NGs for the cops on trial before Judge Middlebrooks

Across the board not guilty verdicts today for the three police officers charged with perjury before Judge Middlebrooks. Richard Sharpstein was at his finest with the following quotes (via the Miami Herald):

• A triumph for truth, justice and the American way,'' Farraj's defense attorney, Richard Sharpstein, said Thursday. "Our clients are grateful for a true verdict by a great and dedicated jury.''
• "I've got bad news for you. There is no Superman. There is no Batman. That was George Clooney in a suit. Those weren't even his real abs,'' Sharpstein told jurors. "I'll tell you who the real crime fighters are: these gentleman sitting here in court.''
• Sharpstein blamed the twisted facts of the traffic stop on a rookie federal prosecutor, ... who "freaked out'' during his first court case and botched the case. "You always remember your first time and sometimes you remember it with a little pain and a lot of regret,'' Sharpstein said.

"This is probably the single most outrageous prosecution that has happened in South Florida."

That's Richard Sharpstein on the Ben Kuehne case, covered by John Pacenti here. The 11th Circuit will have oral argument this Wednesday. Judge Cooke will have Daubert hearings today and tomorrow on the government's proposed currency exchange expert.

John Pacenti also covers the Raffanello case this morning. He's the former DEA agent charged with obstruction. His lawyers had made the gutsy call to request a speedy trial, but have now dropped that motion because the government apparently gave the defense 4 million documents to review. Richard Sharpstein was added to the defense team.

I guess I should have titled the post: Sharpstein and Pacenti.

Health Care fraud in the DBR

It's Julie Kay's DBR today. She has a whole (cover) section on Medicare fraud, which you can read here. Interesting theories on where health care fraud is coming from -- Jose Quinon says it's from Fidel:

Some lawyers, prosecutors, and agents, however, theorize that the Cuban government is behind Medicare fraud. They argue that the money is routed to Cuba and that’s why prosecutors are never able to get their hands on most of the stolen funds. “I’ve been hearing that Fidel is sending people here to do the fraud for a long time,” Quinon said. A former prosecutor who didn’t want to be identified debunked that theory. “I’ve heard for years, that there are folks … that funnel money back to the island,” he said. “But I have never heard anyone [offer] evidence of a formal tie to the Cuban government.”

Kay's other story deals with Richard Sharpstein's defense of a fraud defendant and prosecutors and agents trying to get him off the case because his law firm represents some of the insurance companies who supposedly have been defrauded. It's getting ugly in that case as agents are calling Sharpstein's firm's clients to inform them of the potential conflict. The case is in front of Judge Hurley and Sharpstein has hired Lewis Tein.

If it wasn't such a busy morning, I'd have more to say about both of these stories. Perhaps later in the day...

Also, check out Jay Weaver's article about Noriega this morning. The litigation is heating up on that case as well as France is trying to get the US to send him there.