UPDATE: Funeral Information:
Thursday, at Noon, Star of David, 7701 Bailey Road, North Fort Lauderdale.
His family will be sitting shiva afterwards. As some alert readers have pointed out, David was- and always will be- a law enforcement officer. As such, we cannot print his home address. Such information, we are sure, will be available at the funeral.
David Waksman was an ordinary guy. You wouldn't give him a second thought walking down the hallways of the REGJB. He was a New Yorker. And Ex-cop who walked a beat in the Bronx.
He was an ordinary guy. Right up until the time he walked into a court room. Then he was extraordinary.
David was part of a golden era of prosecutors in this town. Working for State Attorney Janet Reno and the extraordinary talent she had in her major crimes unit, David was one of the best. He handled the difficult cases. When a police officer was murdered or when a serial killer was arrested- and in one extraordinary series of cases- a former police officer who was a serial killer- David was the prosecutor people turned to- a master in the courtroom.
He gave Miami the best he had, prosecuting difficult cases, training young prosecutors and teaching them that a lawyer's word was his or her bond. When David told you something, you didn't need to follow it up with a letter (or email). He brought honor to his office, our courthouse, and our State. And when it was all over, he quietly walked away to a retirement cut way too short by his untimely death.
David Waksman was in every regard extraordinary.
May he rest in peace.
David Waksman was a mentor, a colleague and an adversary of immense dedication. A bulldog in court, but I can not say he was unreasonable in plea negotiations. One of the old guard who had discretion to handle his cases the way he saw fit without fear of being second guessed. He ranks up there with Abe Laser, Bob Kaye and others. He has been, and will be continued, to be missed. Goodbye old friend. Shalom.
ReplyDeleteA class act in every way.
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ReplyDeleteThat news breaks my heart. I loved David. He was a champion in the courtroom. He loved being Jewish and the traditions of his faith. I will always remember David in my prayers. God bless you good man.
ReplyDeleteHe was a terrific prosecutor, excellent teacher and most importantly, a very honorable man. He was class personified, a "stand up guy". RIP
ReplyDeleteI will miss David greatly. I was in private practice beginning in 1973 and handled several cases against him. Always fair, always honest, always ethical. We became friends and even attended plays at UM's Ring Theater together. In court, he was right up there with the likes of Abe Laeser, Roy Kahn, Jim Woodard and other local greats. May God bless him. Roy Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteI always liked talking with him. He was a nice guy.
ReplyDeleteRumpole, you always manage to write a stirring obituary. You have become both the conscience and the historian of our building. Keep up the good work. I always remember sitting in the temple for Rob Pinero's very untimely funeral and as the Rabbi is speaking he quotes you!!! He says something like "as that famous miami legal commentator rumple just wrote, Rob Pinero was not a good man...he was a great man. Rob Pinero was not a good judge...he was a great judge." And you had wrote that the day before.
ReplyDeleteJust saying a lot of people take shots at you and I know you have to be anonymous. But you do a singularly great job and provide a real service and since you get no credit for it and can't use it to promote your business, I don't know for the life of me why you do it. But thanks.
A fan.
David was the youngest setgeant ever in the NYPD. An overachiever from the start. But he was always so approachable. A great prosecutor for sure. He once lost a case to Jim Woodard and shook his hand and congratulated him afterwards. What a great guy. RIP friend.
ReplyDeleteDavid was a great prosecutor and fun guy. There aren't many like him.
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PS---Rump, I agree with your fan at 1:50 on all counts.
David was a bit before my time. All day I heard what a great guy he was. May he rest in peace and his family be comforted by all the loving responses.
ReplyDeleteAs already mentioned David was a street cop who never forgot that and always adhered to the standards of a prosecutor while being a great trial lawyer. He always made time for law enforcement with assistance and advice in making Dade County a safer place. He'll be missed by us all although we must not forget that he's with his family, friends and the Lord in a better place.
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What can I say about David Waksman? Others have been eloquent. He was taken too soon.
ReplyDeleteI can only say amen to all that has been said and also, that even as a very young prosecutor, he always treated me well, was a great teacher, a leader, a mensch, and was an example to follow...even when he yelled at me for smoking in the men's room in our office of the sixth floor. I can't say he was a role model because the was unique.
I always looked up to him and will miss him.
When I had a tough question ('81-'84) I would go to David. His advice was always sound, practical and most of all delivered as an equal, not as a guy with 20 years more experience. A real mensch.
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