tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post7679268846262488001..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Michael Morton, John Thompson highlight prosecutor misconduct forumGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-30391699982845634362012-04-04T14:15:28.976-05:002012-04-04T14:15:28.976-05:00Law school is stressful enough. Finding a job shou...Law school is stressful enough. Finding a job shouldn’t make it worse. I work with JD Match, a company striving to add some much needed sanity to the recruiting process. Using a sophisticated matching algorithm, they can help you be discovered by employers looking for what you have to offer. Visit their site to see how it works, sign up for a free membership, and get some control over the recruitment process. http://bit.ly/Hltzn7Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-56107564204909888732012-04-02T12:41:45.530-05:002012-04-02T12:41:45.530-05:00Hey Grits, thanks for taking time to go to the eve...Hey Grits, thanks for taking time to go to the event and we are looking forward to reading about your additional notes. <br /><br />Until then, if I may point out in addition to your observation of zoning in vs. the "broader issues" - It's my duty to remind folks that there wasn't one single speaker that spoke about the Historically Ignored cases. The Non-DNA Closed / Inactive claims. Nor anything mentioned about the wide spread abuses of the Play Bargain Games conducted just because defendants are on probation at time of arrest. Not one word about the law allowing the unqualified (ex; Divorce Estate / Will specialist) to act like real CDLs for the day, participate in voir dire, file pre trial motions 30 days before trial, file ready for trial motions despite none of the motions being Approved or Denied, only to plea bargain at lunch recess. Zip, nadda. <br /><br />As the Tour continues across the nation, maybe someone will grow a pair and let the audence in on the fact that it's not about *one person, *one area of prosecutorial crimes, *one type of exclupatory evidence hidden or proving ones innocence. <br /><br />IMHO - It's about the Supreme Court (attorneys / lawyers) creating the plea bargain system. The blatant void of Prosecutorial Oversight of decades past that's given birth to convictions obtained via plea bargain abuses; inticing both sides to play games vs. letting the jury do it's job. When they do allow it to go all the way to verdict, the jury is hoodwinked into thinking they've been presented with 'all' the eveidence while the lazy ass judges look the other way. It's about the taxpayers being or allowing themselves to be ripped off at the voters expense. <br /><br />None of this could happen if the defense simply refused to participate & the if the court did it duties, therefore the 'Tour' should be re-titled to place 'Oversight' on the entire system. <br /><br />But as the sad old saying continues to make ears bleed, it's a start. Thanks.Thomas R. Griffithhttp://www.projectnotguilty.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59329369420465432442012-03-31T13:15:19.857-05:002012-03-31T13:15:19.857-05:00I attended this event, though I really had no grea...I attended this event, though I really had no great hopes of hearing anything groundbreaking. I didn't. The panelists were all dedicated, honorable, ethical men and women who commitment to justice under the law is beyond doubt. But the talk was theoretical, not practical. Lots of talk of educating DA's and their staffs across Texas, and relying upon these now-trained folks to self-police the office. In a perfect world maybe, but if the DA is the source of the problem, good luck with any real change. Same with electing DA's and judges- glossed over. As long as key players in our justice system remain politicians, not much is going yo change. Despite the high minded declarations that elections do not sway judicial decisions, judges and DA's still have a base to satisfy, have to fraise money in the same groveling way as any other politician. And now we have the super-rich pouring their money into buying whole courts across the country.<br /><br />So, SCOTUS gives DA's almost absolute immunity from civil action for their acts in office. The State Bar is a toothless joke, as we already knew. Same with the Commission on Judicial Conduct. And powerful backers can keep even dirty DA's and judges in office.<br /><br />Is there any hope of change? Not much. But if the stream of glaring mistakes and misdeeds of our justice system continue, maybe ordinary people will finally say "Enough!". But don't bet on that either. Texans know- and glory in- the harshness, even barbarity of our prison system. The myth of "coddling: prisoners is alive and well.<br /><br />Thank god for those few who are working for change- Sen Rodney Ellis, Sen Whitmire, and others.Phillip Bakernoreply@blogger.com