JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Monday, April 19, 2021

CLOSING ARGUMENT

 Former Police Officer Derrick Chavin most likely spent his last weekend of freedom for a very very long time. The prosecution heads into closing arguments this week on what we have seen to be a slow plea with evidence admitted that would never have passed muster in our trials, especially in Florida. ME's stating that the cause of death was homicide. Puhleeze. We would have savaged the academic bookworm who opined about the functioning of lungs and the excessive force. He would have been  gasping for his own air on the stand with a cross examination that would have focused on the last time he was surrounded by a hostile crowd while trying to arrest a felon who outweighed by a hundred pounds.  While he may make split second decisions about patients lives in an ICU, how many times does his decisions affect not only the patient's life, but his own? 

But we did not try the case. 

How do you prepare for closing argument? 

Mr. Markus is known to watch "A Few Good Men" for inspiration. 

We play Bruce Springsteen's "No Retreat No Surrender" in our car every day during a trial, and in the parking lot on the day of closing. Then as we have a small break in the proceedings just before closing we close our eyes and recite this stanza from Thomas Babington Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome:

Then Out spake brave Horatius Captain of the gate: 

"To every man upon this earth, death come soon or late. 

And how can man die better than facing fearful odds.

 For the ashes of his Father and the Temple of his Gods." 

Benefits of a classical education. 



13 comments:

Anonymous said...

He needed to take the stand and explain his fear of the guy getting up and attacking him. Cops know how to testify. Big mistake having him sit there and say nothing.

If they get a NG, I will eat these words.

I vote guilty of manslaughter.

Anonymous said...

I'm calling Shumie Time on Chauvin (it's over Johnny) and Mirabal (put a fork in him, he's done), but not just yet for Z- he may survive the S court review. Plus I do not think anyone has ever shumied three at once. Two seems the unofficial limit.

Anonymous said...

Bruce Springsteen is so meh.

Anonymous said...

The onion returns to say what the amateurs who plea cases and do not try cases. First, if Minnesota law is similar to Florida the case will be overturned on appeal. ( refer to The Legend and his work in the Lozano cop trial.) On the day of trial Al Sharpton and Floyd family attorney hold a press conference with an implied threat to the nation if no conviction. Towards the end of the trial cities nationwide prepare for rioting canceling school, boarding businesses, calling out the national guard. And this morning , April 19, 2021, the day of closing arguments and submission of the case to the jury, another sorry ass no nothing politician, the Governor of Minnesota says this case and the results will be one of the most important dates in the state's history. Talk about jury tampering and intimidation. The jury knows there will be massive nationwide rioting if they do not convict.

Anonymous said...

What is "Shumie Time"?

Anonymous said...

Recent filing in the Zilber saga:

https://efactssc-public.flcourts.org/casedocuments/2021/526/2021-526_motion_123907_m17.pdf

Interesting excerpt:

The Judicial Qualifications Committee (“JQC”) left out from its complaint that Judge Zilber sent Ms. Dent emails at night instructing her to work on his re-election campaign. Ms. Dent’s original JQC complaint provided the emails showing Judge Zilber ordered her to work on his campaign. See attached as Appendix A. Judge Zilber coerced and directed a county employee to engage in political activity for his campaign. Ms. Dent compiled lists for campaign email blasts, redacted information provided to the Bureau of Elections, and even went to the bank to open his campaign account.

Anonymous said...

Chavin guilty of the lesser. Maxed out by the judge.

Mirabal hammered by the FSC, beyond the resignation. License at stake.

Zilber booted off the bench, but keeps his license.

Anonymous said...

He should have hired Roy Black.

Anonymous said...

Rookie mistake by the attorney filing the Z motion - always turn spell check on for all caps words! Referrat!!!!

Anonymous said...

11 am- it's a blog tradition- or blog word that was in play during many early years of the blog. I do not do it justice by a simple definition that shumie time means "it's over" but that's a start. People called "Shumie time" to start weekends and holidays, to mark leaving work early, to declare a major f-up and the end of a judicial or legal career. It's like a Yiddish phrase that defies easy translation.

Anonymous said...

CHAUVIN VERDICT!

TO BE ANNOUNCED BETWEEN SOMETIMES BETWEEN 4:30 AND 5:00.

Anonymous said...

GUILTY!

Anonymous said...

Told ya!