Sidebar Discussion #5

[TotallyObsessed]

LOL, I don't see why this is news at all. Charges are reduced and even dropped routinely in cases like this. Not saying it's right, just that that's how it is. But, if it happens in this case people will want to say JA demanded and received special favors of some kind. For that reason, it might be best to let someone else in the firm take over so this can all just blow over the way it should. JMO.

I tend to agree with you.

 

[Omachka]

The breathalyzer equipment in Seminole and Orange County has been called into question as being faulty and it's been in our local news quite a bit. Here is a link and there are many more if you google it. http://www.halelawfl.com/CriminalDefense/DrivingUndertheInfluenceDUI/DUIBreathTest.aspx

I think it was Lamb Chop upthread that said maybe JA's family is more important to him than being SA. I tend to agree with that and I am not coming to any conclusions until I know more about this. As far as I know it isn't legally a conflict of interest for a lawyer to represent family but that is all in the eye of the beholder I guess. We'll have to wait and see if the voters think it's a problem.

Without looking at personal family issues, I still think JA is best for the job. Lawson Lamar's record isn't that good and he's had years to prove himself. Getting a crony to run in the other party just in case JA beats LL in the primary smacks of crookedness to me. In fact, if that is really what they are doing, it is much worse ethically than JA representing his son in a DUI. MOO

 

[egnarts]

LOL, I don't see why this is news at all. Charges are reduced and even dropped routinely in cases like this. Not saying it's right, just that that's how it is. But, if it happens in this case people will want to say JA demanded and received special favors of some kind. For that reason, it might be best to let someone else in the firm take over so this can all just blow over the way it should. JMO.

Just jumping off your post...
This is a no win for JA.
He's running for SA.
Nothing will be private.
Everything will be bantered in the press, no matter what he or any relative, friend, etc, does/did/will do.

Hey, he could've directed his son to seek JB or CM to represent him.
Or, request a change of venue to a friendlier jurisdiction, such as Pinellas Cty? :what:
:innocent:

 

[okiedokietoo]

I find it enlightening, although I don't totally understand the sociology behind it, that when fca is not in the news, some of us take "survival of the fittest" to the extreme and find it necessary to find another person to go after - to attack...........
maybe it has nothing to do with "survival of the fittest" but is "the nature of hate"

 

[2goldfish]

I would be willing to bet that the failed dexterity test was recorded by a dash cam.

JA can claim the breathalyzer was faulty, but the fact that his son failed the dexterity test, was speeding, and that officers could smell alcohol speaks volumes.

I'm sorry to say that JA defending his adult son in a case that could have resulted in his son killing or injuring someone has caused my respect for him to plummet.

JMO.

I dont necessarily have an opinion on the breathalyzer---many years ago when I had my tongue pierced (that's a lot of listerine for a month if you dont know I was told by my piercer that if by ANY chance I was pulled over and questioned in such a way, to demand a blood test because of that amount of listerine I would almost certainly fail a breathalyser. I have since heard that they are fiddly and to ALWAYS demand a blood test even if you KNOW you might be over the limit (partly because you might test less BAC after a wait, partly because if you JUST had the beer or whatever, you will blow higher than you true BAC anyways)

so I'm not saying it isnt right to argue that, but I absolutely think it's wrong to support one's son when the testing the LEO did seem to support the truth of the charge.

like I said in my OP on this, they'd have to put MY kid in jail to protect him from me, I raised him better than that.

 

[2goldfish]

JA is an attorney; why should his son have to find representation outside his family, or if indigent, force the state of Florida to pay for his defense? Ashton has joined the law firm of Troum and Wallsh, a firm that handles criminal law.

you are the PERFECT devil's advocate.

 

[2goldfish]

It isn't cheap to hire an attorney! Since he's defending him, how is that not holding him accountable? It's not like he's trying to get the charges dropped illegally, he's going through the system as he would any other defendant. I'm sure JA has handled the situation at home in private. JMO

BBM

see, now that's absolutely right, and something someone should think of before they get behind the wheel after drinking.

 

[LambChop]

The breathalyzer equipment in Seminole and Orange County has been called into question as being faulty and it's been in our local news quite a bit. Here is a link and there are many more if you google it. http://www.halelawfl.com/CriminalDefense/DrivingUndertheInfluenceDUI/DUIBreathTest.aspx

I think it was Lamb Chop upthread that said maybe JA's family is more important to him than being SA. I tend to agree with that and I am not coming to any conclusions until I know more about this. As far as I know it isn't legally a conflict of interest for a lawyer to represent family but that is all in the eye of the beholder I guess. We'll have to wait and see if the voters think it's a problem.

Without looking at personal family issues, I still think JA is best for the job. Lawson Lamar's record isn't that good and he's had years to prove himself. Getting a crony to run in the other party just in case JA beats LL in the primary smacks of crookedness to me. In fact, if that is really what they are doing, it is much worse ethically than JA representing his son in a DUI. MOO

It's not a conflict of interest as he is not a prosecutor anymore. Your family is your family and you can't always control what they do and what they get into. I just don't see a problem. Now if it were JA that got pulled over, that would be an issue. It could be, too, that his son requested that JA defend him. But either way, JA would have been criticized. Comes with the territory. jmo

 

[AZlawyer]

As an attorney and the parent of an imperfect child (aren't they all?), I sympathize with JA. But IMO under the circumstances (son is 21 years old, not e.g. 16/17; he blew TWICE the legal limit allegedly even if that was thrown out on a technicality; he was driving WAY over the speed limit allegedly) I think an attorney/parent of sufficiently excellent judgment to expect to be elected to public office should have, at the MOST, offered his son a no-interest loan to get himself an attorney.

That way, he would have been in a position to answer honestly when asked by media if he was embarrassed by the situation.

 

[lowens1975]

If JA feels his son is totally innocent, he has the money to hire another lawyer for his son.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but in my mind JA defending his son in this case is a conflict of interest.

And it now speaks volumes to me that JA is not as honorable as he once seemed to be.

He KNOWS that his son could have killed or injured innocent people yet chooses to defend him.

I apologize to those I might offend. JMO.

It just occurred to me that JA and LL are squaring off for State Attorney. I wouldn't be surprised if LL had the prosecutor bring every charge he could, including the kitchen sink, against JA's son, just because he's JA's son. I quit reading the articles right after the first announcements because I realized the SA election was going to get nasty.

 

[Intermezzo]

It just occurred to me that JA and LL are squaring off for State Attorney. I wouldn't be surprised if LL had the prosecutor bring every charge he could, including the kitchen sink, against JA's son, just because he's JA's son. I quit reading the articles right after the first announcements because I realized the SA election was going to get nasty.

JA's son was pulled over and charged with DUI in Seminole County (Longwood, FL) which is part of the 18th Judicial District..(Seminole & Brevard Counties)

The State Attorney is Norm Wolfinger not Lawsom Lamar

 

[Omachka]

It just occurred to me that JA and LL are squaring off for State Attorney. I wouldn't be surprised if LL had the prosecutor bring every charge he could, including the kitchen sink, against JA's son, just because he's JA's son. I quit reading the articles right after the first announcements because I realized the SA election was going to get nasty.

JA's son has been charged in Seminole County which has a different SA so at least that won't get into it. I do think the race will get nasty for other reasons though. JA is running because he thinks he can make things better with our local judicial system. I hope he still gets the chance to do that.

LOL - Intermezzo, you type faster than I do.

 

[LambChop]

BBM

see, now that's absolutely right, and something someone should think of before they get behind the wheel after drinking.

LOL....he's 21. Do they even use their brains at 21? Seems to me not until they get into a jam and have to learn the hard way. jmo

 

[Intermezzo]

JA's son has been charged in Seminole County which has a different SA so at least that won't get into it. I do think the race will get nasty for other reasons though. JA is running because he thinks he can make things better with our local judicial system. I hope he still gets the chance to do that.

LOL - Intermezzo, you type faster than I do.

Only because I knew who the State Attorney for Seminole/Brevard County is:blushing:

I have received subpoenas to appear as a witness for the State in more than 1 criminal case at the Criminal Justice Center in Sanford

The judge in 1 of those criminal cases was retired Judge O.H Eaton who we saw at one of OCA's pre-trial hearings...I never got to enter his courtroom though..that case was dismissed at the last minute..literally...

 

[TotallyObsessed]

I find it enlightening, although I don't totally understand the sociology behind it, that when fca is not in the news, some of us take "survival of the fittest" to the extreme and find it necessary to find another person to go after - to attack...........
maybe it has nothing to do with "survival of the fittest" but is "the nature of hate"

I dont see this discussion as an attack om JA. Personally, I love the man. I think we are discussing his decision in light of the fact that he is running for office. I think most here want him to win and dont want to see an unnecessary distraction for his campaign.

 

[krkrjx]

I find it enlightening, although I don't totally understand the sociology behind it, that when fca is not in the news, some of us take "survival of the fittest" to the extreme and find it necessary to find another person to go after - to attack...........
maybe it has nothing to do with "survival of the fittest" but is "the nature of hate"

Well, I want to go on the record as not going after JA. I just think he could have taken a different route in this situation, one that could get the same result with little to no egg on his face.

When I worked in a PO office the son of the PO supervisor was on probation and because of his address his PO was in our office. He checked in like all other probationers and had the same rules and regulations to abide by as all the other probationers, no more and no less. The fact that his dad was his PO's boss did not enter into things, ever. THAT is the way to handle such situations...be dad and do what dads do but stay out of the rest of it. That man had the respect of us all because he neither coddled nor came down extra hard on his son when he got in trouble. He did his kid a huge favor in the process, IMO.

JA should get an attorney for his kid. Support him by seeing that he has proper defense...but not make excuses for him! It is not JA's fault the kid got into trouble. And yes he is an adult at 21, but likely only in the legal sense of the word. I know a lot of 21 years olds, and I was one once. At that age they don't always make the wisest choices, but they are certainly old enough to face consequences for their actions.

 

[beach]

Okay, the new playground is open and swinging.


[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=482"]Social Media subforum[/ame]



Please read the Sticky threads.

Thanks to everyone for your patience!!! :blowkiss:

 

[okiedokietoo]

I dont see this discussion as an attack om JA. Personally, I love the man. I think we are discussing his decision in light of the fact that he is running for office. I think most here want him to win and dont want to see an unnecessary distraction for his campaign.

I said "some of us" - I wasn't addressing the general discussion and also was making an overall observation current and past tense historical comment about what usually happens when she is not in the news. fyi I was not making a comment about anything you have posted. I like your posts.
This is the "Sidebar" thread and my sidebar post is my personal opinion about what appears to happen when "she" is not in the news.
peace love to all

 

[Anakerie]

I know this isn't all about FCA, but she's mentioned in the article... I gotta say, I agree with a LOT of what this guy says in his open letter to CNN;

An Open Letter to CNN Regarding Nancy Grace
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chez-pazienza/an-open-letter-to-cnn-reg_b_1276595.html

 

[2goldfish]

LOL....he's 21. Do they even use their brains at 21? Seems to me not until they get into a jam and have to learn the hard way. jmo

I agree that boys arent using their brains at age 21 however, most manage to refrain from rape & murder, and most refrain from drink driving. I dont think the crimes are all so very different, so that argument wouldnt work for me...


part of getting into the jam and learning would be paying for an attorney himself. clearly that doesnt teach some people, but I bet it teaches a few.