hypocrite. You Yankees sold us slaves, then have the gall to complain that we used what you sold?

If slavery was morally wrong why were you selling them?

I suppose a black sold into slavery was so much worse than a white committed to indentured servitude. It is a great think to know you will be free in just another five years. Oh, you died after twenty years in the cotton fields? Well, if you'd just hung on you'd have been free; free to starve to death.

If the industrial north were not build on the income from the slave trade, maybe you'd have some high moral ground to look down from. However, since the slaves were brought here in Yankee hulls; owned by Yankee traders I think your morals are worse than mine.

Rumpole said...

Gentlemen: The Civil War has been over for more than 150 years. I think we can discuss the issues without raising our voices.

Anonymous said...

If the United States of America now takes a path that a vast majority of the citizens of any state disagree with, can that State secede without fear of invasion, retaliation, and armed reprisal?

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

to 8:21 PM and others:

How to reach the State Atty. ?

I have to agree with everything you said in your post about the inability of getting a member of the Broward SAO to return a call.

Here is what I am now doing:


For ASA Julie Smith, an ASA in Broward, for example, you email her at:

jsmith@sao17.state.fl.us

I make it a practice to place a phone call and leave the standard voice mail with my office and cell phone contacts.

Then I immediately send an email containing the purpose of my wanting to speak with them and I let them know that at X time I just left them a voicemail to call me.

Give it a shot. It has been working for me.

CAPTAIN OUT .....

Anonymous said...

Rumpole

I was born and raised in the Third (3rd) state to succeed from the Union . Jim Crow was the law when I was born; the State Stautes defined Negro as anyone one-eighth ( 1/8 ) or more of African blood/origin.

Afro-Americans sat in the back of the bus, if lucky they had a 'Colored' beach and take-out windows from White restaurants. My public schools were ordered desegregated by the U.S. District Court begining in my sophomore year of High School ( 1970).

Students from my Alma Mata defeated the Northern Army troops at the Battle of Natral Bridge; keeping our State Capital, the only Southern State Capital East of the Mississippi, free from Northern occupation. I had ancestors in Maryland and old VA.

But Slavery and the war were both wrong. I am not a hypocrite- I didnt own anyone. And yes it is easy to look back and say they were wrong. Slavery was, is and shall be wrong, as well as evil. WWJD?

But, I admit that Historian Shelby Foote was right, that the Civil War resulted because of Our Failure to Compromise. It is the/this polarization and demonisation; the lack of the ability to be moderate and see the middle ground that produces violence. It hurt our county then and still does. It is a lesson we seem condemed to have to relearn.

D.Sisselman

ps: I aint no carpetbagger;
I am born and raised in MIAMI
(My am AHH ) !

Anonymous said...

Got a digital voice recorder like one of these? Watch out how you use it or you could land yourself in scorching legal trouble. One man recently found that out the hard way, after he was arrested and discovered to be recording the goings-on with just such a device in his pocket. Not only is he now facing charges for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and trespassing, he's also charged with unlawful wiretapping and possessing a device for wiretapping.

The story goes that one Chi Quang Truong was embroiled in a dispute with a Massachusetts auto service center, which didn't repair his car as quickly as Truong wanted. Truong got into a verbal scuffle with the service shop and the police were called. Apparently Truong was recording all of this -- for reasons unknown -- using a device stowed in his pocket, and cops added the wiretapping charges to his rap sheet during his arrest.

But wait a second: Don't you need a wire to get charged with wiretapping? I thought so too, and the theory here is that since Truong didn't have explicit permission to record the conversation (memories of Linda Tripp), he was slapped with the additional charges. In 12 states (California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington) you're required to get the permission of all parties on the line before making any kind of recording. In the rest of the country, any single member that's part of the conversation can legally record it without consent from the other parties. And as Network World notes, wiretapping laws largely extend to in-person communications now, so no wire is required.

Still, does the punishment really fit the crime? Wiretapping is a class D felony, and that can mean (based on my admittedly limited understanding of criminal statutes) up to 12 years in prison. While Truong is unlikely to face anything that severe (and, in all probability, will have the wiretapping charges dropped as his prosecution progresses), he probably shouldn't be facing charges for any of this. And "possession of a wiretapping device"? Yikes. Even my iPhone has a voice recorder feature built in. I'm in possession of such a device any time I step out in public.

Check your own pockets, briefcase, purse, or backpack: You might be a criminal!

Rumpole said...

First- as to the question I did not publish about a judicial candidate breaking the law by being involved in a fantasy football league? The answer is absolutely NOT. And you can check my analysis with the 15-20 judges that I know are in Fantasy Football leagues themselves.

Second as to Mr. Sisselman:
I find nothing redeeming about slavery, nor do I find any defense in southerners fighting for their state against their country, especially since the issue that arose between the states and the federal government was the issue of slavery.

All I am saying is this- however wrong he was at the start, Robert E Lee was a great general from a tactician point of view. I also find his statements immediately after his surrender in support of the abolition of slavery and urging his fellow Southerners to stop fighting, (and the war did NOT end with Lee's surrender at Appromatix Courthouse) a good indication that Lee was a man of good character. The cause he supported was his state- and his state supported a cause for which there is absolutely no defense. And Lee should have accepted the command of the Union Forces. If he had, he would not only have won the war within a year, but probably have become president to boot. He made a tragic choice. But it does not mean he is a villain.

Anonymous said...

Rump- your analysis for tonight's game?

Rumpole said...

The World Champs are 6 points favs, and the o/u is 35. Take the Steelers and bet over.

The Steelers return virtually unchanged from last year, their 2 loses on defense were part time starters who were being phased out. And what a defense! One of the best ever.

On offense the chatter in Pittsburgh is that the Steelers need to play Steeler football- meaning run the ball. Rumpole says- the Steelers want to play Steeler Football meaning winning football. And this Steeler team needs to throw to set up the run. With Big Ben as the gunslinger and Santonio Holmes becoming a premiere receiver, along with an underrated TE and the always reliable Hines Ward, the Steelers are a throwing team. Finally the biggest change for the Steelers is in special teams. Last year the Steelers had a few ineffective punters when their starter went down in the first game. Their KR was also their short yardage back so what does that tell you? They ranked last or second to last in almost all special teams categories.
They have upgraded on all fronts and watch their new punt and KR Stephen Logan who was a Dolphin for a few moments and lit up the CFL last year and was a star in pre-season.

The Titans have as I always say, the best coach in the league. Their defense suffered a big loss when their 340 pound star signed with the redskins for like a billion dollars (those guys in DC can't help over paying for everything.) The Titans also signed the Steelers 3rd WR from last year- Nate Washington, and while NW is a true deep ball threat, he does not do much else and the Titans will find they over paid. The Titans also drafted a rookie WR Britt, and he should start tonight and I think he may be a star in this league for years to come. But the Titans real strength is in running the ball. They have a "thunder and lightening" combo and that should serve them well, against all other teams except the Steelers who with 360 pound Casey Hampton stop the run better than everyone.

So that leaves the Titans dependent on 36 year old Kerry Collins, who probably peaked last year. No QB wants to have to pass when NFL defensive player of the year James Harrison on one side, and Steeler LB Lamarr Woodley who had a sack in every post season game last year and 12-13 for the year on the other side are pinning their ears back and rushing the QB with abandon.

Tennessee is a good football team but they peaked last year. Their running game will win them a bunch of games this year and they will be a factor at the end of the year. I just don't see them keeping it close on either end tonight.

Anonymous said...

He kind of looks like Mike Staz.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole
Most respectfully old chap, but Rommell was a genius as a general but a villian because he led troops fighting for evil causes. Once he became Hitler's General he became not only tragic,but a de facto villian, as did LEE.
D. Sisselman

Anonymous said...

Rump
Is it not ironic that to punish Lee his wife's plantation was seized and now it is a place of Honor for our Heros? It is a Most Holowed Ground.
D.Sisselman

Anonymous said...

why don't false confession experts get more credit in our system than they do?

Anonymous said...

i guess when your a federal agent you can destroy documents but not otherwise.

Anonymous said...

At this point now that we have done the moral thing and freed the slaves I wish that the usa would let the south secede from the union. The south really contributes little to this country other than economic stagnation, ignorance, inbreeding and racial hatred. For all the beet faced droolers who rail againt the "guvmint" and its social programs the south takes far more from the national budget than it pays in taxes.
If those morons with the rebel flags on thier trucks want the south to rise again and secede i say let em.

Anonymous said...

Captain. Can you please provide the email address of Michael Satz?

Anonymous said...

9:36........Because one witness is not allowed to comment on the credibility of another.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Rump is down a few hundred Silent Charlies.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sisselman,

Please learn to spell.

Cordially,

Oxferd Webstur

In Deep Doo-Doo said...

Rump, I took your betting advice and "invested" most of my trust account on the Steelers -6 and the Steelers over. Three Fingers Vinnie and his pal Guido have been calling me all morning. I'm sure the Bar will find out too. Help me!

Anonymous said...

11:42 pm, a false confession expert would not testify as to the credibility of another witness but as to the way erors take place during the process.

Anonymous said...

Rump
Sorry to the readers but I'm LD/Gifted. High IQ but learning disabilities, processing w/dixletic affect. Even had special classes in elem school. I cannt spell but a few words right, and I use menomics to remember those. I still have not seen my ideas rebutted, though. Also, I cannt type.
DS

Scooping the Captain said...

Didnt want to post this in the 9/11 thread, but hope it gets seen anyway.

The latest seven year lawyer to think she's good enough to don a black robe is..........

Michaelle Gonzalez-Paulson. Sole practitioner. 2001 graduate of St. Thomas Law School. She is challenging sitting Fudge Flora Seff for a county court seat.

Dont get in front of Judge Seff very often, but she is a 29 year lawyer who spent a bulk of her career at the Miami-Dade SAO prosecuting Miami-Dade's most violent killers as part of the Major Crimes Unit. Flora probably got her first murder conviction when Michaelle Gonzalez-Paulson was in junior high school.

Good luck Flora

Anonymous said...

11:41:00.....a distinction without substance. We all know what that would mean to a jury.

Regardless, can you imagine the State being allowed to call "expert" witnesses explaining how the circumstances suggest the validity of a defendant's confession?

Anonymous said...

Flora has a long reputation for not being friendly. That is why she has opposition.