WE'RE BACK ...
Gold Watch For GehlCongratulations Judge Gehl - after twenty-two years of public service, Peggy Gehl is retiring, effective May 2010. She'll be returning as a senior judge, so don't fret. The good judge will remain a courthouse regular, with maybe a little extra time off during the late summer months. Well done!
The Eileen O'Connor Rule - Click here for the ratified changes to Florida's judicial applications. The best part is a new question asking "whether current or former co-workers, subordinates, supervisors, customers, or clients ever filed formal complaints or accusations within the last 10 years ..." (A big shout out to Jay Weaver, Marilynn & Marcella on this one)
"Can't let go Levy" - County Court Satellite Judge Jill Levy, admitted to practice law in 1996, is reportedly upset about her no bond VOP holds being lifted left and right by downtown judges. Despite the fact the cases are no longer hers by administrative order, despite jail overcrowding, and despite ridiculously low offense levels, she engaged in some very public griping at today's County Court Judges' meeting. Is it Avalos brand "stuck in right field" fever all over again? Developing ...
Make up your mind Ari! - last Friday's 2nd Alternatives to Incarceration Council Summit featured a stellar lineup of advocates, including DOC Secretary Walter McNeil, State Rep Perry Thurston, and ASA/State Rep Ari Porth. We weren't there, but we're told everyone spoke passionately about the movement to reduce Florida's out of control prison population by reducing recidivism among non-violent offenders via job training, education and substance-abuse treatment, amongst other alternative sentencing ideas. The fun part came when Porth, introduced as both an ASA and State Rep, was asked a direct question by judicial candidate Jahra McLawrence, spotlighting Satz's steadfast refusal to drop criminal driving without a license charges when defendants show up in court with a valid license (like they do in other counties). We're told Porth, also famous for sponsoring DOA bills that would increase the penalties for driving without a license, responded with a red faced stare, before managing an excuse that he was only appearing in his capacity as a state rep, and not as a Broward ASA. Oh well. What else can be expected from the same SAO that once upon a time fought Drug Court tooth and nail, and now takes credit for it? An SAO that seems to exist for the sole purpose of trapping poor people in the criminal justice system, like proverbial gerbils on a gigantic, remorseless wheel? Answer: not much.
Alu confirms her long rumored role - yes, that was a collective shriek ringing throughout the courthouse earlier today when Bob Norman broke the news about G-Woman Sheila Alu. Buddy Nevins followed with a story about her wearing a wire over the course of her four year involvement with the FBI (sorry Satz fans, she was battling corruption long before he hired her), and the papers ran with it too. Tantalizing stuff, to say the least. For instance, if her phone calls were also audited, could new evidence be forthcoming in the Gardiner/Scheinberg/Loureiro fiasco? Is the FBI in possession of any info that could clarify the events of that fateful night, and will they cough it up now that Alu's cover is blown? And has her work implicated any of her fellow Sunrise commissioners, including Judge Feren? And will Mike Satz, busy picking up whatever loose crumbs he can find after being snubbed by the Feds, promote Alu to his Public Corruptions Unit, or is he content playing the role of the toothless laughingstock? Stay tuned, and have no fear young ASAs - you can do the right thing, providing you enlist Sheila's support first.
(FYI - we're told the Brady disclosures offered up independently by Alu are now being distributed to defense attorneys through official channels)
Who do you believe, Sloman or Donnelly? - Click here for statements by Tim Donnelly, head of Satz's Public Corruptions Unit, disputing acting US Attorney Jeff Sloman's contention that the SAO had nothing to do with the dominoes currently falling in Broward:
"We were not shunned,'' he said. ``It's unfortunate the impression is that we were not informed or did not provide any assistance. We have a great working relationship with the U.S. Attorney's Office and provided whatever assistance they required of us.''
He said Satz's office provided assistance in all three cases, but declined to give details ... "
Is Donnelly calling Sloman a liar? Didn't Sloman say “(t)here is no coordination with the State Attorney’s Office"? Or, more likely, is it just a simple misunderstanding, since Donnelly may believe soda, sandwich and chip fetching rises to the level of "assistance"? Wherever the truth may lie, it's clear that whenever the SAO is involved, dirty cops and politicians skate, while the Feds always get their man (or woman). One thing's for sure though - credibility is an awful hard commodity to recover, once it's lost.
(Also - see Bob Norman for the six degrees separating Satz, Neil Sterling and Barbara Miller)
Odds & Ends - Are NPR & other journalistic luminaries digging into Satz's horrific record of wrongful convictions and disappearing evidence?; Jury selection is underway in State v. Dinnall before Judge Imperato. Dinnall is one of four defendants charged in a brutal double murder, stemming from an alleged drug rip-off. The SAO is seeking death, after the dealer and his girlfriend were shot (the woman was dragged and slammed into the trunk of a car, where she was shot while pleading for her life). ASA Brad Weissman, Martin Fein and Pat Rastatter (penalty phase) for the Defense. One defendant has already pled, and two other defendants are awaiting trial; Cop Overdoses on Pot Brownies; Everybody's heard about Polanski by now, but what about Susan Atkins?; DBR: Judge Rothschild approves $54.7 million in Laura Hess claims; Lawyers push for death penalty reform; NY: Suspect in court body-slams judge, cops say; and Attorneys call for overhaul of drug courts:
"The NACDL study also questioned the accessibility of such courts to all segments of society.
"Access to these courts by people of color, by people who have less economic means is anecdotally troubling," Jones noted.
The study also calls for a lift on drug court restrictions, like narrowing eligibility to only non-violent drug offenders, and opening up pre-admission staffing meetings to participants so they can engage in discussions ... "
Actually, my reading of Norman's blog posting indicates that the Feds probably flipped Alu after she received "some gifts over $100" including a $1200 new stove to save herself from her own ethics charges. Nicely hidden in the middle of the article and glossed over, but it smells funny to me. Personal opinion.
Does Alu not have the duty to disclose she is a CI while an ASA ??, There is major conflict here. One is either the Prosecutor or part of Law Enforcement can not be both. Even if she was a CI for the Fed's and she is a State ASA. Major CONFLICT.
We need more people like Sheila Alu to clean out this political cesspool that's called Broward. Good work Sheila!
No wonder Gardiner and Scheinberg took off for the uncharted depths of the deep and dark so fast.
Too little too late Donnelly. Now you just sound stupid.
Sounds like Broward could let go of Jill Levy with no loss to its citizens.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT CHICK WAS WEARING A WIRE
I'll miss Judge Gehl. She's a lady that speaks her mind and has allot of integrity unlike any number of other judges that place politics above conscience.
Leave it to Jahra Mclawrence to flush out Ari Porth and his self serving bull.
Hey, Gehl took on Sprinks, Ross & Co. and sent them stampeeding to the bunkers where they've remained working in the dark ever since. She deserves more than a gold watch. Hope she sticks around if nothin else to remind them of what it's like to run into a brick wall untill they're gone for good.
I'll bet Alu is a good cook too.
It is evident Alu knew where and how to get a wire, then why not use one on Gardiner, Sheinberg and Kaplan ? Even after Tiempano's.
Answer: She wanted to become a member of the Florida Bar.
That's why they buried Gardiner so quick.
I can't believe it's really margarine. How many others are gonna kick the butter habit over this?
And once again Judy Stern drives the get away car? Am I the only one that finds this completely predictable? God, this town needs a good enema.
BROWARD POLITICIANS ARE AS THICK AS THE THIEVES THEY SEEM TO BE
Is Stern the Pack Mother for these creeps or what?
Alu should get an award for this.
O'Connor should never have been a judge from the get go.
Norman nails the perpetrators again.
Ha ha ha. Satz can't fire Alu because she's the real deal. Suck it up Mikey Boy you are accountable now all you can do is keep her out of the action with lousy assignments so she doesn't see and report all the trix.
Is Spechler invited to Gehl's retirement party?
Tim Donkelly gave up his quest for a judgeship for this?
Was Levy once a GM? Does anyone know how she got appointed if she was?
Wow! Maybe the Feds should have people walking around the courthouse wired all the time. I guess it's one way to keep things from getting this bad again. Always knew it about the Broward County Commission. It's been going on for years. Wait until they look into the lobbyists.
Ari Porth is a bad joke.
Gehl looks like she's seen Sprinkles in the photo.
Wow how time marches on: I remember Judge Gehl, & Judges Lynch & Fleet for that matter, when they were all in private practice before robe-hood. Three good & fair jurists I say. 22 years just fly bye: Going to miss you Judge Gehl.
It apparently takes the Feds to be the great leveler of crooked politicians here in Broward. Who is it next I wonder?
even the feds won't go after BUGSY SELTZER , Marra Lansky , stan marcus , CHERYL HANIN BENVOT and avigdor mombach.
From what I understand, Hurley is releasing convicted defendants ror when trial judges (satellite and central)issue no bond holds on a VOP. He is doing this to all judges, not just satellite. He was reprimanded in Mata v. Lamberti but thinks the law doesn't apply to him. Hurley's actions have resulted in defendants who have picked up felony charges, thus violating their probation to be ror'd after a no bond vop was issued. This is a danger to the community. I bet these defendants don't even show up to court after they are released. This is a very serious matter that anyone who had any common sense could understand. Unfortunately it is not Hurley. He is totally incompetent. He is not doing Broward county any favors in releasing criminals who are a danger to the community. As an attorney who practices in Broward, I think his only priority is to gain favors from the defense bar. I think he's just an idiot. Time we all woke up and smelled the coffee.
@ 1:46
This blog doesn't care about the public safety and well-being, or justice for that matter.
Hurley = friends with Bill Gelin
Name calling is inimical to the bench and bar. Hurley will probably let the 'idiot' thing slide. The guy proves day in and day out what it means to Judge.
How can you accuse someone if you don't have the facts paper says voluntary can you read or do you need glasses about time some one stands up to these crooked people then you wonder why s.a.opersonal cant get a raise smarten up
Sheila more people should grow a set of Balls maybe the court house would run much better people can't speak the way they would like because they hold a grudge against you because the higher ups get all the raises s.a.o staff get shit in plain english
Actually what Hurley is doing is putting everybody on pretrial with a monitor. The jail gets emptied but defendants get locked down and a big fat bill in the end.