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Wednesday, September 18, 2019

HOW WERE YOU TRAINED?

In keeping with our Fall theme, and changes, we received several emails forwarding us an email from our State Attorney talking about the "intensive six week training session" for a record 57 new assistant state attorneys. 
We imagine hypotheticals like this being bandied about:
"Judge Ds calendar starts at 9 but she never takes the bench until 9:30. 
Judge U's calendar starts at 9:30 and she is on time. 
Judge M's calendar starts at 9:30 and he is late about half the time.
Judge B's calendar starts at 9 and he takes the bench at 8:55. 

Question: "You are in trial seeking ten years on a possession of cocaine case against a first offender because it's fun to do. In what order do you go to the courtrooms and what do you tell the Judges about your current trial before Judge Y?"

OR

Police Officer T hit the defendant in the head with his flashlight before arresting him for battery on a police officer. 
Police Officer H claims the defendant hurt his head by repeatedly slamming it against the jail cell door.
Police Officer U claims the defendant slipped down the flight of stairs twice which is why his foot was broken during the arrest.
Police Officer G claims the defendant committed battery on a police officer by scratching the officer with a potato chip, which required the officer to use mace and a choke-hold to subdue a violent offender for his own safety and the safety of the community. 

Describe with particularity which defendant you file enhancements on and why.

Training for PDs and ASAs was not always this complete and intensive. Let's hear from the old guys and gals about how y'all did it in the old days. The days when you were hired on a Friday and showed up Monday with fifty files on your desk. Days before Starbucks, and cell phones and computers, when you shepardized cases in the SAO library on 9 and  asked Richard Shiffrin for some advice. 
Days when a new PD walked into Snyder's division and he snarled he was taking all your clients into custody at arraignment. 

Days when Roy Black and Jack Denaro were taking off their socks and putting them on their clients hands and demanding the state seek a search warrant before getting their prints. (Wasn't Professor HT Smith their intern at the time?) 
The good old days.
Have at it. 

18 comments:

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


From KFR:

Every August, there is a special energy that fills the Graham Building, as we welcome our new class of Assistant State Attorneys. These talented young lawyers are beginning an intensive six- week training program in preparation to stand before a judge and represent the State of Florida and the people of Miami-Dade County.

This year, I am extremely proud to welcome 57 new Assistant State Attorneys, one of our largest classes, as they join our SAO family.

I am very thankful to our State legislators for the starting salary increases they recently approved. Upon learning of the need of our office to attract and retain the best prosecutors, they acted. This action should allow our employees to continue doing the work they love and feeling less pressured to leave because of the high cost of living and working in our community.

This legislative session I will continue to fight for higher salaries for all our employees. This is the least that I can do for every employee of the State Attorney's Office who does so much to keep our community safe.

Cap Out .....

Anonymous said...

You forgot about Fast Gerry Klein. Took the bench at 9 a.m and was finished his calendar at 8:59 am. FORE!!!!!

the trialmaster said...

Knowing that Denaro wore the same black suit every day and never changed his socks, I would gladly give my fingerprints rather than put my hands in his well worn socks....

Anonymous said...

We had training when I joined in 2001; none so effective as the whippings that the pds gave us in dui trials.

Steve Talpins was a great trainer and supervisor. I would go work for him again.

Greg Tonge and Bobby were the of trainers and were maddening, but good dudes once they got to know you a bit. At some point I wanted to hit either or both. If it was Bobby aka Nick Nolte, I knew that it would be a rumble. If it was Greg, Bobby would have shown up with a bat. They were really good to have around on the other side. Nushyn was a traini g lawyer anda maddening as well, once I figured out her job and role, I really liked her. Lourdes Simon was the co-trainer for the pds in felonies with nushyin and she was really great. After County, we didn't really have much training. But I did continue to learn from the pds througout.

Anonymous said...

Started at the PDs on a Monday, assigned to County and showed up there on Wednesday, did my first trial as first chair on a DUI that following Monday.

Phil R said...

Things were so short handed at the SAO that I was assigned to a county division where a CLI-law student had been running the division for a month or longer. My training was mostly being told that the reddish pink pieces of paper were known as A-forms and that i should try to read them before court. I was also given a stack of papers that had the questions I should ask to prosecute various crimes like theft, assault, battery and DUI. Needless to say the PDS and defense bar had a field day. Sort of like a limping Zebra surrounded by a pack of hungry lions. Throw in Fred Nesbitt as the judge and the wounds still hurt from time to time and this was 1986.


Anonymous said...

September 1979. Sworn in by Ellen Morphonios. Assigned a rape case in her division that afternoon.

Anonymous said...

Ben Daniel.

Where is he now?

Most new ASA’s and PD’s got trained by Judge Piniero, Silverman, Colby, Shumacher and Larry Schwartz. Best trading ever. Try a case. Go into chambers. Learn how to do it better from experienced former trial lawyers. They were the GREATS at teaching.

Anonymous said...

The first thing Schumacher said before he got out of bed in the morning was “ can I take someone out of turn “. He was the best. Pinero was a gem. Out worked everyone. A Phil Knight type of judge. The rest go from meh to nah.

Anonymous said...

I had to walk 3 miles in the snow to get to the sao in time for my 830 calendar, alarm set for 5am. you millenials don't know how well u got it.!

Anonymous said...

2:50PM- Snow in Miami? I bet you also walked uphill, both ways, to and from court.

Anonymous said...

Best SAO class ever hands down-1989.

Anonymous said...

Jay Novick was my Training Attorney at the SAO, 1981. He was a wealth of knowledge for dining tips, Brooks Brothers shirts and hotel reservations in the Hamptons.

Anonymous said...

To 343. I was hoping no one would respond as you did, you simpleminded no fun jerk.

Anonymous said...

On day one, I was given a felony file, agg assault as I recall. I was told the client was innocent and sent before Lady Ellen. Somehow the jury probably felt sorry for me and acquitted my client. He was as shocked as I was.

Anonymous said...

If you need to be trained, you should find another job.

Anonymous said...

MDCR house arrest officer arrested for rape and kidnapping of one of the people he was supposedly monitoring. I think we all know him. Can u post his photo?

Anonymous said...

After I got hired by the PDO I moved to Florida, rented an apartment, bought a car, and showed up on Monday. The 8th floor courthouse offices were deserted except for abandoned furniture. Asked around the courthouse and learned the office had moved to the new building.