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.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

JUDGE KASTRENAKES

Former Dade ASA and Former Southern District of Florida AUSA John Kastrenakes was sworn in last week as a Circuit Court Judge in West Palm Beach.

The Palm Beach Blog via Grey Tesh has all the coverage here, including speeches by former Dade Chief Assistant State Attorney C Michael Cornely, and former AUSA and current Federal Magistrate John O'Sullivan.

John's biggest state case? Has to be the prosecution of Joyce Cohen with Kevin Digregory.

Your thoughts?

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Johns two biggest cases were the cohen murder and the turnpike kilers case.

It really is amazing when you compare his qualifications to those of most of the people running and/or trying to get appointed to the bench. So many get appointed becuase thier spouses raise Bags full of cash for politicians, are members of the right ethnic group and it is sad that more people like John are not appointed to the bench.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

Rumpole, my thoughts are that if you attended the Investiture yesterday, you were the only one there.

That's because it happened last Friday and I was there.

Cap Out ....

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

The Captain Reports:

Now on to more trivial things like our current CJ of the SCOTUS speaking out publicly about saving lives and DUI cases (where is DOM on this hot story) .....

WASHINGTON (Oct. 20) — Chief Justice John Roberts spoke out in vain Tuesday against a lower court ruling he says will "grant drunk drivers 'one free swerve'" that could potentially end someone's life.

Roberts wanted the Supreme Court to review the lower court ruling but he failed to persuade enough of his colleagues. The court declined to hear an appeal from Virginia officials who had their drunk driving conviction of Joseph A. Moses Harris, Jr. thrown out by that state's Supreme Court. Police were notified by an anonymous tipster that Harris was driving intoxicated, but the arresting officer did not see Harris break any traffic laws.

"The decision below commands that police officers following a driver reported to be drunk do nothing until they see the driver actually do something unsafe on the road — by which time it may be too late," Roberts wrote.

Roberts said a majority of the courts have said it doesn't violate the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure to pull over drunk drivers based on anonymous tips from programs like the "Drunk Busters Hotline."

"The stakes are high. The effect of the rule below will be to grant drunk drivers 'one free swerve' before they can be legally pulled over by police," Roberts said. "It will be difficult for an officer to explain to the family of a motorist killed by that swerve that the police had a tip that the driver of the other car was drunk, but that they were powerless to pull him over, even for a quick check."

The case is Virginia v. Harris, 08-1385.

To read the entire article, go here:

http://news.aol.com/article/
chief-justice-john-roberts-
speaks-out-on/728383?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|
dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2F
news.aol.com%2Farticle%2
Fchief-justice-john-roberts
-speaks-out-on%2F728383

CAPTAIN OUT ....

Anonymous said...

"trivial"? You couldn't match wits with one of the buttons on CJ Robert's robe. Captain, you are an idiot.

Anonymous said...

Do we really want the cops to have the right to stop us based solely on an anonymous tip? Sounds like a horrible idea.

Scott Saul said...

A deserving lawyer

Anonymous said...

I tried a big case against John when he was an ASA in 1986. He was 100% ethical and honest.

The allegations were that my client, a Miami Cop, was shaking down well to do Hatian bolita operators.

Cop was looking at life and they had a strong case.

Ralph Person was the judge.

He got a conviction on only some counts and the cop got a light sentence.

One week after the trial, the key witness was killed.

Even though there was lots of pressure to get this particular cop, John was always level headed and professional.

Mike Catalano

national enquirer said...

Captain, you will now be outed. We have the video and still photos from the Investiture and we can now identify you.

If you want to avoid this then get your money and we can talk.

Anonymous said...

The soldier that killed the college kids in the car after a night of partying....worst crime scene photos ever.

Anonymous said...

the joyce cohen case was blown by alan ross and company. they tried a horrible case and almost had her put in the electric chair because of their incomptence.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

to 12:02 pm:

Do you know the word facetious? Apparently not, so I will supply you with the definition of same:

1. not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark. 2. amusing; humorous. 3. lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential

Of course his comments were important and that is why I put them on this Blog - so we could have a serious discussion about whether the CJ should be publicly commenting on the issue of saving lives based upon his feelings that the court made the wrong decision not to review the case.

Now, have at it.


to 2:26 pm

Oh well, I guess I better contact Rumpole for a loan; he is always putting up $50k or $100k. Of course, you can always find him if you really want to - just check the Rickenbacker on an early Sunday morning or head out west to the Sierra Nevadas or check into each and every courtroom in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference), or was the the 9th Circuit???

CAPTAIN OUT .....

Anonymous said...

RANDY "The Ticket Machine" Maultasch _ what a great nick name!!

Ticket Power Rankings 10/20/09

Hidnert
The Machine
Gold/Ticket Clinic
Vic Mad Russian Vedmed
Hochman/Goldman
Unger Kowitt

fastest risers- Vedmed
Fastest faller Unger Kowitt

Rumpole said...

I'll be out west before the end of the month. Just waiting to argue one appeal and finish up one federal matter. Then at my place high in the sierra nevada mountains preparing for the biggest damn tax fraud case I've ever seen.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole- not since the good old days of the Bloom hot PDS have we seen a blonder set of blonde ambition PDS running the courtroom in Ortiz (5-2 for you non traffic guys).

A coupla real hotties. Worth the trip.

real fake blecher said...

Ill take care of Diamond. This is right up my alley.

Anonymous said...

Is there any attorney out there more in love with himself than Michael Catalano? or Mark Eiglarsh?

Anonymous said...

Don't forget Bob "Barker" Baker in the Power Rankings.

Anonymous said...

12:12:00 ....

No, much better that the officer wait until the driver kills someone.

Anonymous said...

Catalano..........are you physically incapable of saying something nice about someone without promoting yourself? Just curious.

Anonymous said...

Whew, once again Catalano to the rescue. WHAT was the point of that story Mike, except to point out John could only convict your client on a few counts despite having a strong case? We know you think you are an awesome lawyer. Give it a rest pal.

By the way, I'm one of the few people in the building who likes you. If I think you're going too far, imagine what the rest think.

Anonymous said...

Bob Baker- touchdown maker!!!

You wont meet a nicer guy in the building.

scout said...

If you were starting a football team who would you pick to be the scrappy back chip blocking the blitzing linebacker or curling out of the backfield and catching that crucial swing pass for a first down on third and four in the fourth quarter?

Eiglarsh?
Real Fake Blecher?
Adam Nunzio?

fake carnac said...

The Guy who plays young jon blecher....

The Dea is at the door

and

why is santa walking down the middle of the street?

Fake Carnac

The Guy who plays young jon blecher....

The Dea is at the door

and

why is santa walking down the middle of the street?


Fake Ed McMahon....hohohohohoho hahahhaha

Fake Carnac

Who is David Spade

a Raid

and a parade?

Fake Ed McMahon

hohohohohohohohoho hahahahahahaha.

Anonymous said...

440 pm- amen brother. Those blonde hotties in Ortiz are da bomb!!!! oooooo lalalala.

Anonymous said...

Hottie PDs can't touch the hot L&L Associate-love her!

Andrew Hague said...

I had the pleasure of trying cases with John and he was an excellent trial attorney because he knew how to investigate a case and how to question witnesses. His ability to recognize the quality of a case served the office well served the community as he was elevated to the position of Chief Assistant. There he evaluated cases quickly for the assistants he supervised and authorized nolle prosses for those cases that were so weak as to not merit prosecution and he would give sound trial advice to help advance the prosecution of those cases that warranted prosecution. He was a real trial Chief that wouldn't delay a decision knowing that a bad case wasn't going to get any better with the passage of time and he wasn't afraid to pull the trigger on a nolle prosse when it was the appropriate thing to do. Don't get me wrong, we tried numerous Homicide cases together including several death penalty cases and nobody could be tougher either, Johnny was a complete prosecutor. He will make a great Circuit Court Judge

Anonymous said...

Just when you think only Michael Catalano would stroke his own ego under the guise of congratulating a colleague....... here comes (Judge) Andy Hague!!! Jesus, guys - if you want to say Johnny K will be a great judge, say it. You don't have to make reference to yourself. Put down the ego and step slowly away...

fake kenneth Weisman said...

What's a better slogan for me?
"Once more into the breach dear friends"? OR

"Cash money ain't never gonna play out!"

Each have their own unique positive attributes.

Anonymous said...

Would the four of you who bashed me stop emailing me and calling me for free advice?

Anonymous said...

The problem with lawyers is that they are never happy and bitch about everything.

Mike tells an old story about a case with John and instantly a few lawyers bitch and complain.

I bet they are the same lawyers who enjoyed watching him dig up the facts and law that won so many of their client's DUI cases.

Guys, get a life.

Anonymous said...

mike catalano is gonna be real sad when the sao starts offering pti on first dui's. then he wont be able to charge 10k to hope the cops won't show. lol

Anonymous said...

4:40 the blonde pd in ortiz WAS one of the bloom pds...she was an intern back then!

Anonymous said...

I don't know about the joyce cohen case but I have dealt with alan ross. Frighteningly UNimpressive considering his reputation as being a big gun.

Anonymous said...

The smartest thing that Jeff Weiner ever did was to leave the slimy Ross and start his own firm.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I've always gotten along well with Michael and was needling him about his Johnny K comment. Always fun to get under his skin

;-)

Seriously though, Mike, you don't need to toot your own horn. Everyone knows you're a good lawyer.

Anonymous said...

Toot Toot...

Yes, we are all going to be hurt financially by PTI for first time DUI cases.

Still, we should all be in favor of it.

Anonymous said...

No way MADD lets PTI happen at the SAO Too many pictures of dead relatives will clutter Kathy's re-election campaigns.

Doesnt Diane Holmes still work there?

Anonymous said...

MADD is in favor of PTI for DUI because they are going to get $1,000.00 per person as part of the deal.

Money talks....