BABY'S MOMMA

Defendant on the stand testifying about his whereabouts on the day of the crime. He says I was at my "baby momma's house". Then the DA kept on using the term "baby momma's house" on question after question. After quite some time the judge, a black woman, interrupted the DA's cross-examination and in an exasperated and/or disgusted tone says to the defendant on the stand "does this person have a name?" "Yeah" the defendant said "Latoya". "Then use her name" the judge snaps.

BAND OF BROTHERS

Oh we brave few - that's the feeling I get trudging up to the attorney lounge at noon after the morning session in trial which is usually a losing one and seeing all the other lawyers sitting around - or even lying around; most just waiting - waiting for a witness - waiting for a judge to decide - waiting for a court to call their case - just waiting.
Sometimes there's someone in the midst of some great victory - a lesser charge allowed in - a concession by the DA - a dismissal of one of ten counts - or even a hung jury - or on the rare occasion, a "NG"* (WE WON THE WAR) of all unlikely things.
Most of them, however, are in my boat having had their heads handed to them in the morning - but keeping hope up for the afternoon when who knows there might be some small victory lying in wait; a good ruling from the judge, a cop being honest about how it actually looked, something that comes in that you can argue about in final argument. Either way the battle goes on at 1:30.
Bring it on.



*Not Guilty if you have to ask

YOU'D THINK I KILLED SOMEONE - THAT'S MY ARM IN THE PHOTO

OMG I’m sent out for trial downtown to begin my 7 count forcible rape re-trial. That’s ok but I have a preliminary hearing set the next day in Long Beach. It’s been postponed a few times. And I’ve got another trial set the next week (14 counts of robbery) also in Long Beach. The Judge wants to see me. The DA wants to see me. There I am surrounded by the Judge, the 2 DA’s – the one on the preliminary hearing and the one on the robbery trials. They’re “frustrated”. They’re “upset”. They’re “pissed off”. At ME! Cause “YOU GOT YOURSELF ENGAGED!” (for you non criminal attorneys “being engaged” has nothing to do with marriage or sex. [well, maybe] It means that you can only do one thing at a time. If you’re in a trial well you’re not going to be able to do a preliminary hearing or another trial. That’s what it means. I’m a trial lawyer – I go to trials when some judge tells me I’m going. That’s it. But there I am in Long Beach being accused of “GETTING MYSELF ENGAGED!” That’s exactly what the DA’s say. “Mr. Meyer continues to get himself engaged!” They’re beside themselves with anger. You’d think I’d done all the rapes, carjackings, and kidnappings. Okay so their schedules had to be changed. They work me over good. By the time I slink out of there I am so relieved that I’m still in one piece and not in jail myself, I’m actually really looking forward to the relaxation of fighting my forcible rape trial.

I’m waiting in court for my jury to come back with its guilty verdict when another case is called. It’s a Motion for New Trial. The lawyer for the convicted defendant is so angry. Amazed to see how he really goes over the edge with the judge. He’s actually being abusive to her. “Well you didn’t even read my brief.” “Yes I did, counsel and I don’t like your tone.” “It’s been sitting in front of you the whole morning and you never took a look at it. I was watching.” I’m very curious – how much shit is she going to take from this guy? His eyes are bulging. He looks like he hadn’t slept in days. Was he high? It ended without him being sent to lockup – which I thought it would. As he walks by I say to him - “I thought you were about to go join your client” and looked towards the lockup. “Well this is a serious case”, he says. I couldn’t believe he said that. Is he kidding? Like my case isn’t “serious”. Asshole.