Monthly Archives: October 2011

The prison industrial complex

NY times oped piece about falling crime and teeming prisons is here.  H/t Rumpole. A few facts from the piece: The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the people who are locked up. 2.3 million Americans are in jails. $77 billion has been spent on prisons per year. Less than half [...]

Posted in prison

The truth

The truth can be elusive to a person who is arrested.  Who do I hire?  How do I know they are going to be the right lawyer for me?  Should I get a former prosecutor?  Maybe they will have an “in” with the prosecutors.  Should I get somebody who “knows the judge”, is “aggressive”, or [...]

Posted in Truth

Character

Judge John Kastrenakes spoke about character tonight at a Nova alumni cle.  He didn’t speak about prosecuting public officials or the turnpike murders.  He spoke about character.  Very seldom do you hear about character in the law.  The pressure is great to win at all costs.  He noted that lawyers are more likely to be alcoholics, [...]

Posted in Character, Judge Kastrenakes

The beauty of losing

I always learn more from losing than winning.  What could I have done different?  Should I have asked that question(s)?  Should I have presented a certain witness? Struck a particular juror?  Made that argument in opening?  Yes, I said argument and opening in the same sentence.  It is not opening statement. Losing is always humbling. [...]

Posted in jury trials