TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM

UPDATED WTH A RESPONSE (of sorts) BELOW!

TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM; AY THERE'S THE RUB

Your tax dollars at work.

The scene: The last day of the Florida Public Defender's Association Death Penalty Training Seminar (Life Over Death)

The Players: An expert in Jury Selection in Death Penalty Cases is giving a lecture.

And....one sleepy public servant who has never tried a death penalty case; has limited experience in all criminal cases, and probably should be awake and taking notes lest the State of Florida put one of his clients to sleep forever.

Who is this Public Servant putting your tax dollars at work?

(This picture was sent along with a few other emails of other individuals who were at the conference who have all said the individual pictured was sleeping soundly through the lecture. )

One emailer said he felt like sending the picture to Governor Crist. That's not necessary. But if you are a public figure and you put yourself in the public spotlight by accepting an appointed position, you owe it to yourself and the people you serve to get a good nights rest and pay attention when the tax payers are sending you to this conference, else-wise you shall be destined to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune by being outed by a contingent of lawyers who continue to resent your very professional existence.

Yes, indeed, the very office you run has been and shall continue to be beset by this age old question: To Be, or not To Be?

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;

We received this comment, which is humorous in nature and is obviously a parody of the signed author. But within the humor, we find kernels of truth. 

 Fake Sleepy JG said...

Rump,

Before you go spouting off about how I was asleep at a seminar, know your facts.

First, I have attended numberous seminars since my appointment as the top criminal attorney in my firm. I am completely up to date in Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Defense and Immigration. This is in addition to my prior experience in those areas. How many seminars have you, or any other criminal practitioner done in those areas?

Second, not only have I done three depositions on my own, I have observed at least four others. 

Third, just the other day, I went to lunch with three Assistant Federal PDs. Not state PDs, FEDERAL PDs. And I went into the lobby of the federal courthouse. 

Fourth, I dont think i need to be listening to some idiot talk about jury selection on a death penalty case. I will learn all I need to know next week when I attend the Basic Criminal Practice seminar at the Hyatt. I'm not going to waste time learning about jury selection BEFORE I learn about the Rules of Criminal Procedure or what an arrest is. Ever hear the phrase, "dont put the cart before the horse?" 

Fifth, perhaps you were too busy blogging to watch the news on my recent victory. I represented a defendant on a very serious DWLS case. My client scored out to 6 years state prison by virtue of having six points on his scoresheet. My client died and I filed a Motion To Dismiss. I attached a copy of the death certificate. Not only did the state not file a response, they actually conceded to the Motion and the judge dismissed the case. The dismissal was with prejudice so the State cant re-file. And I filed a Proposal For Settlement on the case, so the State, by not getting a verdict of at least 25% over guidelines, will likely have to pay my fees and costs. 

I would love to hear your response. Of course, if you want to see me in person, I'll be taking a Family Court Mediation training next week. Feel free to stop by when you get out of the Robert E. Goldberg Justice building or the REG building as we insiders call it. 

Joseph George, Esq
Chief of the Regional Counsel's Office

Monday, September 14, 2009 1:46:00 PM