And on the same day one year later, April 18, 1943, American Fighter pilots ambushed and shot down Japanese Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto's plane, killing the famed Japanese Admiral who pulled off the Pearl Harbor raid two years earlier. Based on Navy Intel that Yamamoto was in the Solomon Islands, American Army Air Corp fighters launched from the Kukum airstrip in Guadalcanal jumped Yamamoto's bomber and shot him down over Bougainville Island. The operation was aptly named "Vengeance", which as we all know, is a dish best served cold.
Before we get to the secrecy and intrigue our REGJB is known for, a little housekeeping.
Newly minted Circuit Court Judge Tanya Brinkley (an elevation well deserved we say) is coming to the REGJB. Moving to the nether worlds of interrogatories and summary judgments or family financial affidavit is Judge Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts, colloquially known as "ORF".
A welcomed addition, but a subtraction that will be missed.
The Mueller report is being released today. It affects South Florida not in the least. Neither does the Republican movement in Tallahasse to disband MDX, the Miami-Dade Commission that imposes tolls on our roads.
Area 52:
What in the name of intrigue is going on with one of the elevators in the REGJB? Rumors abound. "A vertically mobile courtroom". "An elevator with Starbucks". A safe container for exhibiting to the public venerable REGJB relics like Judge Morphonios's robe; Judge Snyder's Statute Book or Judge Cowart's Gavel.
The annoying part of this post is that right after reading that, there are County Court Judges born circa 1985 sending each other Facebook Messanger messages like "Dude! Who is Judge Cowart? He's like on the blog and stuff."
 |
Are aliens being kept behind this sealed area? Retired Judges?
|
 |
Will they add a glass case and display REGJB relics?
|
The late, great Judge Ed Cowart was the best the Justice Building has ever seen. Not a single judge, except for Judge Hanzman's brief deployment to the Building can ever come close.
ReplyDeleteRumpole you are exposing a deep-state secret that runs from the streets of Miami, through Hialeah, and all the way to California. The secret elevator hides the records of none other than former County Court Judge Jon Colby and his secret hearings on CIA Operation Mongoose, the invasion of Cuba. Ever wonder why the judge just up and disappeared? Now you know. Dig deep Rumpole. Follow the money as deepthroat would say. And watch your back. These are secrets powerful people do not want exposed. Park you car several blocks from your Miami Beach mansion and take a series of Ubers and buses before going home. Trump and Muller have nothing on this issue. Watch your back and Via Condios mi amigo.
ReplyDeleteThe portrait of Judge Cowart hangs proudly in the present courtroom of Judge Charley Johnston. This was formerly the courtroom of Maximum Morophonios. While she was a tyrant
ReplyDeleteon the bench, off the bench she was actually a pleasure to be with. I wonder how many, if at all of the asa's and pd's know who looks over there labors. Does Judge Johnston know?
Au contraire mon ami. Judge Morphonios was not a tyrant on the bench. Trials in front of her were easy. She left most everything in from both sides. It was a free-for-all but both sides were equal if not a leaning to the defense. The problem came if you lost. Then I agree her sentences were not fair. But she didn't run her courtroom badly. She had some quirks and rules. You could not announce ready during the first run through of the calendar or she would immediately stop calendar and bring down a jury. And then all the other lawyers who wanted to resolve their cases would be angry at you. And she initially tried to be absent during voir dire and when the 3rd DCA put a stop to that she acted like a federal judge and gave you twenty minutes or so. But once the trial began there were no problems. She was a character and a Miami original.
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet you dollars to donuts Judge Johnson knows exactly whose courtroom he is in.
Uh Oh Trialmaster, I see a chink in your armor;
ReplyDeleteI was an ASA before Morphonios and she was a pleasure. ASAs, PDs, Clerks, Corrections...all loved to be in her division, it was a very coveted assignment. Additionally, she was very loyal and devoted to all assigned to her.
I just had a kid, couldn't afford day care and she, on many occasions, had her wonderful JA Shirley watch my baby in chambers while I was prosecuting. It was sad to see her go down since she was a pleasure to practice in front of.
The only complaints would come from those on the receiving end of an adverse verdict.
Perhaps tyrant was the wrong word choice. Ellen never wavered from her rules. Most everyone got probation. if it wasn't a homicide, rape or violent crime. But if the defendant came back with a violation it was goodbye and the sentence was the max.And if the defendant picked up a new case, the PV would go first and then she would ask if the defendant wanted a concurrent sentence or go to trial and risk a consecutive sentence. It cleared up her calendar for sure. She could go through a long calendar in 20 minutes. And if you went to trial and lost you knew your sentence. She was a lovely lady, and in her youth extremely beautiful. She went through several husbands but was certainly unique. I loved her purple carpet and was in her chambers when the market connection case went to trial and recall her saying if Murray Goodman took the stand he was a fool. She was right and his attorneys (the Kogans) kept him off and got an NG. Shirley was awesome and a very kind person. We do not see her likes anymore. And let us not forget her nephew"DONNY". One could tell many tales about him alone. Even those at the receiving end of an adverse verdict still repected her. Except for one defendant who called her a pencil d**k as he was led off to his cell. I never got that.
ReplyDeleteBlumstein's courtroom -- where productive days go to die. "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?"
ReplyDeleteThe closest Judge to be like Ellen Morphonios was Judge Loree Feiler. She was tough, but fair. You did not want to cross her though. Her husband Jeff is a gem of a guy!
ReplyDeleteAgree 100% With trialmaster's comment about Judge Cowart … the greatest, bar none … judge Feiler? C'mon, now !!! Also agree Jeff is a great guy.
ReplyDeleteComparing Feiler to Morphonius? Get real!
ReplyDelete