Media
Crist to interview 9 sheriff candidates
Williams 
WeinsteinSex case haunts Broward public-defender intern
FinkelsteinBroward Public Defender Howard Finkelstein said Friday he plans to immediately reassign out of juvenile court an intern once arrested for having sex with a teenager.
Partner in Broward's oldest law firm
Miami HeraldDwight L. Rogers Jr. never let age get in the way of his law career. For the past six decades, he spent nearly every day working at his Fort Lauderdale law office. But last December, after turning 89, he announced his retirement from Rogers, Morris & Ziegler, Broward's oldest law firm.
Acquittals in boot camp death draw outrage
An all-white jury's acquittal Friday of seven former boot camp guards and a nurse in the death of a 14-year-old black youth drew disgust and outrage throughout Florida. Justice Department to review case.
I dont remember reading anywhere that the Supreme Court of Florida placed a caveat on his ability to practice law in the state of Florida, "He is approved to practice in the state of Florida but is restricted from handling juvenile cases."
The prosecutors office should be congratulated on the handling and disposition of the APD case. The final disposition was a fair and just one considering the circumstances.
As for the victim of her latest actions, sounds like he is sore grapes over the advocacy of this APD due to the fact that he was able to keep her out of confinement level when the victim sought that.
What I would like to know is who went and sleezed the APD by bringing this to the victim's attention when it had nothing to due with his proper representation of the child. I doubt it was a prosecutor.
How can Peter sit as sheriff, isnt he afraid of German Sheppards?
Besides Elijah Williams, are there any other candidates that are home grown and not an import from New York, another state or country?
The Broward court administrator has a bone to pick with a judge whose German shepherd got loose and chased a fellow jurist down the courthouse hallway.
Broward Circuit Judge Susan Lebow said Court Administrator Carol Lee Ortman chastised her after complaints from the other judge, whom Lebow and Ortman would not name.
Give me a break, Weinstein? He's incompedent as a judge and the guy wants to be judge? Better luck next time Whinny. This place would be in real trouble if that were to happen. More mammary milking of the public!
Can't see Williams in the job either. Talk about carrying the White Man's Water? What does he think he'd be doing as Sheriff but spending all his time at the well?
Weinstein has spent his entire career at the public trough. Talk about pork!
Talk to Zeidwig about it. He's not talking though. Still trying to stay under the radar.
More of the Best of Broward for Sheriff! What a joke.
The cool winds from Ashville blew in at 751 appears. Obsession of the week smearing Ziedwig, but its nothing new.
how would Zeidwig know that Bryan Docobo even existed? He was in Kaplan's Courtroom...
Man, you posted comments about Zeidwig in this section and the other a few minutes earlier... Move on with your life... you are getting pathetic.
i remember the german shepard story. what a riot. even funnier - lebow finally got her trial division back (rightfully so) and the great senator whinestein is back to working a docket.
so sad - whatever happened to the wild dreams of d.c. the great man once harbored?
We don't need any Judge as a Sheriff. We need an experienced person, which is currently in the position. Let him continue.
Now it tells us that the 2 Judges who did apply for the Sheriff position can't be too happy as Judges. What kind of job will they do when they don't get elected as Sheriff?
Scarey thought.
Crist didn't get this far by being an idiot. Weinstein has no chance now or at election time.
207
You are so right a well liked former senator, long standing judge with the name Weinstien would get nowhere at the ballot box in Broward.
because we raise losts of money, are politically connected and know how to win elections.
i agree. bso does not need another political leader. look what happened last time around.
"You are so right a well liked former senator, long standing judge with the name Weinstien would get nowhere at the ballot box in Broward."
Not when it comes to Sheriff. Maybe judge or Rep, not LEO.
Whine Stine?
Nice, typical JAABlog racist commentary. I am sure you wouldnt make a comment like that if his name was Smith.
Weinstein is what he is. And that's not much as a judge and certainly not as sherrif. We've seen what a politician can do already.
Was the guy ever good at anything?
It's not in the cards for either one of them. Just watch and see.
Where's Larry Seidlin when you need him?
Only in Broward County. Weinstein for Sheriff? Yeah, right. Mediocre beyond belief.
He's got a real entitlement problem, don't you think?
Pass the donnut, scmeer my bagel, keep the coffee , and don't you dare touch my beebee gun shaped like a six shooter - you bruit you!!
Why don't you come sidebar - let's talk it out, will the state agree, have you talked to the state, o.k. time for a break.
I'll pretend to care about your client's problems. I'll let him speak and feel good. Then I'll whack him hard. O/K. time for a break.
Public defender intern in Broward had been arrested for sex with teen
By Tonya Alanez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
A Coral Springs man whose stepdaughter is in Broward juvenile court said he "almost had a heart attack" when he learned her assistant public defender once was arrested for having sex with a minor.
"We were shocked," said Steve Potgieter, 38. "We were like, this is the twilight zone; this cannot be."
It turns out Bryan Docobo, 26, is an intern newly hired by the Broward Public Defender's Office. The May graduate of Nova Southeastern University law school is awaiting approval of his law license after passing the July Bar exam.
In May 2005, Docobo, then 23, had consensual sex with a 15-year-old Cooper City girl he met on the Internet. He pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and was sentenced to one year's probation.
Public Defender Howard Finkelstein stands by his new hire. He said Docobo always has been candid about his past and he opted to give the "earnest and hardworking" young man a second chance.
"He was contrite, he was ashamed, he was apologetic, he was remorseful and completely understood the wrongfulness of his actions," Finkelstein said.
In hindsight, Finkelstein said, "it may have been a mistake to put him in juvenile court."
But all the interns hired in August were assigned to juvenile court, because that's where they get the most supervision, he said.
If Potgieter's stepdaughter is uncomfortable with Docobo as her attorney, Finkelstein said, he'll "replace him in a heartbeat."
Docobo met the 15-year-old on MySpace. Her profile displayed semi-nude pictures and said she was sexually active, experienced and liked older guys. The profile also said she was 16, over the age of sexual consent.
They exchanged e-mails for a time until the girl directed Docobo to a Web site where she and fellow members bragged about their sexual conquests. After a couple of months Docobo and the girl moved on to phone conversations and eventually a one-time sexual encounter at his Pembroke Pines home.
Less than 24 hours later, Docobo was arrested and charged with four felony counts of lewd or lascivious battery of a minor and two felony counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a minor.
The state dismissed four of the charges and downgraded the other two because the girl was "embarrassed by the sexual content" of her Web page, was afraid that schoolmates and teachers might find out and didn't want to testify publicly, according to a memo written by prosecutor Melissa Vaughan.
Thursday, in an interview with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Docobo expressed his regret and remorse.
"I have recognized and continue to recognize it was just a horrible mistake," he said. "I will spend the rest of my life just trying to make amends by serving my future profession and the community."
Potgieter said he and his wife, Dana, are uneasy having someone with this history working so closely with troubled teens like their daughter.
He and Dana have pressed felony charges against Dana's 17-year-old daughter for breaking into their car, stealing credit and banking cards and withdrawing about $460 from a bank account, he said.
"This guy should not be working in a capacity where he deals with juvenile delinquents," Potgieter said. "He's acting as the savior public defender for troubled teens ...Who's to say he doesn't use that?"
Finkelstein said he doesn't think Docobo has a predilection for underage girls or a predatory nature. He said "a unique aberration" brought about by "really poor judgment" led to Docobo's arrest.
The Florida Supreme Court knew of Docobo's criminal history and certified him as a legal intern with no restrictions, Finkelstein said.
A past conviction would not automatically preclude someone from full admission to the Bar, said Michele Gavagni, executive director of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
The board assesses past conduct and present character, considering "all the facts surrounding any incident," she said. "They look at the entire picture, not just what the individual charge or accusation was."
Bootcamp Deaths: Get over it folks. Bootcamp; not Day Camp.