On October 28, 2012 at the age of 90, Judge Gerry Klein- affectionately known as "Fast Gerry" for how he moved his calendars, passed away.
Our memories of Judge Klein are that he was from another era- from a time when Miami was pronounced "Mi-am-ah". He was a judge before the cocaine, cocaine money, and cocaine wars fundamentally changed Miami forever.
He was the type of Judge that was unabashedly a member of the old-boys network. Not in the bad connotation of the word, but in the good connotation of the word. He was the type of judge that would greet a former judge who walked into his court as "Judge", even if they were representing a litigant.
He could be a bit gruff, especially as he got older. He had his own way of doing things. He spoke quickly and softly during calendar, and yes, this will come out, he liked nothing more than finishing his calendar and getting out on the golf course before lunch.
As we said, he belonged to a different time and era. He was as much a part of the REGJB as any judge who ever served there- and we think he may have served as a judge for 50 years. Certainly more than 40 years. He was sui generis; a character whose like we will never see again, and we think of him fondly as we walk by his old courtroom on the fifth floor from time to time.
Here is our blog post when he passed away.
16 comments:
I loved fast Gerry.
I heard he was a great golfer. Who else was in his regular foursome? Carney? I’m sure they held court at Joe’s at lunch too! Those were the days.
County Court Judges had more “power” and respect than a federal judge back then! The public knew them and they were stars.
No way Klein or Carney would be eating at Joe's. Their type ate at The Ham N Eggery. They were a higher class of people. And it was never "Fast Gerry" but "Fast Gerry Klein." For a nostalgic look in the mirroe at old Miami in the '70's, YouTube/Mobfax has a plethora of news clips of the era showing former judge/ASA/bagman David Goodhart and his boss State Attorney Richard Gerstein frequenting mob hangouts in Miami Beach on Saturday mornings. A time when deals were struck with a handshake at the race track or a wink and a nod at Wolfie's. For what it is worth, things were better back then.
A great man! I was told that for most of his life he was a high end casanova who dated movie stars. He was fast in court but charming and pleasant. The county court was inhabited by interesting elder statesmen. It was a better time indeed.
There were so many Judge Klein’s back then. Gerald. Murray. Herb. And there was Edward in civil. There was even Ted Klein!
How was the judicial corruption back then in the 1970’s when Richard Gerstein was the State Attorney? All the judges must have had friends whom they “did favors” for?
Loved "fast Gerry". He never appointed the PD because he would not put anyone in jail. That got him on the golf course sooner. He was exposed when he got robbed in the middle of the day playing golf at Bayshore on the Beach. Never understood why he would marry Rhea. He would always compliment counsel when they appeared before him at a bond hearing. Carney was a La Gorce member and had some questionable friendships at La Gorce. Gerstein would have breakfast to the old Glorifed on Coral Way or at the Holiday inn at the entrance to Key Biscayne. That was old Miamah. No judges with hyphened names back then.
Loved "fast Gerry". He never appointed the PD because he would not put anyone in jail. That got him on the golf course sooner. He was exposed when he got robbed in the middle of the day playing golf at Bayshore on the Beach. Never understood why he would marry Rhea. He would always compliment counsel when they appeared before him at a bond hearing. Carney was a La Gorce member and had some questionable friendships at La Gorce. Gerstein would have breakfast to the old Glorifed on Coral Way or at the Holiday inn at the entrance to Key Biscayne. That was old Miamah. No judges with hyphened names back then.
@9:32: Gerstein was an odd character. Tall and bald. He had an affinity for the horses and hanging out with mobsters. Half of his underlings went on to have distinguised careers in the law as either prosecutors, judges, or private attorneys. The other half went to jail. Not going to name them but the old timers on this blog know who they are. Strange, but the ones who did time were some of the kindest people you would ever want to meet. One commenter mentions a youtube video where circuit judge David Goddhart, renowned bagman for Gerstein and later Al Sepe, is video taped visting with mobsters. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/jE0MSXoSH9U. AllI I gotta say is nostalgia ain't what it used to be.
Gerry Kline "never put anyone in jail" what a bunch of hog wash...I was a novice ASA working the Miami Shores court room in the early 70's and everyone, I mean everyone that came before him went to jail...but he was finished with his calendar by 11:30am.
Ed and Herb Klein at one point were both on the same floor in Civil
Operation Court Broom did start until Gerstein had passed away
Goodhart did time because he would not rat out Sepe
Miami Shores had a courtroom? Who knew?
As a young attorney in 1979, I remember going to hearings in a branch courthouse on NW 7th Avenue around 119 street.
Gerstein, everyone was "sure," was somehow the tool of the Mob. And maybe he was.
But he also (and successfully) personally prosecuted Sanford Bronstein, a former friend of his who had heavily ripped off Cedars Hospital.
And he hired women: lots of them, at a time when hardly any firm would do so. He drafted Janet Reno right after she LOST an election. He also promoted women; many became major crimes prosecutors, heads of divisions (Margrit Bernstein in Juvenile; Kathy Rundle in Consumer, for example), and others who later ascended the bench and/or enjoyed other significant careers.
Gerstein may have had personal flaws (even major ones), but his advice still rings true today: Don't do or say anything that you don't want to see on the front page of the Miami Herald.
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