West Palm Beach attorney Valentin Rodriguez looked exhausted after verbally sparring with Scott Rothstein.
The disbarred law firm chairman and the mastermind of Florida's largest Ponzi scheme was called as a defense witness for Rodriguez's client, Boca Raton attorney Christina Kitterman.
"Scott Rothstein is not going to win this battle," Rodriguez said defiantly outside the West Palm Beach federal courthouse after the first day of Rothstein's testimony Wednesday. "But he can absolutely pick up on what you are trying to do."
Rothstein's well-documented arrogance made its inevitable appearance during questioning by Rodriguez, a polite-almost-to-a-fault attorney with a knack for quietly getting under the skin of witnesses.
...West Palm Beach attorney Peter Feldman, Rodriguez's co-counsel in Kitterman's case, said, "We knew the risk of calling him as he is unpredictable. I think that risk was outweighed by the jury being able to see him—live and in color—conducting his rock-star lifestyle."
Rodriguez called Rothstein over prosecution objections, bringing one of South Florida's most notorious figures into the public eye for the first time in four years in the first criminal trial centered on his $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.
So, I will put the question to you to decide:
3 comments:
Here's what bugs the crap out of me. This case is all about what Rothstein did. The government objected to the defense calling Rothstein. But if the defendant had pled guilty the gov would have sat quietly as the court colloquied the defendant and asked her if she understood that if she wanted a trial her lawyer could have subpoeaned witnesses.
So to the government the concept is fine just not the actual reality of it.
I will answer when the verdict comes back. Then, like every other Monday morning quarterback hater, I will let you know whether it was the right call or not.
BTW - If I were Val, the publicity stunt question would have me banging your door down to have a talk.
Rumpole - it's called trial in federal court . Stick to state court big boy
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