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.

Thursday, May 30, 2024

TRUMP FINALLY WINS POPULAR VOTE

 The former president and now convicted felon was able to do with a jury what he could not do with the American Public- win a popular vote as all 12 jurors voted that he was a lying, thieving, sniveling coward of a man. 

maga indeed. 

You like Apples?

Well now he's a felon. 

How about dem apples? 



41 comments:

Anonymous said...

My wife is a “felon” too. I would consider it pretty rude, unfair, and offensive to use the word as a pejorative in describing her. For a self-identifying “defense” lawyer to use it pejoratively, it’s even worse.

Anonymous said...

Sad Slippery Slope. Judicial system now just as slimy as the other branches.

Anonymous said...

Let’s go to prison

Anonymous said...

That's a very clever headline!

Rumpole said...

This is a blog. We use words to make points. Some felons are good people. Some felons and people who have never been arrested are scum of the earth because they say and do the fs that ruin lives and threaten democracy. If the blog is too much for you there is always Fox News where felons are welcome. They lie - you buy it. Go there. Bye.

Anonymous said...

One's thoughts depend on which pipeline of information you rely upon to make up your mind. In my case, I saw a fair trial, and I see nothing to suggest anything other than a true result. Trump knowingly and illegally used campaign funds in a catch-and-kill scheme.

But the right decries the travesty of justice and unfairness in the process leading to the felony conviction. Well, the right has appeal rights. We will see what we will see.

But why not engage in intelligent debate on this forum? Discuss the question: Did Trump get a fair trial? After all, legal truth is obtained upon the consensus of the judges of evidence in the light of the law.

Another issue: What effect will this felony conviction have on Trump?

Anonymous said...

I am sorry Mr. 7:26 pm's wife is a convicted felony. Yea, there are lots of felonies out there that don't brand you a bad person but, many do.

I think Trump is a horrible person and has no business being president but, millions of people think he's great.

Falsifying business records that break laws to avoid taxes makes you a bad person. Fuck Trump, I pay my taxes and he cheats. Prison for him would be appropriate but, not too long in prison.

Anonymous said...

I too am a defense attorney and this is one of few guilty verdicts I celebrate. Not because I am shunning all convicted felons, not because I think we have a fair system. No, because it’s always the bigots, the good ol boys, the privileged old white men that live with their head in the sand of how this system oppresses people. Until it’s their turn to be oppressed. Oh NOW Trump knows what the constitution is? After he disgraced and violated it for 4 years and put dangerous justices and judges on the benches across our country? NOW he knows what civil rights are? Please. I hope the judge has the balls to wipe the fake tan privilege from his skin and put something else orange on him — a jumpsuit.

Anonymous said...

I think we should discuss the likely claim that he should receive leniency as a first offender. His crimes were not youthful mistakes of judgment. He was just the guy who always got away with everything. His crimes were not an isolated incident, but rather a pattern of criminal activity where he repeatedly broke the law. He does not have a clear course to rehabilitate himself. He set himself up as the leader of a nascent criminal organization that uses violence to get its way, disregards all legal norms, holds society as a hostage to false claims of "rigged justice," exploits the ignorant to commit violence in its cause. He needs to do serious time.

Anonymous said...

Trump is a Florida resident and now a convicted felon. Doesn't that mean: 1) he can't vote, and 2) he can't run for or hold public office in Florida (potentially baring him from being on the ballot in Florida)? https://www.flmp.uscourts.gov/felony-offenders

Sir Wilfred said...

Some Random thoughts:
Sometimes you win, Sometimes you lose, Sometimes it’s called on account of rain.
Newton said : Every action has a reaction.
Huxley said: You make your choice, you pays the ticket.
Prisons are always full of innocent people.
All Defendants in criminal trials say they didn’t do it.
Bugs said : Ain’t I a stinker, but Daffy said: That’s all folks.
Remember that in the long run, The House always wins.
It is what it is and it ain’t what it ain’t.
Alls well that ends well?

Sir Wilfred said...

PS: I have tried over 125 Criminal Jury trials. My experience is that the Jury usually gets it right

Anonymous said...

What's amazing to me is that Trump is employing the same playbook of unfounded lies attacking our democracy with this conviction that he used to try to steel the 2020 election. He's calling it rigged (with no evidence) and corrupt (with no evidence) and invalid (with no credible explanation of why). In the process, he is slowly tearing down the institutions and the very fiber of our constitutional democracy - and he's doing so while expressly pretending to defend the Constitution.

And still, the MAGA sheeple flock to him and believe his outlandish and dangerous lies. These poor suckers (because that's what the MAGA crown are - suckers), have flooded Trump's campaign website to donate their hard earned money to this convicted felon, serial liar, and enemy of the our constitutional democracy.

Anonymous said...

Felon should be a pejorative word. In our society we have a set of rules and laws and those who don't follow them and are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt should be held accountable. In her case, that's not to say that your wife doesn't have other wonderful traits and isn't a terrific person in other ways.
Maybe we should also have terms for felons who have paid their debts and are rehabilitated and felons whose crimes were so long ago that they are irrelevant in their current life that it shouldn't affect them when they go apply for a job or rent an apartment.
But then there are the current felons as described above who are Scum of the Earth.

Anonymous said...

Yawn. Trump just clinched the election with this. The Biden administration and democrats routinely claim that Trump will use the justice system as a weapon. Something very Jungian about this projection as it is exactly what they are doing. We've had President's lie to start wars and routinely commit war crimes; Senators and Legislators who engage in insider trading; our intelligence agencies overthrow lawfully elected governments to put their puppet regimes in place and out of all those things the liberal left thinks this is their gotcha moment. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

Anonymous said...

Trump attacked a scrupulously fair judge and jury because he had NO defense, despite the diligent efforts of his lawyers. Only a loser attacks the ump and he attacks every ump,
every time (with the exception of Aileen Cannon, who does his bidding).

Anonymous said...

The national prudishness was greater in 2016. Trump would have lost votes were it not for the Catch and Kill scheme. It might have mattered. There ought to be a law against that. Oh yeah, there is, at least when it comes to donated campaign contributions. Sad. Beyond dirty politics is illegal politics.

Anonymous said...

It was prosecutorial misconduct to bring the charges. I oppose Trump, but this is nonsense. Beat him at the polls. The justice system is now officially weaponized.

USA Today: "Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who represents a district President Joe Biden won in 2020 by 10 percentage points, released a statement saying New York Democrats chose to "wage political war on their enemies."

"Convicting a former President on what amounts to a campaign finance violation in state court after the Federal Election Commission and The Department of Justice both opted not to pursue these same charges tells you all you need to know," he said."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/05/30/republicans-congress-slam-trump-verdict/73913033007/

Anonymous said...

I’m just glad we’ll finally see the first ever POTUS to pardon his own felonies and remind us how much we need to revamp that fine document we all swore to uphold.

Anonymous said...

Everything is prosecutorial misconduct these days.

Dog shat on my lawn? Prosecutorial misconduct! Got a flat tire? Prosecutorial misconduct! Charged defendant with a crime that was proved beyond a reasonable doubt before a jury of peers? PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT!

Quick, someone get FACDL to clutch their pearls

Anonymous said...

After Friday's news conference. Face it, Republicans. The cheese has slid off Trump’s cracker, and it ain’t coming back. - Rex Huppke

Anonymous said...

If only Trump's high priced legal talent had ever been able to corroborate anything he has said about the system being unfair to rich white ex-presidents. I guess they keep getting interrupted in doing his bidding by disbarments, indictments, unpaid legal fees from Trump...

Anonymous said...

Rumpole - I’m still VOTING FOR TRUMP.

We, in America, need to close our open borders, get tough on out of control crime and get rid of politicians who do nothing.

I’m so sad with our present America.

Biden is not our guy. He is not a leader and is a career political hack. His entire career is as a politician. He has no idea what a loaf of bread costs or the struggle that the working class are dealing with.

I’m sorry to disagree with everyone on the blog and with you, but it’s my right to vote my conscience.

Anonymous said...

Even if reelected as president, Trump would not be able to pardon himself of these convictions because they are New York state law charges. Trump could only pardon Federal offenses.

Though I'm sure Trump would use the secret service or the army to threaten New York from ever trying to arrest or extradite him.

Anonymous said...

Trump got Shumied and he didn’t call the Q

End of story.

Off to Rikers.
364 + 1 year probation per count consecutive

Put a Shumie fork in him.
He’s Shumie done.

Anonymous said...

Lmao as is Trump is in touch with ANYONE or ANYTHING. He’s a billionaire who doesn’t giving a flying f*ck about the average American. He uses, abuses, and discards people for his own financial gain. PS Crime is not out of control, but if you cared about the crime rate you would care about the things that actually contribute to it (i.e. poverty, lack of access to resources, education, etc.) Trump cares nothing about those things.

Anonymous said...

did trump's defense team intentionally leave 2 lawyers on the jury? I tried this once, backfired, vowed to never do it again.

Anonymous said...

2:12, I agree except Trump's must care because of his sizable personal contribution to the crime rate.

Anonymous said...

I thought it was 33 misdemeanors and 1 felony. Did they waive something?

Anonymous said...

12:00 AM - I dislike both Biden and Trump. But what did Trump accomplish about the border in the four years he was in office ? Why is Trump hindering any attempts in the US House now to address that serious problem ? Trump and his MAGA acolytes need a sieve at border percolating 24/7/365 to feed the rabid hate of many of his MAGA mostly fruitcake disciples.

Anonymous said...

I did too! What a fail :-(

Anonymous said...

Trump has done more good things than Biden.

Anonymous said...

You have to marvel at how sharply people divide along the R and D axis. Up front, I'm D. But I occasionally engage in debate and watch follow Fox for perspective. Some R's have these types of thoughts:

1) A serious Presidential contender has no choice but to engage in dirty politics for dirty politics is the only path to victory.
2) The courts are political.
3) It would be better if the U.S. had a beneficent autocrat/dictator than an impotent President.
4) The Legislature is in a quagmire.
5) Old age is critically limiting.
6) Trump is an innocent martyr.
7) This is a white Christian nation and should continue that way.

Anonymous said...

Give me a sound argument why Trump is better than Biden.

Anonymous said...

Gee 7:06. What do you watch on Fox?

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed and learned listening to DOM interview Todd Blanche on YouTube. Lots of insights into the 'behind the scenes' of POTUS DJT's NY trial ;

https://youtu.be/7Kpdn0-IESo?si=-g4sn328HMyICuoE

Anonymous said...

"5) Old age is critically limiting." - Yup, and Donald Trump is 77 years old. But for Biden, he is the oldest president to ever serve. If re-elected, Trump would be older on inauguration day than Reagan was when he left office. Recall that prior to Trump and Biden, Reagan was the oldest president ever. Trump would also be just two months younger than Biden was when Biden took office.

Anyone who supports their vote for Trump by claiming that Biden is too old has their head so far up their ass that they can't see the light of day. Both of them are too old - far too old, maybe decades too old. Let's find us a good 50ish year old with executive experience and moderate conservative ideas. Where ever could we (I registered as a republican 25 years ago) find such a person? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikki_Haley

Anonymous said...

The more I read the Ex-Hialeah Officer Jesus Menocal case, the worse it gets for me. The officer who forced different sexual acts on three women he held in custody in 2014 and 2015. Some of those women being teens. See https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/hialeah-police-address-misconduct-allegations-against-cop/.

The way the Miami-Dade prosecutors also decided not to pursue charges against Menocal, calling it a “challenging” case without corroborating evidence. Terrible.

The fact that the Hialeah Police investigated the incident and found nothing wrong after an internal investigation. He was taken off desk duty and put back on the SWAT team. The HPD then promoted him afterwards. "The allegations emerged in 2015 but the Hialeah Police Department chose not to pursue charges after an investigation. Menocal was later given a raise and a promotion to sergeant."

The Chief of Police Sergio Velazquez behind all that brushing Menocal's conduct under the table, himself was up to his neck in criminal conduct. "When Rodriguez, the owner of a marine repair business, later watched video footage from his home security system of the Jan. 25, 2015, arson attack on his truck, it showed a 'heavy-set male' starting the fire, according to a Hialeah police report. Only one person could have been responsible, Rodriguez thought: Hialeah Police Chief Sergio Velázquez, who at the time was dating Rodriguez's former girlfriend. She was also the mother of Rodriguez's daughter." See https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/2021/04/23/hes-going-to-know-what-is-coming-fla-police-chief-was-investigated-over-torching-of-truck/115881262/.

The Herald reported on the fact that neither the police nor SAO would prosecute Menocal properly so the Feds had to jump in to move the case forward. The FBI arrested Menocal and the USAO hit him with those civil rights violation crimes. He got three years. Got out early with good behavior. See https://lawandcrime.com/crime/he-betrayed-the-trust-ex-florida-cop-sentenced-to-three-years-behind-bars-for-sexually-exploiting-women-while-he-was-on-duty-and-in-uniform/.

Both Velazquez and Menocal were engaged in a race to the bottom in policing. Once out of policing, they have their backup plans - despite the fact, I wouldn't even want these guys to perform security on an abandoned barn.

The way Menocal avoided kidnapping charges. Disgusting.

It was recently in the news (around May 22, 2024), because Menocal who lost his law enforcement certification/license, was trying to get his firearm carry reinstated so he could go work for his family security business, the Menocal Team. See https://www.menocaltraining.com/pages/menocal-team and https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/former-hialeah-officer-accused-of-preying-on-women-in-his-custody-released-from-prison-on-good-behavior/3317297/.

This is exactly where organizations fail in epic ways on transparency, accountability, and ethics.

Anonymous said...

Yeah! Club fed is where Herr Trump is headed.

Anonymous said...

I have disagreed (that is, lost cases) with juries, but in more than 30 mostly criminal but some civil jury trials, they have gotten it right. I was a defendant in a civil case which, after years of litigation, went to an 8-day jury trial. They were out about 2 1/2 hours, including lunch, and I feared the worst. But the verdict was for me. Then the judge entered a judgment for the plaintiff. Then I appealed to the 3d DCA. It was the fastest reversal I've ever seen, upholding the jury verdict.
What cannot be overlooked is that Mr. Trump's attorneys had access to all the evidence, and plenty of opportunity to cross-examine everybody. (No one really thought that there were any true "defense witnesses" or evidence which rebutted the heavy documentation presented in court) That is the only true test of a fair trial: notice and an opportunity to be heard. Both were fully made available to Mr. Trump.

Anonymous said...

I have never seen a defendant making excuses for losing a criminal trial so far in advance, so frequently, and so loudly.