CONNECTING THE DOTS ...
What's behind the door?Channel Four will be running an interview with Public Defender Howard Finkelstein tonight at 6:00 PM regarding the recent arrest of BSO Deputy Manuel Silva. Included in the segment are some choice questions about the recent rash of police lawlessness in Broward, with some typically to the point answers by Howard.
We can't say for sure, but it seems the media may be starting to ask the right questions about Broward's prevailing culture of corruption, and their attention may finally be turning to the shortcomings of our beloved State Attorney Mike Satz, who has brought us to where we are today.
As much as we'd like to take the tiniest sliver of credit for this perceived change of events, we simply can't. The truth of the matter is that current events, coupled with corruption busting ASA Sheila Alu's box of Brady Gold and the incredible courage and hard work of the good folks at the Public Defender's Office are the real coal fire driving this train. Unless the footage hits the editing room floor before 6:00 PM, you can hear Howard explain first hand on Channel Four about the task force he's set up to help uncover what he deems a "shocking" amount of highly questionable decision making.
Of course, we can't leave you without offering up one juicy example from the "Brady Box". Click here for a Public Corruption Unit's Closeout Memo sparing a police officer from prosecution after, get this, he admitted to forging a signature on a Notice to Appear. We're told this is only the start, so fasten your seat belts. Anything can happen, particularly if a systemic pattern of civil rights violations is discovered, which could, of course, keep the Feds in town a lot longer than they had previously planned.
THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'
Sheriff Lamberti Discusses Arrest Of BSO Deputy
"It could potentially be huge," explained Broward Public Defender Howard Finkelstein. He told CBS4 News that his office is currently looking into more than two dozen cases of suspect police officers. "At the present time, we are looking at 32 suspect police officers and there is every reason to believe that we are talking about thousands of cases that could be in jeopardy."
must have missed the second howie was on.
I forge your name on a public document, but it isn't forgery since I didn't intend to defraud. This isn't serious.
I don't do criminal, but isn't there some lesser offense of which the officer was guilty?
It is excusable for a peace officer to randomly sign other people's names to public documents?
Are you sure that this SAO unit never worked in the Nixon White House?
Isn't it a felony to forge a citizen's name on a sworn police document?
Oh right. Homeless people aren't citizens. Or people for that matter.
By the way I didn't see HMH on 4 either. I guess I'll have to wait for the press conference.
What an absolute crock of sh*t that clearance memo is.
No intent to defraud.
Let's see, his supervisor commented to him that the NTA he turned in had no signature on it and chastized him for it, and lo and behold, suddenly one with a signature appears.
Yes, I can see how the ASA thought there was no intent to defraud the homeless guy (who I guess has a phone and voice mail and an address now) who knew he got the NTA and put his thumbprint on it.
But there certainly seems like sufficient evidence that the cop was intending to defraud his supervisor and everyone else along the chain that would have received and reviewed the NTA under the false belief Roberts had in fact signed it.
I guess discretion really only applies at the SAO when Officer, or Deputy appears before your name.
Oh bill all your doing is clearing the decks of the old guard who were diven by power and money for a new younger group driven for the same. Look at kulik he not about truth and justice but about having his friends on the bench. Its ok though because there haveen been many of us waiting for the logjam to break. Problem is that you can't control who will come up to replace these guys lol.
This may only be a silly panhandling charge but it makes me wonder and scared. To what extent would this officer go when a serious felony case is at stake? If he can lie and cheat on a nothing issue what woud he do to make a serious charge stick?
Gee how funny when everyday citizens forge a check or official document they get charges in two seconds.
Now we have the SAO passing on police officers committing crimes of dishonesty. They stay on the streets.
Creative writing time but the state doesn't care because they'll accept any defendat's admission whether real or fake.
The state attorney's office needs to be audited internally by outside Broward officials asap.
So the homeless guy didn't want to get involved in pursuing the cop for lying? Gee they couldn't have intimidated him right? Or did they make it up about finding him in the first pllace which seems likely by the alleged self serving drunky statements that help the cops? Or did they actually find him and buy him off with a 40 and couple of rocks?
They would rather hide the ball and let a dishonest officer stay on the force than file Brady notices to defense lawyers who can then cock up a ton of serious cases.
They really should be investigated.
Think about how many cases would go down the drain if they held this officer to the rule of law on the forgery and also disclosed it to the defense bar.
Example at trial - "Isn't it true officer that you were caught forging a signature on a police report?"
Imagine the fun the lawyer has in closing after that about how everything the officer said and did in the trial case was just another lie.
Not guilty.
That's why they don't disclose these things.
Remember their mindset too if you wonder how they can be so scuzzy.
All defendnats are lowlife pieces of garbage who did other things they never got caught for so who cares if they are innocent this time or if the officer lied or made a mistake in the arrest.
Oh yeah I almost forgot the political considerations. Holding officers to the rule of law also means someone will eventually run against you with the backing of the PBA. That's another reason they do stuff like this.
Welcome to Broward.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ho hum is right. This isn't exactly news the way the SAO protects the police.
Anyone else notice Donelley's signature on page two approving Horowitz's report?
Tim wanted to be a judge once upon a time too. Can you imagine that?
They must have found the homeless guy in the homeless yellow pages.
Satzie sure is taking a pounding these days.
It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
The law should be the law for every single person whether they be citizen or police officer.
The only difference is that police officers are bound by an oath to follow the law.
This isn't supposed to be a game about winning or losing in court.
It's supposed to be about telling the truth and following that guideline in everything we do.
What has happened here in Broward County has been a disgrace and perversion of Justice perpetrated and encouraged by those that have stayed in office too long and have lost sight of the true meaning of what should have remained all our responsibility, to see that TRUTH remains the Maxim.
To pursue a case in its prosecution when there is overriding doubt of the ethical considerations involving that action is to proceed down the path that has led Broward County to a point of where our system of Justice itself is in doubt.
It was never about building statistical data so you could go to the State to ask for more funding.
It's about doing what is right and just and following the rules of ethical conduct.
That carries even more weight with our public officials who seem these days to have forgotten what it was ever about, even as they seek office.
But shame doesn't seem to be a word in their vocabulary.
this is ridiculous
THE FEDS SHOULD PLAN ON A VERY LONG STAY
Please help us. Please clean up the Broward Courthouse once and for all by holding the people in power to the same standards they hold the average citizen. We need your help.
I don't this Sandra Pearlman but by reputation, but anyone that would knock out Aleman has my vote.
4 More Years! 4 More Years!
I hope Sandy wins. She is a lovely person, great demeanor and excellent litigation skills. Go sandy.
It's at last really great that we have a PD like Mr. Finkelstein that cares enough to do something about some of the problems that have been facing Broward. Maybe between Howard Finkelstein and the FBI Investigations we can clean up this mess that's become Broward's Criminal Justice cesspool of corruption.
Thanks Howard!
Connecting the dots is just what is needed. How long did these people think they were going to get away with this? The double standard they employ is unbelievable.
The Federal investigation can start with how many public defenders who sign and swear to working 40 hours a week actually work 40 hours. And, the investigation can start with Finkelstein himself. Does he put in 40 a week? Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
It is quite clear even to the stupidest flake, so why don't you attorneys get even this simple gist.
Satz, Donnelly, Raft and the rest of this ilk are sociopaths. They are people without conscience as any terrorist is. Criticizing them for moral turpitude and disgraceful conduct is as meaningless water off a ducks back to these animals--it falls on deaf ears that are incapable of comprehending even the slightest human dignity to be able to understand the criticisms.
Calling them on their sick criminal inhumanity is like asking Hitler to find himself inhuman--and that did not happen. Nor does calling Charlie Manson inhuman nor Gacey, nor Bundy etc.
It is ineffectual because you cannot appeal to consciences that do not exist.
These are rabid dogs and there is only one way to deal with a rabid dog to protect oneself.
That is why satz compared to Hitler--for his total lack of social conscience for which satz should be caged and fed on only the bones of the human carnage he has brought to broward.
The bigger problem is all of you that have authorized and protected it by giving your consent by your failures to act over the last 30 + years and how much money you have all made having you services purchased by satz's victims and you lousy rotten performing lawyers who then send more business to appellate lawyers while not one of you-let alone a fearless mob or truly honest lawyers have stood up and followed you very own Bar rules instead of your favored bar rules masterbaitng each other instead of actually being honest officers of the court.
Unfortunately that includes the cherry-pickin Howard and his team, too.
To "Anonymous" at 8:50 AM
Anonymous wrote:
The Federal investigation can start with how many public defenders who sign and swear to working 40 hours a week actually work 40 hours.
You're right. When they work ONLY 40 hours a week, and get paid for it. As a former PD, I put in way more than 50 hours a week dealing with B.S. cases that the state filed. The PDs wish they only worked 40 hours, since they get paid for 35. What you don't see are the PDs rolling in at the butt crack of dawn, working in backed up courtrooms, taking depositions all afternoon and let's not forget, the weekends. They can work on their files or they do magistrates. Not the cushy part that the state gets to do, looking at the arrestees on a monitor, no, they are in the jails at 7:30, reviewing PCAs, talking to in custody people, trying to get a reasonable bond set all while inhaling the stench of unwashed bodies, B.O., sweaty alcohol, and whatever crap the deputies bring in the room to eat.
If you see a PD out of the office, realize they ARE allowed out. They more than make up their "40 hours" in ways you will never know. I highly doubt you put in a week as long, stress as much as they do, work as hard and care as much as a PD does.
Now try to get an ASA on the phone, or track them down, or find them in their office during the week. HA, good luck. You'll find Jimmy Hoffa before you find them.
Very true. When there were APDs at the Booby Trap South in the middle of the afternoon, I'm sure they were just having a quick bite to eat at the free buffet between client visits at the Detention Center.
Or the ones at the Riverfront bars or Macguires at 4:15 in the afternoon (or earlier on Fridays).
Enough of the "woe is me" BS. For the most part, people do as much (or little) work as they choose while still getting the job done.
I'm sure there are a number of APDs (and ASAs) that take files home at night or on the weekends (I sure did when I was at the PDO) and did their client/witness meetings in the evenings and on weekends as were NEEDED.
But there were (and are) plenty clock-watchers at both offices.
The job of APD or ASA is as "noble" as the person doing it wants to make of it.
Don't use such a broad brush to paint every APD as a saint doing justice 80 hours a week and every ASA as a slob sitting at Macguire's at 2:30 every afternoon as soon as VOP hearings are finished.
On any given Friday afternoon you can fire a cannon at the Public Defender's Office and no one will hear it.
If I remember correctly, a few years back there was a "white powder" scare at the Public Defender's Office early on a Friday afternoon and the entire office was ordered evacuated.
Being that it was 1:45 pm only 3 people walked out.
Ya four more years of the same shit time for some new blood so support staff can maybe get a raise so who ever you are i think your a sicko wanting four more years of satz