News & Notes (the PD's edition)

1. Paul Rashkind has been working on Guantanamo cases and he just got a nice win in DC: hearsay is not admissible in the detainee cases. Here's SCOTUSBlog's coverage:

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton went further than any of his District Court colleagues has gone in cutting back on the Pentagon’s option of proving its detention cases by using a kind of evidence that normally would not be allowed in court — hearsay, as a substitute for direct proof of facts. The judge refused to follow the government’s plea that all of its hearsay evidence about an individual detainee should have a special rank, admitted into court with a presumption that it was reliable unless detainees’ lawyers could show it was not.
Judge Walton’s 12-page order outlining a “framework” for processing government offers of hearsay evidence can be downloaded here.

2. The Federal Defenders are participating in the Race for the Cure of breast cancer this October. If you want to help out, see here. (I fixed the link)

3. Interviews for the U.S. Attorney slot and the District Court slot will happen next Wednesday, September 2. Unfortunately, they are not open to the public.

4. One of the judicial candidates, FPD Kathy Williams, is receiving UM's Lawyers in Leadership Award, which recognizes “dedication to public citizenship and leadership.” Rick Bascuas covers it here.

5. Miami officer pocketed Crime Stoppers reward cash (via Miami Herald). To keep up the PD theme, I'm sure a PD got assigned to one of the defendants in the case.

Here's a great scene from My Cousin Vinny to get you to your weekend. Check out the PD's opening at the 4:45 mark...

Paul Rashkind goes to Guantanamo

I guess Julie Kay hasn't left yet. Her Justice Watch column today covers Paul Rashkind's representation of Guantanamo detainees.

Plus it details staff changes at the U.S. Attorney's office. Bob Senior is the new chief of criminal; David Weinstein is the new chief of public integrity and national security and Rick Del Toro is the new chief of narcotics.

Padilla case goes to Atlanta

The 11th Circuit heard argument today in Jose Padilla's case on Judge Cooke's decision to dismiss Count I of the indictment. More to follow later, but here's Vanessa Blum's (Sun-Sentinel) take of the argument. Heavyweights argued it -- Anne Schultz for the Government and Paul Rashkind for the defense. Both are chiefs of the appellate divisions of their respective offices.