RebaKennedy
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- Feb 16, 2011
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Hi all,
Yes - I am writing a book with Terry Lenamon, it's scheduled to be published sometime this year - I think late summer/early fall. He's found the publisher, I'm the legal researcher/writer on parts of it.
Over time, I've become more and more involved with Terry in various projects (I'm a named coauthor of his blog now, for example) as he's really become focused on how the system is breaking down, not just in Florida but all over the place.
The book is about the right to counsel provided under the federal constitution, as applied to those who can't afford to hire a lawyer. While my part of the book is written (first draft), Terry is still dictating his and I think he's got around three chapters left to do.
Rambling on (forgive me!) it's focusing on the Supreme Court's expansion of the right to counsel for the poor to more and more situations (mental health proceedings, juvie cases) as well as into the process earlier and earlier (during investigative questioning, etc.) ... and how the fiscal reality is that state budgets are left with the responsibility of paying for both the defense and the prosecution in all these cases.
The Court has ruled for indigent defense but doesn't give instructions on how to pay for it. Last fall, the State of Georgia fought hard for guidance, and got nothing back. Not even a written opinion, just a summary adios.
Georgia, meanwhile, is in serious straits and its criminal justice system needs help. Meanwhile Im sure y'all have heard about things in California, where in some cities they are just letting prisoners out and not pursuing some crimes b/c of lack of funds. Stuff like that.
Terry has also started a nonprofit that is growing very fast over in Florida - deans of the law schools there, other attorneys/law firms all working together in a volunteer effort to contribute as best they can (it's called Florida Capital Resource Center). He's really committed to this.
Next week, there will be an announcement of a new co executive director for the non-profit he started b/c it's too big for Terry to keep up with and still keep up his law firm.
Still rambling, forgive me again, so that's the skinny on my connection with Terry Lenamon. Have I asked/bugged/whined/cajoled/annoyed him about Casey Anthony? Yes. (Especially about that report of his.) He won't say anything except what you've read online already. Believe me, I've been pushy. Hasn't helped. He's so #$@# tight-lipped that he probably knows who really assassinated JFK, too. (Joke.)
Reading the posts here, do I think he's a good lawyer? Yes, I do. He's dedicated to being a good attorney in a time when so many were/are dedicated to making lots of cash. I like this about him; with his talent, he could be making a lot more money for his boys and family in a personal injury practice, for example. Instead, he's got to fight for court appointed level fees and he eats a lot of time.
One thing Terry and I don't agree on, though. He was in town last month to go over the book stuff and over nachos, I told him the story about how I was at a Bar function, setting next to Charlie Butts, a highly respected criminal defense attorney here in San Antonio. I will never forget asking Charlie Butts about whether or not he had ever met anyone that he thought to be truly evil (referring to the book People of the Lie by Scott Peck, if you've read that...good book).
Charlie had been a prosecutor for many, many years before he became a defense attorney and I can't remember which side of the courtroom he was on for these four cases but he did name four people, three men and a woman, that he said he did indeed believe were evil. He said he couldn't see anything when he looked in their eyes, and that he never wanted to be alone in a room with them. Like Scott Peck, he said it was something of omission: there wasn't any psychological dx that explained their behavior, etc.
Terry said he hasn't met anyone he believes to be truly evil. He told me that in his years of dealing with some of the most horrific crimes imaginable, that he's found severe damage or what he called "brokenness" - not that he's excusing them at all, but that there was a lack there somewhere. Terry's big on discovering the why of things, he wants to know why something horrible happened, very into psychology and brain science, etc.
Me, let me get it out here now (ramble, ramble): I'm a Christian. I believe in the existence of evil. If I didn't before my years representing kids in CPS court, I definitely do now. Like Charlie Butts, I think I've seen it. I'm not saying that Terry isn't; Terry is Catholic. But I can't go so far as he does on the psychological perspective. We don't agree here.
Geez Louise, I've typed a book and the computer clock says it's 11:30.
This place is addicting. And I told myself I wouldn't go into Websleuths till the weekend! Yikes yikes.
Sorry for the rambling, and thx for the patience,
Reba
Yes - I am writing a book with Terry Lenamon, it's scheduled to be published sometime this year - I think late summer/early fall. He's found the publisher, I'm the legal researcher/writer on parts of it.
Over time, I've become more and more involved with Terry in various projects (I'm a named coauthor of his blog now, for example) as he's really become focused on how the system is breaking down, not just in Florida but all over the place.
The book is about the right to counsel provided under the federal constitution, as applied to those who can't afford to hire a lawyer. While my part of the book is written (first draft), Terry is still dictating his and I think he's got around three chapters left to do.
Rambling on (forgive me!) it's focusing on the Supreme Court's expansion of the right to counsel for the poor to more and more situations (mental health proceedings, juvie cases) as well as into the process earlier and earlier (during investigative questioning, etc.) ... and how the fiscal reality is that state budgets are left with the responsibility of paying for both the defense and the prosecution in all these cases.
The Court has ruled for indigent defense but doesn't give instructions on how to pay for it. Last fall, the State of Georgia fought hard for guidance, and got nothing back. Not even a written opinion, just a summary adios.
Georgia, meanwhile, is in serious straits and its criminal justice system needs help. Meanwhile Im sure y'all have heard about things in California, where in some cities they are just letting prisoners out and not pursuing some crimes b/c of lack of funds. Stuff like that.
Terry has also started a nonprofit that is growing very fast over in Florida - deans of the law schools there, other attorneys/law firms all working together in a volunteer effort to contribute as best they can (it's called Florida Capital Resource Center). He's really committed to this.
Next week, there will be an announcement of a new co executive director for the non-profit he started b/c it's too big for Terry to keep up with and still keep up his law firm.
Still rambling, forgive me again, so that's the skinny on my connection with Terry Lenamon. Have I asked/bugged/whined/cajoled/annoyed him about Casey Anthony? Yes. (Especially about that report of his.) He won't say anything except what you've read online already. Believe me, I've been pushy. Hasn't helped. He's so #$@# tight-lipped that he probably knows who really assassinated JFK, too. (Joke.)
Reading the posts here, do I think he's a good lawyer? Yes, I do. He's dedicated to being a good attorney in a time when so many were/are dedicated to making lots of cash. I like this about him; with his talent, he could be making a lot more money for his boys and family in a personal injury practice, for example. Instead, he's got to fight for court appointed level fees and he eats a lot of time.
One thing Terry and I don't agree on, though. He was in town last month to go over the book stuff and over nachos, I told him the story about how I was at a Bar function, setting next to Charlie Butts, a highly respected criminal defense attorney here in San Antonio. I will never forget asking Charlie Butts about whether or not he had ever met anyone that he thought to be truly evil (referring to the book People of the Lie by Scott Peck, if you've read that...good book).
Charlie had been a prosecutor for many, many years before he became a defense attorney and I can't remember which side of the courtroom he was on for these four cases but he did name four people, three men and a woman, that he said he did indeed believe were evil. He said he couldn't see anything when he looked in their eyes, and that he never wanted to be alone in a room with them. Like Scott Peck, he said it was something of omission: there wasn't any psychological dx that explained their behavior, etc.
Terry said he hasn't met anyone he believes to be truly evil. He told me that in his years of dealing with some of the most horrific crimes imaginable, that he's found severe damage or what he called "brokenness" - not that he's excusing them at all, but that there was a lack there somewhere. Terry's big on discovering the why of things, he wants to know why something horrible happened, very into psychology and brain science, etc.
Me, let me get it out here now (ramble, ramble): I'm a Christian. I believe in the existence of evil. If I didn't before my years representing kids in CPS court, I definitely do now. Like Charlie Butts, I think I've seen it. I'm not saying that Terry isn't; Terry is Catholic. But I can't go so far as he does on the psychological perspective. We don't agree here.
Geez Louise, I've typed a book and the computer clock says it's 11:30.
This place is addicting. And I told myself I wouldn't go into Websleuths till the weekend! Yikes yikes.
Sorry for the rambling, and thx for the patience,
Reba
arty::welcome::Welcome1::welcome4::greetings: 
