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.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE....

There is a lot that went on this past weekend.


On Sunday the Herald and David Ovalle had a great article on
the way things used to be.

Ed O’Donnell Sr as the prosecutor. Mike Von Zamft as the defense attorney. The roaring seventies when the courthouse thumped to a disco beat, Gerstein was the prosecutor not the building, an evil serial killer named Robert Carr was on the loose, and Edna Buchanan of the Herald was writing all about it.

Those were amazing times. You new lawyers should ask some of the older lawyers what it was like. Miami was a much smaller, much more southern city. Anita Bryant was on the loose campaigning against Gay Rights, “English Only” was a hotly debated topic, and our courthouse was a small place indeed. There were certain Judges like Ed Cowart who had the shoulders of giants, upon which we now stand.


And Herald reporter David Ovalle again with this story
about Miami-Dade Sgt. Raymond Richard Lumarque who sits in a security cell at TGK accused of armed sexual battery against his ex-wife.


Then the Broward blog reports that attorney Steven Finta, previously in these pages for toting a gun into the Broward Courthouse because he had a client that was threatening him, was arrested again, this time for punching a deponent in the snoot during the depo. There is something to be said for doing something the rest of us only dream of.


It’s a long hot summer. Not quite the Bronx is Burning summer of 77, but the summer of 07 sure has had its surprises. Maybe the Bronx isn’t burning but that courthouse north of the border sure is smoldering.

See you in court.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

If Finta was arrested again, does that mean he has "no bond"!

Anonymous said...

...and Robert Carr was an ice-cold sociopath who led us to a trail of dead bodies -- without even ever flinching in describing his crimes.

The SAO did have the guts to trade for the information - by taking the death penalty off the table.

Carr died in prison -- and frankly, I have one guy on death row since before Carr was arrested. I still have family members call to ask "WHY?"

Was the world different with 37 prosecutors (now nearing 330) and 6 judges?

Was it really better, or - Rumpole - are you and I just seeing the past through the prism of dreamy memories?

Anonymous said...

Used-to-bes dont count anymore. They just lay on the floor till we sweep them away.

Anonymous said...

Here comes a new election season and I am going to kick some butt! Like the "Transformers" I hold the cube of power. Bloggers, tell me who needs to go and it will become my mission.

XOX

Anonymous said...

the sao and the pdo were filled with some of the best lawyers in the country. the times have changed. or stayed the same to long....

Rumpole said...

Let me say this in reply to Mr. Laeser- I am not THAT old. I was not around here in 1976. But I did arrive I would say right at the time Miami was going through or had just gone through some tough times which caused change. I think some of my first impressions were being dismayed at some of the not so proper shenanigans I saw at the courthouse. So I don't necessarily think that those were the good old days. They were simpler times, and in this hi-tech fast paced world, simple many times seems, in retrospect, to be better.

In terms of the administration of fair justice, there is no comparison.

As to Carr dying in prison, we will never agree on this. I can think of no worse punishment for a human being then living every day the same as the last, without hope or promise. Decades drag by and life is wasted. The release of death seems quite welcome in comparison.

Anonymous said...

HR = Harvey Ruvin?

Anonymous said...

Rump -
Maybe life in prison seems awful for you and me. Some of my clients, especially those with a real history of priors, seem to think of it as home. That may be a terrible concept, but it is the truth.

Life at "home" is not all that frightening for them.

Anonymous said...

Funny, former prosecutor Al Milian punched a defense lawyer and he did not get arrested. (Broward prosecutor, of course).

Anonymous said...

The Governor has received the names of three candidates for the position of Conflict Regional Counsel for the 3rd DCA:

Mariza de Guzman Cobb
Joseph P. George, Jr.
Dr. Belinda Noah

The Governor will choose one in the next few weeks and they should have the new office up and running by October 1, 2007.

At that point, that new office will begin taking most of the conflict cases. When the new office conflicts, only then will a "wheel" attorney get a conflict case.

If you plan on staying on the Court Appointed Registry in order to continue to accecpt cases, you must sign a new JAC contract that went into effect on July 1, 2007.

Rick Freedman

Anonymous said...

the trialmaster was around in those "good ole days". and he remembers fondly how it was with 6 judges and 37 prosecuters ect. the sao and the pd in the same building each trying to entice the others secrectarys. Finta is a certified nut and its difficult to imagine a jury liking him. he looks like a monster.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole way to make abe look like an old fart. Keep up the good work of complimenting your friends! NOT!

Anonymous said...

but if abe held that same position, he would not have a job.

he is dr. death.

Anonymous said...

Amen to your 8 22 post Rumpole. I have no moral problem with the Death Penalty, but life with NO possible parole sounds worse to me.

Anonymous said...

Rumpy what is the deal with the PDS in Bloom? Hotter than hot. Day in day out-best dressed hotties in the bldg. Can you give me an intro using your well known rep as a ladies man?

Shy guy.

Rumpole said...

Trialmaster, I think you go out of your way to be obnoxious (which is not a crime and does not prevent you from commenting in the blog). What does it matter how a person looks?


5:11- you're on your own kid.

1:50 PM. I think Mr. Laeser likes to think that he enforces the law of the State of Florida. I do not think he relishes in seeking the death penalty and think Dr. Death is a moniker that gives the impression he enjoys seeing someone executed. Its a little harsh in my opinion.

9:00 HR= Horace Rumpole, Howard Roak, NOT Harvey Ruvin, and....? (woops...is that a clue??)

Anonymous said...

rump, i concede at times, one may reasonably conclude i might be obnixious. the answer to your question is "jury appeal".

Anonymous said...

Mariza de Guzman Cobb
Joseph P. George, Jr.
Dr. Belinda Noah

who are these people?

rick, so you are aware, the conflict office will never get started.

Anonymous said...

HR = Hugh Rodham?

Anonymous said...

How many times do I need to say it?

Rumpole is Rosen. The people have spoken, the voters have chosen.

HR= Howard Rosen. I know it. He knows it. That's the end of it.

Anonymous said...

trialmaster, you are none other then roy black.

Anonymous said...

Rick Freedman, wake up! The new conflict offices are not going to be ready and will almost certainly never open. It seems like your really pressing the wrong points. Why? Its not as if you really know the system, right?

Anonymous said...

And the number one sign that you are truly an asshole:

You call YOURSELF the Trialmaster!

Anonymous said...

HR = Pufnstuf

Anonymous said...

Hey Rump, real classy of you to acknowledge that the President got the all clear...I guess they didn't report that in the NYT rag. If so they buried on page 29, right!


CK

Anonymous said...

The regional counsel nominees are an interesting bunch, not one of them a stranger to state politics, but none of them from the criminal trenches. Belinda Noah hails From Tampa and her blog says she's a professor. She ran as a self-described pro-life Republican in 2006 for US Senate. She still blogs daily, and has authored at least three books, including "God's Food is Your Best Medicine: Holy Bible; How To Eat For God To Stay Slim and Maintain Ultimate Health." She supports a Victim's Rights constitutional amendment, and says gun control violates the 2nd Amendment (as the D.C. Circuit recently held).
Joseph P. George is a memeber of about 20 bar sections, but not criminal law or appellate; he's a former chair of the government lawyers section. He's a Miami trusts/estates, mental health, dependency and guardianship lawyer, and was appointed in 2004 by the House Speaker, a Pensacola Republican, to the state Substance Abuse & Mental Health Corp. He's a local boy from U. Florida & Cumberland Law School.
Mariza de Guzman Cobb is from Hollywood and works in the OAG in Fort Lauderdale, reportedly in Children's Legal Services. She has the lowest internet profile, but was recently mentioned on this blog. She gives to the Florida Bar Foundation and Gov. Crist recently named her to the Children's Service Council of Broward County.

Anonymous said...

rick
keep your trap shut. stick to facdl issues...

Anonymous said...

7:06, why you yelling at Rick, he's only passing on information? Don't worry, you'll find other cases to take - they're called "retained" clients.

Also, the guessing game on this blog is getting irritating, everyone's always wrong. Howard Rosen is a PUBLIC CORRUPTION prosecutor, you really, really think he's typing away on this blog about cases that may be prosecuted by his division. He's one of the most ethical stand-up people in that office.

And Roy Black the trialmaster? Go back to your irrelevant cave and stop bothering us with these ignorant guesses that just show how stupid you are.

Anonymous said...

you tell em brian t!!! lol

Anonymous said...

10:53, your information that none of them are from the criminal trenches is, uh, almost correct.

Marizza Cobb was a miami state attorney. Nice girl, doesn't have an ounce of defense lawyer in her. She'll get the appointment.

Anonymous said...

Cobb?

Sweet, but far from brilliant.

Who the hell else would want the job for $80k?????

Anonymous said...

Maritza Cobb was at the Dade SAO for several years.

Anonymous said...

Here's a poll question.

How long until the State drops the new conflict counsel program?
a. never gets going
b. 1-2 years
c. 3-4 years
d. never

Rumpole said...

The NY Times reported:

Last week, a major intelligence report concluded that the international Al Qaeda organization of Osama bin Laden had successfully regrouped, probably in rugged northwest Pakistan, and that it is as strong as it has been in years

Rumpole adds: Intelligence agencies are unsure if Bin Laden will show at this years International Al Queda Convention at the Hilton in Vegas.

Anonymous said...

TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SGT. LUMARQUE PLEASE VISIT HIS WEB SITE @ RICHARDLUMARQUE.COM
Sgt. Raymond Richard Lumarque was set up and the truth will soon surface. Richard is my brother and I just can't wait for his accuser to face god and be call a liar. two weeks ago she went to richard 's house and start trouble, she was yelling at a prayer they were having at his house, the woman is evil and god will deal with her and whoever is involve in this. She went there and start yelling treating to use violence talking about she was gonna have her boyfriend to come and "f**k everyone who was in the house at the time" keep in mind shes ex wife not wife. please have the media put this on the news to show that this woman and her father are evil. Sgt. Lumarque goes by the book he would never break the law as a matter of fact he would even take his own mother to jail if she breaks the law thats how straight of a guy he is. lets paray for him and soon welcome him back all of his friends, therfore let us all do the same.

Anonymous said...

PLease somebody in the media, please look for the police report and find out for me why she had gone to his house and start trouble, Sgt. Lumarque was wronfully accused. once more the web site is richardlumarque.com

Anonymous said...

we just had a another prayer session for Sgt. Lumarque and it was very toutchy GOD is at work already.

Anonymous said...

ok, please dont be so irrelevant, his attorney confirmed that the wife is a liar. dont say u dont really care and try to find out the truth for all i care it could be u the x-wite talking crap.. anyways b4 jumping into conclusion find out the tuth. he had his day in court and the womans mother walk out of there crying and her brother started talking crap. there4 the man was wronfuly acused and please from ur heart investigate and let us all support the man who works 60-80 hours a week to protect his community. his whole neighborhood loves n still loves him n they r all stooding by him.. sgt lumarque is and still is a great guy...he would take his own self into custody if he would brake the law.... the judge knows best and she said to the state are you guys going to trial this case state respomded yes we are and the judge responded how dont know hou you guys are going to convist him, i guess the stae hve unlimited funds. we rich my godness i love u 2 death

Anonymous said...

Can someone please post an up date on the case pending of richard lumarque who was accused of multiple charges against his ex=wife. apparently there is no evidence and is it true her father is a pastor and the chief of police at the time? Why exactly is the reason this case has been draging for the past 2 1/2 years? the man has been suspended without pay pending on the case. Why were charges placed on this man 2 weeks after the facts? it appears to be her word against his word with no proof, yet his life had been turned outside down,his children taken away, while the wild thing, blondie, is still loose on society. Perhaps daddy's postion had something to do with it after all. of course this is not a racial discrimination issue, no not in United States of America. updates please, anyone. thank you