KEVIN KULIK ON CANDIDATE ROCQUE
kevin kulik wrote on January 30, 2009 at 4:22 PM:
When I was a young ASA in 1987, Mickey Rocque was our newly assigned PD in Judge Moe's division. HI JUDGE MOE I'M MICKEY! ITS MY FIRST DAY! he said. We chuckled about how easy it would be for us with this new rookie.
A few weeks later I was talking to Judge Moe as Mickey walked by. "That guy is the best public defender I ever saw,"said the Judge.
What happened?
Mickey had the biggest heart of anyone I had ever seen. If his client was pleading to 8 years, Mickey would repeatedly interrupt the plea colloquy-"Judge would you make it seven?" "No." "How about 7 and a half?" "No." "How about seven and three quarters?" "No." "How about a Furlough for this weekend?" "No." "How about a contact visit with his wife?" "No."
MIckey could do this every day, with every client, relentlessly. He gave no thought to whether he was embarrassing himself, or whether the judge would get mad. He only cared about his clients. Naturally, they loved him.
Want to enter private practice without spending a nickel on advertising, yet have plenty of devoted clients? Want to win a high percentage of jury trials even with the most difficult clients? You can do it Mickey's way, but it takes fearlessness, selflessness, and you have to really care about every single client. Easier said than done.
We almost lost Mickey when he was hit by a car recently. It would be a good time for him to become a judge due to his injuries- to be the referee instead of one of the boxers. Since he is a criminal defense attorney and of the wrong political persuasion for the JNC/governor appointment process he can only achieve this by running for office.
Mickey has the experience to deal with some of the most difficult issues facing all of us in court. One example: Five police officers appear at someone's front door. No warrant. An "anonymous complaint" says someone inside has cannabis. They obtain "voluntary consent", search the residence, arrest everyone. Only a child could believe this fairy tale, sworn to by every officer. There is no such thing as voluntariness in this situation. But every Broward defense attorney knows what happens at the motion to suppress hearing: Motion denied.
"Testilying", to borrow a term, demeans everyone involved in the court system. The public loses faith in prosecutors, defense attorneys, and most of all the police. But the problem is pervasive in Broward County.
I don't expect Mickey to personally resolve this issue. In my opinion, however, I believe he has the experience to recognize it when it happens in his courtroom and also the will to deal with it without fear.
I don't know which race Mickey will end up in, but I would encourage him to consider running against someone who encourages or condones false police testimony.
*Wall Street Journal: Legal System Struggles With How to React When Police Officers Lie*
*NYT: Police in Gun Searches Face Disbelief in Court (5/12/08)*
When I was a young ASA in 1987, Mickey Rocque was our newly assigned PD in Judge Moe's division. HI JUDGE MOE I'M MICKEY! ITS MY FIRST DAY! he said. We chuckled about how easy it would be for us with this new rookie.
A few weeks later I was talking to Judge Moe as Mickey walked by. "That guy is the best public defender I ever saw,"said the Judge.
What happened?
Mickey had the biggest heart of anyone I had ever seen. If his client was pleading to 8 years, Mickey would repeatedly interrupt the plea colloquy-"Judge would you make it seven?" "No." "How about 7 and a half?" "No." "How about seven and three quarters?" "No." "How about a Furlough for this weekend?" "No." "How about a contact visit with his wife?" "No."
MIckey could do this every day, with every client, relentlessly. He gave no thought to whether he was embarrassing himself, or whether the judge would get mad. He only cared about his clients. Naturally, they loved him.
Want to enter private practice without spending a nickel on advertising, yet have plenty of devoted clients? Want to win a high percentage of jury trials even with the most difficult clients? You can do it Mickey's way, but it takes fearlessness, selflessness, and you have to really care about every single client. Easier said than done.
We almost lost Mickey when he was hit by a car recently. It would be a good time for him to become a judge due to his injuries- to be the referee instead of one of the boxers. Since he is a criminal defense attorney and of the wrong political persuasion for the JNC/governor appointment process he can only achieve this by running for office.
Mickey has the experience to deal with some of the most difficult issues facing all of us in court. One example: Five police officers appear at someone's front door. No warrant. An "anonymous complaint" says someone inside has cannabis. They obtain "voluntary consent", search the residence, arrest everyone. Only a child could believe this fairy tale, sworn to by every officer. There is no such thing as voluntariness in this situation. But every Broward defense attorney knows what happens at the motion to suppress hearing: Motion denied.
"Testilying", to borrow a term, demeans everyone involved in the court system. The public loses faith in prosecutors, defense attorneys, and most of all the police. But the problem is pervasive in Broward County.
I don't expect Mickey to personally resolve this issue. In my opinion, however, I believe he has the experience to recognize it when it happens in his courtroom and also the will to deal with it without fear.
I don't know which race Mickey will end up in, but I would encourage him to consider running against someone who encourages or condones false police testimony.
*Wall Street Journal: Legal System Struggles With How to React When Police Officers Lie*
*NYT: Police in Gun Searches Face Disbelief in Court (5/12/08)*
Come on Kev "I don't know which race Mickey will end up in" - tell us who the sacrificial lamb is! Is it O'connor?
Watch and see Mickey Rocque lose againist any sitting judge.
8:03, Mickey won't lose against ANY judge, just against some. Ran into him this morning and he says he himself doesn't know who he'll be running against...um, if he said he was keeping it a secret at this point that'd be one thing, but springing a candidate before you know who the opposition even is kindergarten-level stupid politics and demonstrates Kulik's not the genius he thinks he is. I say that despite liking Mickey and hoping he takes out someone we could all do without.
Trivia Question of the Day
When is the last time a candiate who was a criminal defense lawyer got elected Judge when he was not running agains a judge who was a former criminal defense lawyer (Pedro) or a criminal defense lawyer (padowitz).
No cheating, were not talking about guys who do general civil and criminal (Siegel) but a person whose practice is strictly criminal like mickey.
The answer in Broward County would be...ummm....never.
I'm sure that the PD Story will be something that every homeowner in Broward can appreciate. Yes, vote for someone who used to beg and plead for less time in prison for criminals who apparently did some pretty horrible crap to honest people in Broward.
to: "Trivia", 8:03, and 8:09
do you really think the possibility of losing matters? Just to challenge the more a-holeish judges is all we (voters) are asking.
And, hey, since Broward voters only go on: 1. last name and 2. total # of signs posted, then the name "Mickey Roque" definitely makes an impression.
personally, I would love to see someone run against the more a-holeish County judges, like Seidman or Feiner.
Y'all said Bober would lose too. And Richards.
Keep gazing into the distance and dreaming of the good old days you old boozers/loozers.
If you want Mickey to run against someone who encourages or condones false police testimony, then you should have him run for State Attorney.
For what it is worth, hasn't anyone learned by this last election that it is not in your qualifications but in a name. For pete's sake some of the incumbents never had a jury trial while in private pratice. shocking
how much money does it take to hire kulik on your side?
Any judge having to face off against the Mick is going to be a miserable SOB for the better part of a year. Mickey is eloquent, disarmingly charismatic, and sharp on his feet. Most important, don't forget the boundless energy. Can you imagine trying to keep up with him after being a politically untested lazy judge for 20 years running on nothing but fear, embarassment, insecurity, and paranoia?
"For pete's sake some of the incumbents never had a jury trial while in private pratice. shocking"
For Pete's sake, neither did some of the challengers. Um, Ellen Feld? Ian Richards? Are you f***king kidding me?!
KULIK'S EXAMPLE OF MICKEY CARING ABOUT HIS CLIENTS: See below KULIK'S JAABLOG QUOTE:
"If his client was pleading to 8 years, Mickey would REPEATEDLY INTERRUPT the plea colloquy-"Judge would you make it seven?" "No." "How about 7 and a half?" "No." "How about seven and three quarters?" "No." ...
"Mickey could do this every day, with every client, relentlessly. He gave no thought to whether he was embarrassing himself, or whether the judge would get mad. He only cared about his clients".
END OF KULIK QUOTE
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A NOTE TO MICKEY : KULIK'S SELECTED EXAMPLE OF YOUR "CARING" LACKS INTELLIGENCE BY IMPLICITLY DEMEANING YOUR PROFESSIONAL IMAGE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY YOUR PROFESSIONAL ABILITIES.
AN "OPEN" PLEA TO THE COURT REQUIRES PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT, NOT REPEATED INTERRUPTION.
A "NEGOTIATED" PLEA REQUIRES THE AGREED SENTENCE BE THE RESULT OF RELENTLESS ADVOCACY BEFORE A PLEA IS EVER MADE; IT DOESN'T REQUIRE REPEATED INTERRUPTION.
"CARING" ABOUT A CLIENT IS BUSTING YOUR BUTT ON A CLIENT'S CASE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CLIENTS AND THAT YOU BUST YOUR BUTT WORKING ON THEIR BEHALF.
THE DOUBT IS WHETHER KULIK WILL BUST HIS BUTT WORKING (intelligently) ON YOUR BEHALF MICKEY.
Thanks A-Turd.
Don't you have enough problems with Seiler losing ground in his once political strongholds of Wilton Manors and the North End of the County.
You would think with as much time as you spend in Wilton Manors this couldn't have happened, but you must go over big there too. Before you ditch Kulik, you had better start paying attention to your own back sty because if Your Man Seiler bites the dust, so will you. I hear you got nothin but time on your hands now. What will it be like to be minus an office too?
Kevin, encouraging Mickey to run against a judge that condones police giving false testimony leaves you with how many to choose from? Take your pick I'd say.
Mickey helped create drug court in Broward County. He worked with the Florida Legislature, Judge Fogan, and many others to help thousands. Judge Gold (criminal and civil defense attorney) won his race. So did Criminal Defense Attorney Charlis Kaplan (RIP), the list goes on and on.
Gold my be correct anyone remember who he ran against? Kaplan does not count because he ran against a crim defense lawyer. Joyce Julian would come to mind.
All judicial offices should be contested for the sake of Broward. If they are good judges, they stay. The problem is there are so many judges performing poorly that the whole judiciary is due for a clean out whether 2010 or whenever. It can only improve the situation and bring new and better judges with a heightened sense of justice and fair play, not to mention honor. Most of the old ones are nothing but politicos.
Good luck Micky. You are a man with a good heart and integrity. You are as qualified to sit as a County Court judge as any that do so now.
When I was a county court ASA, all the supervisors and some of the ASAs acted like Mickey was this ridiculous, over the top borderline sneaky defense attorney.
While he was always dramatic and I used shake my head at his...um...exuberance, I saw him as an attorney zealously representing his client. He was always polite but but he defended the rights client well and he always had my respect.
Good luck, Micky.
You're better qualified Mickey because your heart hasn't been tainted like some others. I will help you when you open your campaign account. I look forward to seeing you on the bench.
I've never seen anybody as jealous of Kulik as this A-Turd guy.
Mickey definitely has my vote and support. The real important question is : where does Gary Kollin stand?
why not buy up all the posters and flyers for the movie "the wrestler" along with all the rest of mickey rourke's old movies? dump them all over town before the election and all the senile old biddies will think they are voting for that "nice actor."
The only thing I can say is I'm very happy for Mickey. He'll do a great job and won't fall into the judicial political trap. He'll always do the right thing. That's something we can county on without question. I only hope he can trounce Aleman out of office and make things better and more fair around here. High hopes are in everybody's mind for something that would improve the situation. Good Luck, Mickey. You've got my vote and my check whenever you're ready.
O'Conner and Aleman should be proud of themselves for helping to create a political environment where people are so sick of these clowns that others are taking on the established order and running against them. 2010 sounds like we're going to have some changes on the bench.
Incremental Fascism and THE BAR are only greedy , unpatriotic parasites ..... DRED SCOTT DECISION , PLESSEY v. FERGUSON , BUCK v. BELL , ADOLF SPECHLER's RACIAL PURITY LAWS and GARCETTI v. CEBALLOS are part of the BENCH AND BAR AGENDA of JOHN HARKNESS , JEB BUSH , JOHN YOO and BROOKE KENNERLY .......... 08-61130 SDFL .
KEN PADOWITZ FOR STATE ATTORNEY 2012.
HE HAS THE POLITICAL CONNECTIONS.
ROGER STONE, SCOTT ROTHSTEIN, KEVIN KULIK, MITCH CEASAR, BARBARA MILLER, JUDY STERN, CONDOS, AND THE POWERFUL DALE/MARTY COHEN CLAN.
SATZ WATCH OUT - KEN WILL BE OUR NEXT SATE ATTORNEY!
Never going to happen. Mrs. Padowitz has a cushy job in case filing, even after telling Lee Cohen to F-Off. The health benefits are very important you know.
Padowitz doesn't have a chance. Better chance of opening bagel shop than being the next SA.
Bring'em on. WE NEED some new judges in Broward!!!
Ireland
Professionalism, Candor, Honor, Integrity and Respect. Those are words associated with the practice of law. As a young lawyer I still hold on to the ideals of the profession that I selected to learn and live. As the years have made me more seasoned, I have come to the conclusion that those ideals sometimes are checked at the metal detectors in the Broward County Courthouse.
You initially pursue this career to help people. No matter what side you are on and no matter what result you fighting for. Whether it’s an indigent defendant, a wealthy millionaire or the People of the State of Florida. You hope to achieve whatever goal you seek with the utmost in professionalism and respect to yourself and others. You are born to think the Judge is an individual wrapped in impartiality, one who understands both side’s respective goals, and one who makes legal judgment calls in-tune with decades of legal precedents.
Sadly this is not always the case. I have had the honor of practicing in front of a number of Judges who fit the idealistic goal and deserve to sit above the rest of us in the courtroom. There are however more than a few that do not belong there.
The democratic way is shining through now. Kevin Kulik is promoting a system that calls for a return to that ideal. A system where those cloaked in rudeness are no longer tolerated. A system where liars are called liars even if they wear a badge and a gun. Hopefully we can be back to a time where we are proud to practice in the county we all live.
Change is good. The strong and just need to be protected and those undeserving should have opposition.