Criminal Law

WHITEWASH!

Posted on June 23, 2010
 Look at him, Mr. Satz ... SS: Agencies clear two Sunrise officers accused of brutality "The officers arrested teenager Ewan Rose on Oct. 9, more than a year after his acquittal in a sexual battery case. Rose, then 18, was charged with loitering, battery on a police officer, and resisting arrest with violence...

SIX NAMES FOR GARDINER'S SEAT

Posted on June 23, 2010
The JNC has sent the following six names to Governor Charlie Crist for consideration to replace Gardiner: Raag Singhal, Mike Robinson, Maria Schneider, Nick Lopane, Jorge Hurtado, and Jerry Williams. The names to replace Judge John Frusciante will also be drawn from the interviews conducted yesterday, at a later date...

WEDNESDAY NOTES

Posted on June 23, 2010
And it's only June - things got a little wacky at the Hollywood Democratic Club Tuesday night.  A surreal handful of voters, and a veritable mob of candidates.  A speaker or two reportedly sang their addresses, and Lloyd Golburgh took the opportunity to blow off some steam, giving what observers call an usually candid speech about the Broward judicial political process...

BROWARD'S WHITE KNIGHT HAS ARRIVED

Posted on June 21, 2010
Just when you thought nothing could redeem the image of Broward's beleaguered judiciary, along comes its savior. That's right, the white knight has arrived, in the form of former Judge Larry Seidlin. The Sun Sentinel's Tonya Alanez reports that Seidlin will be bringing his charismatic stream of consciousness patter to television sets everywhere, in a show called "Psychic Court"...

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MORE FUN WITH DROP

Posted on June 21, 2010
The Sun Sentinel's searchable DROP database has unclouded a few mysteries regarding the future plans of some of Broward's constitutional officers.  With "double dipping" a thing of the past, an elected official must retire and wait at least six months to return to government work...

MEET JUDGE MELINDA "MINDY" BROWN

Posted on June 21, 2010
That's what we're hearing, taking over Judge Peggy Gehl's seat ... Will confirm Tuesday ...                 CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS!

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!

Posted on June 20, 2010
 Who needs the Peace Corps? DROP! - Broward/JAABLOG state courts notables set to retire within five years or less, from the searchable Sun Sentinel DROP Database: Fred Berman, Lucy Chernow Brown, Geoff Cohen, Leonard Feiner, John Frusciante, Edward Garrison, Marc Gold, Patricia Henning, Kathleen Ireland, Peggy Quince, Mary Robinson, Robert Rosenberg, Dale Ross ($631,888...

GUILTY!

Posted on June 17, 2010
Omar Loureiro is guilty as charged.  The penalty phase begins July 12. Two careers destroyed FOR NOTHING.  The coverup is always worse than the crime ... In other news, Stacy Ritter's father got a free pass from the SAO.  All minimum mandatory penalties waived...

SUSPENDED!

Posted on June 17, 2010
Infamous FLPD Raider Jason Maldonado has been suspended.                               DEVELOPING ...

JAABCAM

Posted on June 17, 2010
1.) Tenzer & Rosenbaum after the buzzer announced a decision had been made, but before the Loureiro jury verdict was published.  These guys have already fought a gallant, corruption busting battle to ensure justice, even though their greatest challenge on this case is yet to come; 2...

WEDNESDAY NOTES

Posted on June 16, 2010
"Hey Vic, what's in the cooler?" - once upon a time, Chief Judge Victor Tobin was just one of the guys.  Fun loving, hard partying, and a respected trial lawyer.  He liked to win, and frequently did.  The best story we've heard (trial story, that is) has to do with a death penalty case, before 'Hanging Judge' Thomas Coker...

MONDAY NOTES

Posted on June 14, 2010
Congrats Brad Collins! - it's not everyday one of your pals makes it to the US Supreme Court.  Here's the opinion, and the New York Times editorial.  "Welcome to the 2010 Broward Judicial Bar Poll" - Consultant Dan Lewis will be distributing voting access keys to the 8,000+ licensed attorneys in Broward county by email and making the voting site ?Live?, possibly as early as Wednesday...

THURSDAY NOTES

Posted on June 10, 2010
Williams & Steinsaltz fundraisers - a Bondsmen Special for Judge Elijah Williams, TODAY (Friday), June 11th, at Chuck's Steakhouse on 17th Street, at 12:00 PM.  Attorney Terrence Moons is hosting a party for County Candidate Debra Steinsaltz, WEDNESDAY, June 16th, at Marcia's Cafe, 3750 N...

WEDNESDAY NOTES/"IT WAS ONLY LUNCH"

Posted on June 09, 2010
 "It's my shackles, my shackles!" Do it again - State v. Loureiro took a turn for the worse today, after defendant Omar Loureiro complained of pain, stood up and stumbled out in front of the voir dire panel, exclaiming "It's my shackles, my shackles"...

LAWSUIT!

Posted on June 08, 2010
Team Merrigan has filed this lawsuit against opponent Lloyd Golburgh ... (JAABLOG will update at the normal time)

TUESDAY NOTES

Posted on June 08, 2010
It's getting nasty out there ... and it's only June - reports are coming in from all over the county regarding judicial candidates going negative.  Oliver Parker was reportedly stripped of a microphone after going after Judge Ken Gillespie, anonymous emails and Facebook pages have been popping up regarding Judge Eileen O'Connor's problems at the US Attorney's Office, and Melissa Donoho has been sending out Judge Jay Hurley articles to newspaper editors and not minsking words in public...

JAABCAM MONDAY

Posted on June 07, 2010
1.) Jury selection in State v. Omar Loureiro Part Deux got underway today.  That's Loureiro sitting next to attorney Mike Tenzer.  He may look mild mannered, but he's already destroyed one judge, in addition to being accused of murder.  The SAO isn't messing around this time, entrusting their #1 ace Brian Cavanagh to win in his usual honorable and stylish fashion; 2...

THURSDAY NOTES/LOE v. HAYWOOD

Posted on June 03, 2010
Shades of Milian v. Terrell - check out what happened in Chicago recently: Cook Co. public defender charged with choking prosecutor.  This is old hat stuff to Broward old timers, but interesting nonetheless. From the article: The prosecutor ?left the courtroom and was in the hallway when the public defender came up to him and resumed the argument...

15 APPLICANTS FOR GARDINER'S SEAT

Posted on June 02, 2010
1) Michael Robinson; 2) Maria M. Schneider; 3) Gerard S. Williams; 4) Samuel D. Lopez; 5) Melinda K. Brown; 6) Catherine M. Kozol; 7) John Phillips; 8) Steven W. Hyatt; 9) Kathleen S. Mager; 10) Alan D. Sackrin; 11) Jorge E. Hurtado; 12) Thomas A. Truex; 13) Nicholas Richard Lopane; 14) Lorena V...

WEDNESDAY NOTES

Posted on June 02, 2010
"Definitely no deal" - that's how Ken Marvin, Director of Lawyer Regulation for The Florida Bar, put it when we asked him today whether a deal had been made regarding Gardiner's law license during the pendency of the JQC proceedings that led to her resignation...

MONDAY BONUS

Posted on June 01, 2010
The Judge is A-OK - your humble author was trolling around Gardiner's former office last Friday, her last day as a judge.  Gardiner was mostly MIA the last few weeks, of course, but we were still hoping to get lucky and click a farewell picture.  Anything to defeat the anti-climatic ennui that has gripped the courthouse since Gardiner & Aleman slinked out of town...

MONDAY NOTES

Posted on June 01, 2010
The Cohens' respond - click here for Judge Dale Cohen's ANSWER TO NOTICE OF FORMAL CHARGES AND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES, filed May 24th, and here for the strongly worded JQC'S REPLY TO AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES, filed May 28th. Finkelstein challenges Tobin- click here for Howard Finkelstein's reponse to Chief Judge Victor Tobin's recent letter throwing in the towel on the juvenile shackling issue...

THURSDAY NOTES

Posted on May 27, 2010
Gardiner's last day is Friday! - The Sun Sentinel's Tonya Alanez has the scoop here, including the bit about Maria Diamond, Gardiner's JA, being left in the lurch.  Diamond's employment ends June 30th, unless another JA slot is secured before then.  Everyone's hopeful that Judge Peggy Gehl's replacement, likely to be named next week after interviews are concluded June 3rd in Tallahassee, will save Diamond from being yet another casualty left in Gardiner's wake, since she's widely regarded as an efficient and trusted colleague...

SAY NO TO GEHL

Posted on May 26, 2010
 What's up with Gehl? Public Defender Howard Finkelstein has authored a letter to Chief Judge Victor Tobin regarding recent statements by Judge Peggy Gehl.  From the letter: Here is a summary of four incidents wherein Judge Gehl made racist comments ...

WEDNESDAY NOTES

Posted on May 26, 2010
A couple more fun facts concerning the Kerly Alce trial - Alce lives in the Orlando area.  He had no money for a hotel in Broward, meaning he had to travel three and a half hours north to sleep on Monday night, and drive straight back for the continuation of the trial at 10:00 AM Tuesday...

TUESDAY NOTES/MEET "MR. X"

Posted on May 25, 2010
 Kerly Alce and his family, dragged through hell ... "Try it and lose it" - one of the most despicable SAO episodes in recent memory ended Tuesday.  In a county that has executed at least one innocent man, and wrongfully convicted and imprisoned untold numbers, it still ranks right up there, despite the not guilty verdicts...

MONDAY NOTES/THE BAR *IS* LOOKING AT GARDINER

Posted on May 24, 2010
Jack does it again - "It has just come to my attention that there is in fact an open disciplinary file regarding this matter"  (emphasis added).  The preceding lingo is taken from a second Florida Bar letter written to Jack "The Equalizer" Thompson, concerning Gardiner...

THURSDAY BONUS

Posted on May 20, 2010
All in the family (redux)  - The Florida Elections Commission on Tuesday dismissed Mardi Levey Cohen's complaint against Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes.  The case stemmed from the lawsuit filed by defeated candidate Pedro Dijols that temporarily forced Levey off the ballot in 2008...

JAABCAM/"NO JURISDICTION"

Posted on May 20, 2010
1.) Sign of the times.  Gardiner's last week starts Monday ... ; 2.) Hugh's Cafe manager Victoria Pena with owner Hugh McCauley (Hugh's Catering); 3.) Sun Sentinel columnist Mike Mayo.  This shot could have made the JAABCAM Hall of Fame, if corruption busting ASA Sheila Alu hadn't dodged the frame at the last second; 4...

WEDNESDAY NOTES

Posted on May 19, 2010
She's outta there! - Brenda Shelton has left the Clerk's Office.  She's looking for something in the legal assistant world, so drop her a line at shelbrenda@aol.com if you're hiring. $10,000 in chairs? - is it true? Did Court Administration really spend hundreds of dollars each on super flashy mesh, ergonomic desk chairs for the Staff Attorneys?  Sure, the judicial whipping boys & girls deserve nicer everything than the judges they make look coherent, but come on, in these desperate times, couldn't they have gotten by with standard issue instead of close to twenty Cadillacs?  It's our understanding that the Staff Attorneys didn't even ask for the chairs, leading us to wonder if there really is a fiscal crisis...

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