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A Public Defender 

Criminal law news from Connecticut and around the country.
Post Frequency: 10.1/day Last Entry: March 31, 2011 at 12:17:35 Recent Entries: 819
By Gideon
Go to A Public Defender, find other Public Defense blogs, or browse all law blogs.
Sunday Stupidity: Externship edition
Posted on August 03, 2008Law student goes on The People’s Court, gets a lesson in talking to a judge. He should ask his law school for a class’ worth of credits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A45RXpmIZtc ShareThis
Unplugged
Posted on July 31, 2008If you’re wondering why there haven’t been any new posts here in the last few days, it’s because I unplugged myself from the matrix. It felt good, but now I’m back. Look for more posts soon. What’s going on in your part of the world? ShareThis
Um yeah
Posted on July 28, 2008So, those of you using IE 6 must have been greeted by this awful lime green color splashed across the page today (thanks for telling me!). Obviously, that was not intentional. I don’t know what happened, but I seem to have gotten it fixed now. You could avoid this problem in the future, you know by [...
Weekend recap
Posted on July 28, 2008It’s been an unusually “verbose” weekend for me here on the blog, so for those of you logging in for the first time since Monday, here’s a list of the posts this weekend (in reverse chronological order): Police brutality? I took the plunge Right of allocution subject to cross-examination Sunday Stupidity: Love your cop edition I’m not judging Hold your breath: [...
Hold your breath: prison de-segregation to begin
Posted on July 27, 2008racial integration in prison cells Three long years after SCOTUS held in Johnson v. California that prison segregation policies were subject to “strict scrutiny” and remanded to the Federal district court for further consideration, California’s prisons are about to enter a new era of racial desegregation...
I?m not judging
Posted on July 27, 2008Here are some recent searches that brought readers to this blog. No chuckling. Act your age. “I am on probation and lied to the prosecutor.” “Cop first day back catching criminal 2008″ (??) “Is internet porn illegal in ct?” “Been a public defender too long” “Ice cream truck” and “back of ice cream truck” (I hesitate to venture a guess) “Worn [...
Bug me not
Posted on July 27, 2008Thought I’d pass this along. I’ve been using this handy tool for years now. Bug Me Not is website that lets you bypass “free, compulsory” registration that you encounter on many websites, which require you to enter personal information...
Sunday stupidity: Love your cop edition
Posted on July 27, 2008Scott encourages us to post a good story today about an encounter with a cop. Since I have nothing interesting to add, I will turn it over to my good friend Peter Griffin (Warning: to the one of you who hasn’t quite figured out that Family Guy can be rather offensive, you are warned...
Right of allocution subject to cross-examination
Posted on July 27, 2008The Supreme Court of California, on Thursday, issued a rather curious opinion, holding that a defendant has no right of allocution unless it is subject to cross-examination by the prosecution. Granted, this was a case of statutory interpretation and thus, has no bearing on any other State, it is still indicative of some trends in [...
I took the plunge
Posted on July 26, 2008As you can see (hint for those using readers: come to the site!), I’ve changed the theme on the blog after 1 year and 3 months. I like this new theme because it’s different, but not too different from the old one. I’ve kept some elements from the old design - like the header - [...
New theme test v. 3.0
Posted on July 25, 2008Well, I think I may have found it. A new theme. It’s being tested over at the test blog. Click on over and leave a comment telling me what you think. I really like it, but don’t let that influence you. The header will obviously have to be tinkered with/changed, but what about the rest? ShareThis
Police brutality?
Posted on July 25, 2008You decide. Is this another instance of police brutality? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBU3Wo5rXH4 ShareThis
I am nobility
Posted on July 24, 2008Some believe that the real 13th Amendment is the Titles of Nobility Amendment that stripped people of their citizenship upon acceptance of titles of nobility. Thus, “Esquire” is also a title of nobility (which it has never been) and therefore, the entire judicial system is illegal (since none of us lawyers are citizens)...
Where have you gone, Justice Berdon? Part Two
Posted on July 24, 2008From State v. Juan V, issued yesterday. Berdon, J., dissenting: This is a difficult case, not because of the applicable law, but because it involves allegations of sexual assault and abuse of J, a four year old child, allegedly perpetrated by the defendant, Juan V...
Wednesday is?
Posted on July 23, 2008You know how that sentence ends. Lori Drew moves to dismiss the “Myspace indictment”. [Prior coverage] Prof. Berman breaks down the chances of a rehearing in Kennedy. Constitutional right of access to DNA evidence for clemency. Are honor killings that foreign to Americans? The legality of NYT’s McCain op-ed snub...
Cover
Posted on July 23, 2008A different face Everyone who practices law will be familiar with the concept of “cover”. No, it is not a legal principle, but means exactly what the verb form suggests: cover your cases. Lawyers (especially those in private practice) will have multiple cases on for any given day...
I say you he dead
Posted on July 23, 2008Just another reason why this might be the funniest show on television. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "I say you he dead", url: "http://apublicdefender.com/2008/07/23/i-say-you-he-dead/" });
Meet Phoenix Wright
Posted on July 21, 2008Attorney-at-law, now available for your Nintendo DS. Yep, a videogame about a lawyer. Maybe Blumenthal will try to ban this too. Thanks Peter. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Meet Phoenix Wright", url: "http://apublicdefender.com/2008/07/21/meet-phoenix-wright/" });
DNA: Something new and something old
Posted on July 21, 2008DNA helix The biggest story of this past weekend is this L.A. Times piece on the accuracy of the DNA identifications and the statistics used to come up with the probabilities of a random match. Much has been said in the blawgosphere (all of it worth reading) by the Greenfield, the Underdog Mark Katz, the public [...
Two words
Posted on July 21, 2008The call comes in. “That was quick!” Heading upstairs, time slows down. The judicial marshals converge. There are 5 of them now. The judge enters. Everyone stands. Some sit. Some remain standing. There is a knock on the door. Six people enter...
Blogging schedule
Posted on July 21, 2008Sorry folks, still pretty occupied here in Gideonland. Normal posting should resume tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for sticking around! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Blogging schedule", url: "http://apublicdefender.com/2008/07/21/blogging-schedule/" });
Gerry Spence
Posted on July 18, 2008has a new blog. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Gerry Spence", url: "http://apublicdefender.com/2008/07/18/gerry-spence/" });
A big win for war on drugs
Posted on July 17, 2008Last week, the 2nd Circuit delivered a crushing blow on the war on drugs sanity and common sense. The Second held (for the first time, it is worth nothing) that sharing drugs is “illegal distribution” of drugs. Police raided [Wallace's] apartment and recovered from Wallace’s bedroom 1...
What I learned this week
Posted on July 17, 2008is that no matter how long you’ve been practicing, there’s always more to learn. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "What I learned this week", url: "http://apublicdefender.com/2008/07/17/what-i-learned-this-week/" });
Lex gibberish
Posted on July 16, 2008I’ve always been fascinated with legal terms, phrases and concepts. But then again, I’m a geek. Most people that come into contact with the legal system are not (read: defendants and jurors). So why is everything that we say in a courtroom so confusing…so obstructionist…so difficult to listen to and understand? Over the last few years, reading [...
Blogging will be light
Posted on July 14, 2008Sorry folks, but it’s going to be a very busy week, so blogging will be rather slow. I’ll try to do the Jumpstart this evening, because there is a lot of good stuff going on in the ’sphere. Don’t forget to check out the links on the left if you start to experience withdrawal symptoms...
Judge gone wild
Posted on July 14, 2008Judges do things that are disliked by either party all the time. You take it in stride and you deal with it. There are some actions, however, that leave you so dumbfounded that you don’t know what to say, let alone what to do. Sometimes they come from so far out in left field, that the [...
New Haven ID Card holders identity to remain secret
Posted on July 10, 2008A big battle has been going on in New Haven, CT, which I’ve been remiss in addressing. It all stems from New Haven’s handing out of city IDs to any resident who wants them. The photo IDs act as a replacement for state issued id cards and licenses, allowing residents to open bank accounts, among [...
Corpse and (grave)robbers
Posted on July 10, 2008The story, ofcourse, is about the three yoots from Wisconsin who were charged with sexually assaulting a 20 year old girl. Problem was, she was already dead. The Appellate Court in Wisconsin got it right (as appellate courts are wont to do) and declared that this, obviously, cannot be a crime, since the woman was not [...
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World-renowned Dermatologist Warns Public of Botox Dangers
Beverly Hills, CA: Dr. Arnold Klein, a world-renowned dermatologis...
NO TRIMMING IN PUBLIC PLACES
In the Village of Scarsdale, you're not allowed to "...
I have worked for this employer for only three weeks. The employer makes up his own rules as to what he chooses to report for the purpose of property taxes. He tells me to "let them come after us". He defines Entertain
He arrogantly insists, "let them come after us." Well, if you are invo...
Does a Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge a secured mortgage loan?
Yes if you file they cannot sue you to the knowledge I know. My brother is in re...
How to prevent an arrest from appearing in the local newspaper?
Dont know the law in Minnesota but in most jurisdictions an arrest is a matter o...
When there is a very high level of abuse in which nursing home patient died, neglect from her nurse is mediation good for this or is a jury trial more apropriate?
Totally against mediation! I agree with you, it will never resolve your mother...
My situation is somewhat difficult to describe, but about two months ago planes began arriving at an airport near my house and an organized stalking effort began. As I'm driving to and from home, cars will begin encircli
I would like this person 'anonymous' to get in touch with me. Question...

I have worked for this employer for only three weeks. The employer makes up his own rules as to what he chooses to report for the purpose of property taxes. He tells me to "let them come after us". He defines Entertain
He arrogantly insists, "let them come after us." Well, if you are invo...
Does a Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge a secured mortgage loan?
Yes if you file they cannot sue you to the knowledge I know. My brother is in re...
How to prevent an arrest from appearing in the local newspaper?
Dont know the law in Minnesota but in most jurisdictions an arrest is a matter o...
When there is a very high level of abuse in which nursing home patient died, neglect from her nurse is mediation good for this or is a jury trial more apropriate?
Totally against mediation! I agree with you, it will never resolve your mother...
My situation is somewhat difficult to describe, but about two months ago planes began arriving at an airport near my house and an organized stalking effort began. As I'm driving to and from home, cars will begin encircli
I would like this person 'anonymous' to get in touch with me. Question...








