CHANNEL 10 NEWS, 6:00 P.M. TONIGHT - ROTATE THE CRIMINAL JUDGES!
Channel 10 is doing a story tonight on the Greene fiasco. This thing is heating up, since it turns out that many people outside of the Courthouse bubble find the comments he made to be truly disturbing. I imagine this is why he acted so quickly to bow out of criminal, to his credit, although I know there is still a lot of controversy brewing as to whether he should be allowed to preside over civil matters involving minority or non-wealthy litigants.
I, for one, don't think Judge Greene to be a racist, but, as I pointed out in the Diversity Committee meeting before Judge Williams, I do find his comments to be cynical to the point that it's obvious something is very wrong with his thinking (also - as a neutral arbitrer, why did he even care what the verdict was anyway?). Are our criminal judges all this burned out? Is that why there are so many "insensitive" invectives hurled about from the bench?
Criminal judges, no matter how well intentioned, are human beings, and they suffer from burn out, just like everyone else. The question is, why do we have the same judges sitting on the criminal bench year after year? Why aren't they all rotated on a regular basis a la Palm Beach and other counties? Is this an example of political considerations creeping into judicial administration's thinking instead of doing what's right for the health, welfare, and smooth operation of the criminal justice system?
In any event, check out Channel 10 tonight, if you're interested. I commented on the need for rotation of the judges and the lack of leadership here in Broward, and that, in my opinion, Judge Ross should be thanked for his public service and removed as Chief Judge, since this is one ship that can't afford to go down with it's captain. Let's see what makes the air, and what ends up on the cutting room floor.
Bill Gelin
Since jaablaw seems to be excited anytime they have a chance to crucify any decent judge who can actually give the appropriate sentence where its deserved it would be interesting to keep an eye out on a few judges' very liberal and very activist rulings and sentencing recommendations starting to appear on the factor!
maybe, but I don't think any fair minded person would argue against the statement thet Greene was a "state" judge
GOOD JOB SPRINKLES
He seemed to substitute stiff sentences for Viagra.
Mr. Gelin-
Many people outside the 'Bubble' also think that Howard Finklestein is a horses ass and is running a politically motivated witch hunt.
This blog is one-sided and a poor representation of the legal community as a whole.
Mr. Bubble:
Thanks for your comment. I'm sorry you feel that way. The fact remains that I have been trying since day one (check the archives) to create an open forum/dialogue, open to all sides, to help address and cure the myriad of problems facing Broward's broken CJ system (see the federally funded National Institute of Corrections Final Report to see how messed up things really are here - email me at wgelin@yahoo.com if you want a copy).
In any event, I will reiterate my plea. I would LOVE for community members, judges, BSO, Municipal Cops, State Attorneys, Defense, anyone with a viewpoint on these most important issues, to write on the main page of this blog. Email me if you want to be an author, please.
I know that fear has been the main deterrent, but I hope now that this blog has taken off (and we're not going anywhere), that folks from all sides will participate so we can accomplish positive change in our community.
Judges usually clamor to rotate through to civil. They need the civil lawyers influence and $$ come election time. Lawyers here need to finally stand up and run for things to change. That's the only way.
Having, encouraging and allowing judges to resign every time one of them makes a comment which reflects a lack of genuine sensitivity to those not in power is not necessarily the best way to create a better judiciary. The problem of insensitivity to minorities or to those without access to political power dates back thousands of years. In fact, only 25 years ago we had no Hispanic judges and only one African American judge on the bench in Broward County. None at the Circuit level. In short, this county was a bastion of white power. Jokes proliferated, as well as a fair amount of shenanigans which would not be tolerated by the press or the populace today.
The point is, if we all look deep inside of ourselves, almost all of us, at one time or another, have had thoughts and expressed thoughts which, in retrospect, reflected notions that one group of people were superior to another. During the last three decades Broward County has become a multi-cultural location in terms of population and the dispersal of power. Demographers tell us that the United States on the whole is not far behind. The beautiful thing about this dispersion is that it inevitably creates more checks and balances on the system.
Rather than just acknowledging that the fledgling Diversity Committee is “traveling on new ground,” Judge Williams and the Diversity Committee would serve the interests of this community far more if, at their next meeting they consider adopting a policy of ceasing and desisting from putting out statements with respect to the lack of intent on the part of an accused speaker. Every speaker will always say, when called onto the mat, that he or she didn’t mean to demonstrate their own insensitivity to others. That isn’t the point. This is even more true for those who feel that they are the ones aggrieved by the words. The hard fact is that some words, such as the ones used by Judge Greene are divisive and hurt. We all need to recognize that fact and do our best to hold ourselves to a higher standard of conduct than yesterday. Especially, the judges who deal with the members of this community every day.
Unlike Judge Ross, Judge Greene has recognized the perceived harm which his comment caused. Rather than resigning from the criminal bench he would better serve the future interests of our community by walking over to Judge Williams’ chambers and say, “I'm ready to build something positive out of this so that in the future other judges will want to become more aware of their responsibilities that go along with the robe.”
Judges, after all, are human too.
Why does a defendant's fate rest in the hands of a computer? Random assignment is the only way, but why does a guy end up going to prison if he gets assigned judge X and probation if he gets judge Y?
Broward judges cannot be allowed to run their courtrooms as personal fiefdoms for eternity any longer. They are the boss, for sure, but they should realize they are merely playing a role in the larger scheme of things. Rotating judges might restore some level of equality and end the wild disparities from courtroom to courtroom that is so unique to Broward.
that was probably one of the most positive and well reasoned things I've read on this blob. i'm not criticising, it's just too bad people are still uncomfortable signing their names to stuff even when they are dead on right and super insightful
This so called Diversity Committee should be comprised of members of the community who are not appointed by Judge Ross. This represents a conflict in that the perception of its duties will always be in question. It's purpose should not be to issue any comments with reference to intent of the subject matter. It's purpose is not to act as a buffer for judicial complaints regarding diversity. This is not about providing a platform to water down the significance of issues more properly heard by the JQC. Already the credibility of this commission is in question. This committee should be made up of civilians who are not connected to Ross and his cronies. This is what has created these problems in the first place. Unless we want more of the same, these changes need to be made.
This is no witch hunt. This Greene brought it on himself. This kind of prejudice can not tolerated on the bench and any attempt to change the focus to Finkelstein is just wrong.
Ross has created this climate of fear and intimidation effecting anyone that doesn't go along with his twisted line of reason. He puts his friends and family on the bench and then wonders why he's the subject of so much criticism? Come on. This man deserves to be booted right out of Broward, or better yet, the State of Florida. The things he's done over the years to keep Broward in the Dark Ages are to numerable to count. Like getting his daughter with the help of his buddies put on the bench when others were overlooked that had thirty year careers as trial lawyers compared to what, the five year statutory requirement? See the truth, look at it and digest what's happened here in Broward.
All judges should be rotated so as to provide more fairness within the system. In stead what we have here is if you don't follow the orders of a few, you get booted out to satellites. It's not about trying to keep judges happy so they'll vote to keep you as chief judge, it's about creating an atmosphere of fairness. It would go a long way to promoting a much better system and the judges would continue to learn in the process about different segments of the community they are supposed to serve.
Entertainment v. Constitution
Rickey Williams Football player/ entertainer test positive for pot and he can no longer play in this country. Judge/ interpreter of the Constitution gets caught smoking pot and that is not a problem he can continue with his job. Don Imos DJ/entertainer makes derogatory comment and looses his job and possible career. Judges make derogatory comments and all is good: take a few classes, go to a different courtroom and continue representing that document our country was founded on. I wonder if Rickey Williams and Don Imos realize they had more job security as a Judge in Broward County. More importantly I wonder what the people who fought and died for our Constitution think about who we in Broward County let be responsible for that document!
Why is it okay for Judge Williams to call everyone, including lawyers, "boy?"
Williams is a good judge. He cares about the state, defense, and defendants. He just needs to tell Ross not to involve him in his agenda any longer.
Ross was quoted in the story saying something like he thought the circuit was being "unfairly scrutinized." Pretty weak, even for him.
Let's scrutinize whether the special magistrates appointed over the last 17 years had any type of relationships to judicial administration, I say.
Everyone knows and very few do anything about it. Aren't we just a little bit negligent in allowing this to happen? People should have been reporting this stuff for years and this would never have gotten to this point. Ross should resign and maybe we can usher in a new chief judge and start fresh. It can't get any worse than this, can it?
I just saw it on channel 7 late news.
Howard Finkelstein has done more to help bring about positive change than any of you morons posting anything to the contrary. ANd he's not running any witch hunt either. He fighting against a rotten system that's fraught with political corruption, racism and bigotry.
Power to the People!
Way to go Fla. Supreme Court - hand'n the sandwhich to the state... M. Satz says ....mmmm...tastes good.
I heard a rumor that another african american lawyer called the press to complain re: charlie's treatment of people of color.
Where is the black press on this. What happened to the African American attorneys? When can we all stop carrying the white man's water.
No EXCUSES, No further EXPLANATIONS, No further LIES, No more COVER UPS, No more DAMAGE CONTROL; Greene and Ross have to go. BROWARD CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS any more.