Anybody in trial? We think Judge Cooke in Federal Court was starting a trial today, but you know those guys over there...scrooges one and all (even nice ones like Judge Cooke.)
DOM Picked the Giants on Sunday and boy was that ending a shocker! We kept saying all day long Vick would lead a comeback, but we didn't see it ending that way. We like the Eagles to go to the Super Bowl. They seem to be a team of destiny.
Lame Duck Legislative Sessions? Keep em or tube em?
Giving credit where it's due: For 364 days a year we criticize Broward and the Broward SAO. But today we're giving them props for their office Christmas Party last Thursday benefiting HANDY (Helping Abused and Neglected Abandoned Youth). The Sun Sentinel Article is here and yes, that's Chief of Homicide Brian Cavanaugh playing Santa.
Fun fact: As near as we can tell, the Dade SAO does NOT have a homicide unit. How is that possible?
Our Holiday Wish? To get through the end of the year without any more bad news and to hope that those colleagues and friends of all of ours who have a very very tough December eventually find some peace and the strength to carry on.
See You In Court.
This is a very slow week and it provides me with an opportunity to reflect on our very system that everyone complains about day in and day out.
ReplyDeleteWhen I step back and take a look at it objectively, I am thankful for all of the people that work so hard in our justice system and I realize that there are the strong and the weak in every corner. There are the brilliant defense attorneys both in private practice and in the Public Defender's Office that do such a fantastic job of protecting the rights of the accused. It is a daunting task.
On the other side are the dedicated Assistant State Attorneys who work hard to seek justice on behalf of the people of the State of Florida. Praise go to those that work extra hard to make sure that leave no stone unturned to make certain that they are prosecuting the correct individual and realize that to be a great prosecutor means more than just "convictions", it means doing the right thing, whatever that may be. Both sides being zealous advocates for their respective clients while staying true to the ethics of their profession. Insert the names here, these are the people that you go to watch in trial.
Then you have the Judges, they run the spectrum as well. The truly great ones know the law, treat you with respect and rule without any agenda other than the rule of law in mind. They are immune from any outside pressures and could care less about what any entity thinks other than the fact that they are doing what is right.
The beauty of it all is that in this country we have the freedom to write and talk about how we feel, we can elect our judges, we have our court system and defendant's do have significant rights that are protected.
Is the system perfect? No, no system will ever be perfect. Could it be improved? There will always be room for improvement because it will always be a work in progress but I will take our system over any other on this planet and I thank all sides for being a part of it, I thank the men and women of our military, past and present, for protecting it, and I thank the ongoing open dialogue for working to "perfect" it. Directed onstructive criticism could probably be more effective if the party were open to listen. We all should share a common goal of improving the system and our own performance.
Have a happy and safe Holiday!
The Dade SAO does not have a homicide unit because KFR does not believe in ELITISM. Under her theory, everyone is equal and should be treated as badly as everyone else.
ReplyDeleteIt makes it easier to mess with them if she treats them as interchangeable parts -- without recognizing that some might be LeBron or Wade, while others are clearly not.
Dade's SAO has the Major Crimes unit and it handles homicides.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been posted already but does anybody have a list of the new judicial assignments starting next year? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLet's go HEAT! Miller is in. They are going to beat the Mavs and make it 13 in a row.
ReplyDeleteno 455- the major crimes unit was disbanded. Former denizens of that unit are not referred to as "senior trial attorneys". Blech.
ReplyDeleteThere's not enough homicide in Miami to justify devoting an entire unit to it.
ReplyDelete2011 and still not a fuckin clue who Rumpole is! All the Private Eyes in Miami and not a single one could unmask the English wit. What a bunch of losers!
ReplyDeletePD of the year - "abel" zabel
ReplyDeleteASA of the year - betty "I left the office" butchko
Private Attorney of the Year - mikey "don't search me for wires" C
RCA of the Year - Jimmy D
Baliff of the Year - Mabell
ABP Employee of the Year - Slom
Hotdog Vendor of the Year - Lorenzo
Clerk of the Year - Asian Pete on the 9th Floor
Defendant(s)/Criminal of the Year - Rick Scott
Line of the Year - "I swear I didn't get that ASA pregnant!"
Best Dressed - "The Wizard of Tickets" Scott Hidnert
Now Stats!
6758 Rule 3's Filed
52 Rule 3's Filed in Good Faith
The SAO won 53% of cases that went to trial
However, Martinez and Weed remained undefeated in 2010.
More to come...
rc
Whoever said Dade SAO has a Major Crimes Unit must be a dinosaur, that was disbanded some time ago. It was all about politics. She never cared for that Unit and the people in it, and so away it went.
ReplyDeleteThe DC's handle the regular homicides and the Senior Trial Attorneys handle the complex homicides. But she is slowly doing away with the Senior Trial Attorneys as well, and now the brunt is on the DC's. (And of course, any cross-units that have related issues mixed with homicides.)
10:38- and so it shall remain evermore evermore.
ReplyDeleteI agree, most agressive try by a private lawyer to save a guy who really should do life in prision is Mike C and he did it pro bono. Go figure.
ReplyDelete