With great power comes great current squared times resistance

Ack! What is this? An edition of Monday Morning Jumpstart? Why, yes! What with my blooming campaign for Governor, I figure it’s time that I revive this once-loved, but much-maligned feature (at least for this week). It does help that there have been plenty of stories around the blawgosphere worth reading. So, in my own pedantic way, here are the best:

• Bobby G has a trilogy of interesting posts on SCOTUS’ decision in Montejo v. Louisiana and the fallout from it.
• Scott “I am the blawgosphere” Greenfield has an interesting post on justice and the role of the criminal defense lawyer (along with some advice for young lawyers), which resulted in this follow up by Rick Horowitz. My recent post tangentially related to justice is here.
• Here‘s Reason magazine’s take on the story of the newspaper editor who got a commenter fired. (Here’s this blog’s comment policy. We won’t get you fired.)
• It’s harmless error to permit a police detective to testify wearing a ski mask (my lengthy post on this). You can read the decision here [pdf].
• The Government will not appeal the Lori Drew dismissal.
• What does prosecutorial and judicial immunity from suit really mean?
• Judge as advocate: 89 questions to a witness is okay.

That’s all. Now get to work.
photo credit: NoWin

Links to stuff I don’t care to make into full-fledged posts:

• State to use stimulus for DNA testing: maybe now we’ll have to wait only 3 months for results.
• Study to measure effectiveness of restraining orders.
• Crime cameras on their way?
• More stories on the cost of seeking the death penalty.
• Violence is declining. What are we doing right (but don’t tell the Heritage Foundation fellows)?

Enjoy

You know, on this day off, I finally decided to get back to posting a Jumpstart, but then I realized that the Texas Torndao was hosting Blawg Review this week. So I mosied on over there, and sure enough, he’s got it all. He’s done a terrific job of covering the week’s criminal law blog posts and news stories, so anything I write here will be duplicative.

It’s a day off, so make yourself useful and head on over to Blawg Review 199. It’ll keep you busy all day, I promise.

I wish the snow would melt, but doesn’t look like it’s going to happen for another two days or so. That means Gideon is lethargic and when Gideon is lethargic, Gideon makes lists.

Here, enjoy these fine posts from around the blogosphere: Continue reading →

photo credit: Tero Heino

I’m not asking about the next long weekend because I want an extra day off or anything, but simply because this long weekend produced a lot of posts and stories worth reading. Here are some of them:

• The most disturbing is this story out of Florida, where the new elected public defender fired 10 of the most experienced lawyers. Bobby G and Hit and Run tell you why it’s a problem.
• A fired public defender’s lawsuit against the State reaches the CA Supreme Court.
• The LA Times has this first of three stories on a lawyer who has been married for 25 years to one of the most dangerous men in CA’s prisons.
• This blog is giving out free legal advice (“free consultations”).

Continue reading →

Just a few things you should read this morning:

• In light of my recent post about the plight of pd systems, Scott writes a stirring tribute to the public defender and hidden in that is a call to arms for every other lawyer. More on that, and my own thoughts, later.
• The Courant reports on this new ACLU study which finds that – surprise! – minority kids are arrested more than white kids. Definitely some more on this later.
• On the DNA front: 6 exonerations in NE and unreported DNA in a Baltimore case casts doubt on conviction
• The Lori Drew trial has taken some odd turns: yes suicide, no suicide, yes!

That’s it. Now get to work!

A day early, but never too much so to salute the veterans who have served this country over the years. This one’s for you:

• Speaking of serving your country, public defenders in seven states are refusing cases due to high caseloads and low funds.
• Why the path of least resistance in police encounters isn’t always the best approach.
• Michael Dorf has some interesting suggestions for post Proposition 8 strategy.
• SCOTUSblog has this preview of today’s argument in Melendez-Diaz, a Crawford case.
• Jon Katz argues that the slowing economy demands a tighter criminal justice system.
• New Haven implements street cameras.
• The fantastic OLR has this report detailing every single time in the last 30 years that the legislature has responded to a Supreme Court or Appellate Court decision.
• Who bears responsibility for overburdened dockets? Not judges.

Huh. That was a slow weekend. Anyway, enjoy the day and the day off tomorrow, if you have it.