Lawyer gets 12 years in mistaken slaying August 31, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Criminal Law , add a comment
A Connecticut lawyer who stabbed his neighbor to death because he thought the man had molested his 2-year-old daughter was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter.
Mitch McConnell: Sen. Craig’s sex-solicitation “Unforgivable.” August 31, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a comment It’s galling that the Senate Minority Leader calls a hypocritical GOP colleague’s homosex misdemeanor “unforgivable” while:
— the bombs continue to fall on the Iraqis in Bush’s unprovoked war;
— those within the GOP who outed Valerie Plame as a CIA spook go unpunished; and
— GOP Attorney General Alberto Gonzales endorsed torture as a legitimate option for the United States, apparently committed perjury, and generally shamed himself and the Department of Justice.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday called Craig’s conduct “unforgivable” and acknowledged that many in his caucus believe Craig should resign.
P.S. Interestingly enough, Senator McConnell may have a homo-skeleton of his own in his closet. It’d all be kinda funny, if the blatant crimes these goons have gotten away with weren’t so serious.
Writing an appeal brief August 31, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Criminal Law, MyBooks , add a comment My client’s freedom is hanging on a brief I’m writing. That’s a lot of pressure. Luckily, we have the law and the facts on our side. Also, my more-experienced colleagues are giving me valuable advice.
Plus, I’ve been reading Bryan Garner’s “The Winning Brief” and am almost 60% of the way through. I just wish I’d read this book years ago. It’s excellent!!!
The Winning Brief: 100 Tips for Persuasive Briefing in Trial and Appellate Courts
Crime sure DOESN’T pay! August 31, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Criminal Law , add a comment The income gap between civil lawyers and criminal lawyers appears to be widening daily. Starting salaries at big firms are now more than I was earning when I left one after 8 years.
Using information provided by third-, fourth-, and fifth-years, we’ve compiled the salaries and bonuses of Am Law 200 associates from around the country. Overall, midlevel associates reported median salaries of $170,000 in their third year, with bonuses at $30,000. By years four and five, total compensation hit $222,000 and $245,000, respectively.
Zero in on prison suicides - The Boston Globe August 30, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a comment Not surprisingly, inmates held in solitary confinement often have mental problems that lead them to try to kill themselves.
Suicides and suicide attempts are escalating, often on the part of prisoners held in cells for as long as 23 hours per day. Since the beginning of 2006, nine inmates [in Massachusetts] have killed themselves, more than five times the national average. Roughly 100 inmates attempted suicide over the same period.
… The Disability Law Center makes a strong case that some mental illnesses are so profound that sufferers should never be placed in segregation.
Gonzales testimony eyed in Justice Department probes August 30, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a comment It’s a sad day when the Attorney General of the United States is suspected of lying under oath.
Justice Department investigators are examining the truthfulness of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ testimony to Congress on the firings of federal prosecutors and domestic wiretapping.
And in case you forgot, here are some examples of how former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales not only destroyed his credibility, but humiliated himself:
A video of the top 10 most memorable statements Alberto Gonzales made over the course of his tenure as Attorney General.
★ It’s never too early? August 19, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Uncategorized , add a comment What do you hope for in the next head of the executive branch? This Presidential Candidate Selector can help identify who most closely matches your values.
According to this survey, my top candidates are:
Dennis Kucinich (84%)
Barack Obama (81%)
Hillary Clinton (76%)
Joseph Biden (76%)
John Edwards (75%)
Christopher Dodd (74%)
Wesley Clark (not announced) (74%)
A World Without Humans? It All Falls Apart August 19, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Uncategorized , add a comment This article is the most deliciously gloomy thing I’ve seen in months!
Learning my limits August 18, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Criminal Law , add a comment Now that my voice is back, I’m trying to catch up on meeting my new clients. Many of them are a few hours away from my office, so I try to see more than one each trip. One day this week I visited three people in three different prisons. I spent as much time with each of them as they needed, but with travel time between prisons and having to go through security at each unit, I ended up working almost a 12-hour day with barely time for a snack (no lunch). From now on, I’ll try to limit myself to visiting one or two prisons per day.
SILENCE ain’t GOLDEN August 18, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Uncategorized , add a comment I lost my voice! (My throat was just a little scratchy one day. By the next afternoon, I couldn’t talk.)
I’m preparing for my first felony trial in mid-September. And I couldn’t go see my client for two weeks because I couldn’t speak. 
Fortunately, I’m better now. It was pretty scary, though, because I’ve never had laryngitis before. I really wish my doctor had said something more reassuring than just, “Your voice will probably come back.”
