Jeez...You Turn Your Back For A Minute And WHAM!

Disturbing but good news. Greg Worthen won't be running PD Stuff anymore, because he is starting a new job....somewhere. It's great that he is starting a new job but a bummer because he did a really great job with PD Stuff and also the site he had before he started the blog The Public Defender Investigator Network. Thankfully it sounds like he's found a replacement, but they are going to have some BIG shoes to fill. No offense intended Greg...In case you have big feet.

I guess I just kind of feel like a jackass for being gone for a month without any substantive blogging or reading. Its not such a large blogging community that you don't have contact with other PD blogger's and it was good to know I had another member of the PDI Brotherhood blogging out on the internets. I don't know what your new job is Greg but good luck!

My blogging status? Well, the bad news is that you'll be stuck with me for a while longer. I was looking at all my posts and I noticed a pattern of months of heavy posting (for me) and then sometimes a few weeks or a month or so of nada. I think I like it that way. I was also thinking of getting another PD Investigator or PD in on this blog to spice things up for readers.

I don't usually post something unless I find it entertaining myself or I think it might be information that might come in handy for another Investigator or defense attorney. Shit. Who am I kidding? I get sloppy sometimes and post stuff that I shouldn't, but I started this blog because I enjoy writing and its the one way I can be creative and give myself a little room to vent. Where was I? Who am I? Crap, I went off on a tangent and I forgot where the hell I was going with my thoughts....

I GUESS my point is that I'm still here, for better or for worse. Now, I have some more blogs to catch up on and if I find out that ONE more person is leaving...I'm going to get a little verklempt.

Reasons To Enjoy Japan

Miss Universe Director: Damn it!!!! All Miss Universe 2006 had to do was smile, look gorgeous, and put the crown on the head of Miss Universe 2007...crap. At least she got the looking gorgeous part right.

Slow Posting, Hot Chicks and Ugly Dudes

Posting has been slow. I had a potential issue with the blog come up at work but eased myself out of it...should be back to normal very shortly.

In the meantime, I found THIS FANTASTIC story in The Sun (UK). Again, hope is given to us ugly dudes out there in the world. In a way. The story actually sucks but its amusing as all hell.

LONG LIVE THE CHARMING FUGLY DUDE!

Rollin The Dice

At the risk of losing my anonymity, here is a conversation I had with a co-worker today that got me a little worked up:

Sancho: Yeah, Joe Client took that deal on the 288 case we have had for a while. Everyone his family is pissed at us (me and the attorney) for letting him take it.

Co-Worker: Yeah, that sucks. I guess he was guilty if he took the deal though.

Sancho: Of course! I mean...er...WHAT!?!?! No! Of course NOT! Accepting an offer from the DA doesn't mean you're saying that you're guilty dude.

Co-Worker: Well, if it was me, I would NEVER take a plea deal if I knew in my heart I was innocent.

Sancho: Umm, I know plenty of good AND innocent clients that knew in their hearts that they were innocent. Most of them are now telling their cellmates the same thing while they start off their 25 year to life sentences.

Co-Worker: Yeah well, again...if it was me, I'd never take a deal. Never. I know it.

Sancho: I think its easy to say when you aren't actually standing in their (the clients) shoes. I know a lot of people that don't want to roll the dice with the rest of their lives.

I don't really have a right to be mad at my co-worker. I'd like to think that if I knew I was innocent, I wouldn't take a deal either.

Actually, I'm not sure what it was that upset me so much. Whether it was that Co-Worker assumed the client was guilty because he took deal or that he was so convinced that he would never consider a plea deal.

Maybe its my lack of faith in the justice system that would allow 12 (mostly irritated and bored) men and women who would rather be at home or work than sitting in a long, drawn out trial for some guy that they assume is guilty anyway.

I suppose I'm losing a little faith in our justice system. I never want to be in a position where my future depends on what I consider to be a simple roll of the dice. I think its one of the reasons I love and get so much satisfaction out of my job (as frustrating and depressing as it can sometimes be).

Yeah, yeah, don't tell me what I already know.

I'm not curing cancer or fixing the cleft palate's of orphaned children in Mexico BUT I would like to know that If I was standing in the shoes of my clients, the only dice rolling being done is with the Jury. I want my client to have faith that their defense team is going to bat for them 110% and doing everything they can to help them feel they had a fair shot at a lopsided system of justice.

If you're my co-worker that had this conversation with me today, please don't be offended. I just feel you're too inexperienced to know any better and I take things too personally.