The SDFLA Blog is dedicated to providing news and notes regarding federal practice in the Southern District of Florida. The New Times calls the blog "the definitive source on South Florida's federal court system." All tips on court happenings are welcome and will remain anonymous. Please email David Markus at dmarkus@markuslaw.com
Saturday, May 05, 2007
"Lawyer for alleged madam seen as quite a case himself"
Because this guy has South Florida ties, I post this really strange article about Montgomery Blair Sibley, the lawyer for the DC Madam. (thanks for the comment -- the link is fixed).
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Congrats to Judge Federico Moreno
He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Judges Steve Leifman and Gerald Wetherington also received awards.
Lots of funny moments in the speech, but I particularly liked when he thanked his clerks and said that it was the best part of the job because he added to his family every year. Really nice...
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Wilk defense
Kenneth Wilk's turn...
The Government rested and painted a pretty awful picture of Wilk.
Now Wilk is putting on evidence that he had AIDS dementia (via Sun-Sentinel), which is why he did what he did:
An expert witness testified for the defense that Kenneth Wilk had AIDS dementia on the day he fatally shot a Broward sheriff's deputy, and said there was independent medical evidence, which could not be faked, to support the diagnosis.Symptoms of the condition are not easily observed and that could explain why Wilk was not previously diagnosed, said Dr. Michael Maher, a Tampa physician and psychiatrist, in two days of testimony that ended Monday in federal court.
"I am very confident that he ... suffers from AIDS dementia," Maher said last week.Another defense medical expert is expected to testify that MRI and other scans of Wilk's brain show evidence of dementia.
The Government rested and painted a pretty awful picture of Wilk.
Now Wilk is putting on evidence that he had AIDS dementia (via Sun-Sentinel), which is why he did what he did:
An expert witness testified for the defense that Kenneth Wilk had AIDS dementia on the day he fatally shot a Broward sheriff's deputy, and said there was independent medical evidence, which could not be faked, to support the diagnosis.Symptoms of the condition are not easily observed and that could explain why Wilk was not previously diagnosed, said Dr. Michael Maher, a Tampa physician and psychiatrist, in two days of testimony that ended Monday in federal court.
"I am very confident that he ... suffers from AIDS dementia," Maher said last week.Another defense medical expert is expected to testify that MRI and other scans of Wilk's brain show evidence of dementia.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Jimmy Johnson in Court...
...for jury selection.
Judge King cut him loose -- after figuring out who he was:
A third fellow stepped forward and said his name was James Johnson. He knew the importance of jury duty, he said, but he had a special houseguest and, please, if he wasn't really needed, could he be excused?
Besides, he said, he'd been a defendant in a few minor civil suits, so maybe the lawyers wouldn't want him anyway.
'I said, `What's your business?' '' King recalls. Fox Sports analyst, he said.
King looked at him funny. ''Did you coach?'' ``Yes.''
''Where?'' King asked. Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, University of Miami, Oklahoma State. He rattled off others -- Iowa State, Wichita State.
''That's enough,'' said King as folks in the courtroom laughed. By then, the judge realized it was Jimmy Johnson.
King, 79, joked about his lousy hearing and wisecracked: ``Now I've proven that I can't see very well, either. I should have recognized you.''
Johnson, 63, an Islamorada resident, told King his houseguest was Bill Parcells, who recently retired as Dallas head coach. He planned to take the Big Tuna fishing.
King excused Johnson, but not before asking him to predict the Gators' record for next season.
Johnson recalls that exchange. 'I said, `I have no idea. I'm the worst in the world at picking games.' ''
King may not have recognized him, but others did. As Johnson sat on the courthouse steps at 7:30 a.m., waiting for the building to open, he got waves from passersby and requests for autographs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Daniel, assistant federal public defender Hector Flores and Key West attorney Charles Milligan say Johnson appeared smaller than on TV. Daniel: ''A very humble guy.'' Flores: ''Very charming.'' Milligan: ''Didn't have his hair as bouffant-ed up.'' Defense lawyer Albert Levin got an autograph.
Coincidentally, Johnson received a summons for state jury duty in Marathon that same day. He was excused from that, too -- after the feds called on his behalf to say he had already reported in Key West.
King says he had no problem putting Johnson on waivers. ``We accommodate people.''
Judge King cut him loose -- after figuring out who he was:
A third fellow stepped forward and said his name was James Johnson. He knew the importance of jury duty, he said, but he had a special houseguest and, please, if he wasn't really needed, could he be excused?
Besides, he said, he'd been a defendant in a few minor civil suits, so maybe the lawyers wouldn't want him anyway.
'I said, `What's your business?' '' King recalls. Fox Sports analyst, he said.
King looked at him funny. ''Did you coach?'' ``Yes.''
''Where?'' King asked. Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, University of Miami, Oklahoma State. He rattled off others -- Iowa State, Wichita State.
''That's enough,'' said King as folks in the courtroom laughed. By then, the judge realized it was Jimmy Johnson.
King, 79, joked about his lousy hearing and wisecracked: ``Now I've proven that I can't see very well, either. I should have recognized you.''
Johnson, 63, an Islamorada resident, told King his houseguest was Bill Parcells, who recently retired as Dallas head coach. He planned to take the Big Tuna fishing.
King excused Johnson, but not before asking him to predict the Gators' record for next season.
Johnson recalls that exchange. 'I said, `I have no idea. I'm the worst in the world at picking games.' ''
King may not have recognized him, but others did. As Johnson sat on the courthouse steps at 7:30 a.m., waiting for the building to open, he got waves from passersby and requests for autographs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Daniel, assistant federal public defender Hector Flores and Key West attorney Charles Milligan say Johnson appeared smaller than on TV. Daniel: ''A very humble guy.'' Flores: ''Very charming.'' Milligan: ''Didn't have his hair as bouffant-ed up.'' Defense lawyer Albert Levin got an autograph.
Coincidentally, Johnson received a summons for state jury duty in Marathon that same day. He was excused from that, too -- after the feds called on his behalf to say he had already reported in Key West.
King says he had no problem putting Johnson on waivers. ``We accommodate people.''
Back to work
Sorry for the slowwww blogging, but I was at my ten year law school reunion in Boston this weekend. This guy seemed to get all the attention for attending his 25 year reunion...
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