AFPDs Helaine Batoff and Sam Randall are on an incredible trial streak -- they've won 3 not guilty verdicts in a row. The most recent was yesterday in a rape on the high seas case before Judge Martinez.
The federal public defender's office in the Southern District of Florida in general is tearing it up this year. I'm trying to get the actual statistics but I believe that the office has won around 10 federal trials already this year. Many districts don't try, let alone win, 10 cases all year...
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No retreat no surrender.
ReplyDeleteAnd no
Plea.
Here are some stats:
ReplyDeleteFor the 12 month period ending Sept. 30, 2010.
The SD NY, (the NY Times paid homage to the vaunted PD's office there last year) had 3 acquittals and 63 convictions (4.76% acquittal rate).
SD FL had 100 jury conviction and 28 acquittals. 28% acquittal rate for jury trials.
The overall average acquittal rate nationwide (factoring out the SD FL) was 13.12%.
More or the same number of acquittals in SD FL as: DC, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th. Only 5th and 9th circuits (combined) had more than the SD Fla.
The office really kicks ass!
yep, it really is a jury of peers in miami.
ReplyDeletesour grapes from some bitter prosecutor.
ReplyDeletetwo words:
YOU LOSE!
not sour grapes at all. are you really of the mind that juries in south florida are the brightest of the bunch? If you are, you've never tried a case in SDFL.
ReplyDeleteThat is beyond offensive. What a smart jury is only one that convicts? That is the arrogance of a handful of prosecutors that have no business working as AUSAs. Find a new line of work.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they have enough real world experiance and curiosity not to believe every cop.
ReplyDeletewho is batoff?
ReplyDeleteHigh-seas rape case was before Middlebrooks.
ReplyDeleteSam's winning streak was broken yesterday. AUSA Mike Thakur got a guilty verdict in another case before Middlebrooks. Felon-in-possession & more, I believe. Maybe Helaine should have tried this case with Sam, too?