OVERNIGHT UPDATE: The Heat lost again, this time giving up an astounding 40 points in the fourth quarter alone. The loss was at home and does not portend well for the rest of the season. The Heat are two games over a mediocre .500 and remained mired in third place.
LEYRITZ TRIAL UPDATE: The toxicologist testified yesterday that Jim Leyritz probably consumed the equivalent of 11 alcoholic drinks based on reverse extrapolation and his known blood alcohol level at the time it was taken.
The jury was out about 7 hours and it was a well earned victory for a trial that took three weeks.
Rachel Waters took the loss for the prosecution.
The case was profiled in the Herald as it began, and the two defendants were portrayed as followers of Yahweh Ben Yahweh, who long time Miami residents will remember was targeted for prosecutions in the 1980's for repeatedly violating the litter law, along with various murders.
Tom Cobitz was appointed as private counsel while James Demiles chalked the win up for Regional Counsel.
TRIVIA ANSWERS: Bob Josefsberg represented Jim Morrison, Terrence McWilliams, who has since passed away, for the prosecution. McWilliams was one of the very great trial lawyers to come out of our humble REGJB. Ditto Mr. Josefsberg, who is still very much with us.
Miami Dolphin great Mercury Morris was convicted of trafficking in cocaine over 400 grams. George Yoss for the prosecution. Judge Ellen Morphonious was the Judge, who after sentencing him was heard to say "Sorry Merc."
Don't remember who Mercury Morris's attorney was. Morris was later released after his conviction was overturned on appeal and he was ordered discharged.
Get some popcorn and read this slam on the 3rd DCA by the SCT -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.floridasupremecourt.org/decisions/2010/sc08-2036.pdf
thank G-d I can sleep better knowing that 2 murderers have been set free by the morons that populate Dade juries.
ReplyDeleteDefense attorney was Ron Strauss.
ReplyDeleteIf the firefighters, police officers and others making over $100,000 per year lived, paid property taxes, supported schools and became involved in community activities in Miami-Dade County, the salaries might be one of the best investments the County could make. Unfortunately, many of these employees can't wait to get off their shifts and head north to Davie, Weston or Pembroke Pines as fast as possible to enjoy the comfort of a well run county where their spouses and kids are safer and the schools are better. Maybe they should be required to live in Miami-Dade.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference between Jim DeMint and Jim DeMiles?
ReplyDeleteOne's very respected and successful and admired by even his opponents, the other is a Republican Senator from South Carolina.
Rumpy is so wrong about the Heat! Let's go Heat!
ReplyDeleteI started to read that SCt opinion on 3rd DCA and zzzzzzzzzzz......
ReplyDeleteJimmy is an excellent attorney. He routinely tries some of the most difficult cases that many attorneys would either turn away or plea out. And the best part is, Jimmy wins about 90% of the time.
ReplyDelete10:42 am; you are confusing two separate cases. Judge Ellen Morphonios Gable did not say that to Merc; she said that to another defendant.
ReplyDeleteShe also was one of the ASA's assigned to prosecute Jim Morrison. Murray Goodman slammed Morrison upon conviction with a six months jail sentence.
The trial lasted six weeks; this was printed in one book that wrote about the trial:
"The trial began on August 10, 1970with the verdict being handed down on September 20, 1970 . The trial lasted all of 15 days. Alternating days were used in order that the duration of the trial was sufficient for Judge Goodman to obtain the necessary exposure to ensure his election to the post to which he had been appointed."
Morrison never served a day of the sentence. He appealed it and died in Paris, France before the appeal was ever completed.
Interesting note: Today, Governor Crist spoke at a press conference in Tallahassee about the Clemency petition that he and the Clemency Board is considering on the Morrison case. The request is for a full pardon.
Cap Out ....
Just read the 79-page list of Miami-Dade County employees who make over $100,000. It's not just the police, firefighters, and county attorneys. It's everybody. From the guy who repairs the track on the Metrorail to the librarian.
ReplyDeleteOur country has reached a critical mass where we can no longer sustain our own government. With politicians and unions attached at the hip, this entitlement system of guaranteed government jobs, excessive salaries, and pensions, will ultimately bankrupt us. Some would say that's happened already.
Look at the overtime hours some of these cops are logging. It seems as though every correctional officer in the county makes six figures.
It used to be that if you couldn't make it in the private sector, you got a cushy government job. Now it seems like government employment is the best ticket to wealth.
Murray"chicken noodle soup"Goodman was later indicted in the market connection case. who was his attorney. I was in ellens chambers awaiting a verdict on her purple carpet,(her favorrite color}. when Goodman threatened to take the stand. ellen cursed at the tv and called Goodmans attorneys to give her advise. she had great gams and had other talents. I miss donnie, her baliff. But thats another story
ReplyDeletelook no further then to warren schwartz as a portrait of government waste. add his wife into the pot and your tongue will blister. put wait just a few more years so people of their entitlement ilk can receive their hard earned drop money.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete10:42 you are an idiot and you get points off not extra credit.
That incident was at the end of a rape trial and Morphonios never got off the bench. She just pulled up her robe, stuck out her leg and said those words.
Get it right or don't tell the story to those of us who were there.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010 3:39:00 PM
WOW. Maybe you should consider retirement... or a long vacation at a nice treatment facility. You are a little jaded and wound-up...
What's with the trialmaster's spelling, grammer, etc? I was actually interested in reading his post but, because of his problems communicating in the blog format (hopefully this is the extent of his problem), his thoughts are basically incoherent.
ReplyDeleteI think this Jimmy guy and his mom should stop posting on this blog.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of him.....
To 8:33....Warren happens to be extremely hard working attorney who has helped dozens of young PD's learn the ropes. You then make a comment about his wife who is also both well liked and hard working. Perhaps you should examine the character of someone who makes anonymous cowardly comments rather than denigrating two people who you obviously dont know.
ReplyDelete(jk) To above comment, if you haven't heard of Jimmy then you're either a private attorney with no clients or a government attorney who has been sent out to pasture. Go to Court sometime. You'll quickly learn who he is. You'll also get the nice ancillary benefit of having the right to post on this blog, which is of course about the courthouse you don't go to (jk)
ReplyDeleteSeeing the list of county employees who make over $100k makes me sick. Judge Butchko's husband makes more in OT than I make as an ASA; honestly it's depressing. There is a county attorney making
ReplyDeleteOne corrections officer made over $60,000 in OT! County Attorney Robert Cuevas makes over $350,000 a year and looks like he has only been with the county for 3 years! How does he sleep at night (on a big pile of money I'm sure)?!?!?!
Seriously I'm in deep law school debt, have a secondary degree, and make peanuts. An extra $5,000 would be like a saving grace. I guess I should quit and try out for the assistant to the clerk of courts - I'd make more than Rundle (at least I think).
Why can't the county just cut this OT bullshit and give back a little to the people who ultimately try to make our county safe and/or protect the rights of those who need it.
You'd think that the corrections people wouldn't be so grumpy all of the time as it seems that the majority of them make six figure incomes. Not bad for barely literate jerks.
ReplyDelete9:22 is 100% correct. I remember back in the 80's. Cops coming in to testify for 30 minutes and getting paid 4 hours at time and a half. Detectives working the midnight shift and spending all day waiting in the hallway to testify. And they never complained. Called it "white man's welfare." Now it is everywhere. That property room clerk at Metro will be retiring on six figures and there are thousands in the same boat. And "boat" is an accurate word. That is what many of our dedicated public servants will be buying with the sick time they have accrued when they retire. I never should have left the SAO. The boredom drove me nuts but looking back, I remember fondly closing my office door, reading a book, and then leaving at 5. I tell young people the best way to get rich is to work for a local government. Just hang in there, do very little, don't upset anyone, and your meal ticket will be punched.
ReplyDeleteMr. South Beach
ReplyDeleteWarren shows us the ropes? Get a grip old timer. You know not what you speak. Warren brings morale in the office down. His salary alone represents an a front to the system.
And Rory has lost his marbles....
PDs and ASA should be paid overtime! I easily worked 50 hours a week or more sometimes when I was an APD!
ReplyDeleteWarren spends half the day in ABP and the other half talking shit!
ReplyDelete