Train wreck

So, Narseal Batiste, the supposed leader of the Miami Seven has written a 25 page letter to Brian Andrews at Channel 4. Brian Andrews has been the center of controversy in this case before regarding leaks and he is stirring the pot again. The letter will look familiar to defense lawyers -- we see these sorts of letters all the time. But for it to be sent to the press... well, that's a little unique. I'm sure Batiste's lawyer, Ana Jhones, isn't having a happy morning.

Here is the letter. (It's actually addressed to Brian Adams, but I doubt he meant him.). Here is the Channel 4 story about the letter.

"Feds say agent smuggled baseball stars into U.S."

Here is Julie Kay's article in the Review. Free access today. Woohoo.
Ben Daniel is prosecuting this case. Susan Dmitrovsky and Abe Bailey are defending.

Ellis Rubin RIP

Icon Ellis Rubin has died.
Love him or hate him, he is a legend in this community... Way ahead of his time and a true trial lawyer. Rumpole has this to say:

Mr. Rubin was a throwback to the days when the solitary defense attorney rode into town to defend the person no one else would defend.Did Mr. Rubin like a case in the news? Sure. But don't let his cases in the press mask the underlying talent of an excellent trial lawyer. He should not be remembered for that one case everyone mentions (TV intoxication). He should be remembered for being a fighter, an innovator, a man who cared about his clients, and man who went to jail for his beliefs.
We proudly admit we bought and read his book "Get Me Ellis Rubin". One comment always stuck with us, and only a real trial lawyer would be able to write about it. Mr. Rubin wrote that he always enjoyed trying cases against a prosecutor who had a reputation for never losing. Because when he managed to cause them enough problems in trial, he knew they were in unfamiliar territory and he had the advantage. Only a lawyer who tries a lot of cases knows that feeling. From the outside looking in, we think his was a life well lived. We celebrate his memory.

Report from Court Administator

Clarence Maddox writes in to correct our previous post:
I think that it is important for me to note that as judges and staff continue to relocate to the WPB courthouse and get resettled this week, we are not open for business in the usual sense. In that respect the DBR was not accurate. I anticipate resumption of normal Court activities by Monday, December 18th. Clarence Maddox, Court Administrator, SDFL.
We stand corrected!

In other news, Judge Cecilia Altonaga found South Florida water managers in violation of U.S. water quality standards for pumping billions of gallons of polluted runoff from sugar farms into Lake Okeechobee without a federal permit. The Judge rejected an array of defense arguments from the South Florida Water Management District, including that a permit wasn't needed because the state agency wasn't the source of the tainted water, but was simply moving it between two similar places -- the giant lake and the drainage canals crisscrossing the vast farming area to the southeast. Here is the 100+ page ruling.

West Palm open

According to this morning's DBR, the Federal Courthouse in West Palm is open for business. Also of note, Judge Kenneth Marra will be moving from Ft. Lauderdale to the renovated courthouse.