EARLEY V. LEVEY COHEN*

Kaysia Earley
Filing Documents

* Assuming Mardi Levey Cohen seeks reelection …

NBC 6Miami-Dade Attorneys’ Billings Under State Scrutiny, Burdening a Teetering Death Penalty System

One attorney — who’s earned nearly $5 million in fees since 2011 — billed $100 an hour for working, on average, more than 12 hours a day nearly every day for three years, taking just six days off over those years, according to the JAC.

Another, who’s billed $2.2 million over that decade, filed invoices saying she worked more than 24 hours a day 43 times

THE TRANSFORMATION OF BACDL

COMING SOONHarold Pryor’s Report Card: The Dinosaur Divisions; Longo, Longo, Longo

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The following was sent via email earlier today from Lindsay Lawrence Chase, the new president of BACDL:

Lindsay Chase

A NOTE FROM THE NEW PRESIDENT OF BACDL

Hello,

      On February 18, 2022, I had the honor of being sworn in as the new president of the Broward Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (BACDL). It is a privilege to be administered the oath of office by the Honorable Judge Kanner amongst friends, family, fellow attorneys, and board members.

      BACDL is the backbone of the criminal defense community and the organization is privileged with voicing the concerns of our members, Broward County defense attorneys, and our clients during these challenging times. It is important that we take time to survey immediate concerns addressing our practice area and advance an agenda to combat these concerns. With restrictions continuing to lift and normalization beginning to approach, it is imperative that we have a unified front on how we will address the concerns of our clients and ensure the protections granted in the Constitution while navigating the new status quo.

      During the next couple of weeks, I will be introducing myself to the various important players in the local legal community. I hope to set up meetings with these important players as well as with members to discuss goals and projects for the upcoming year. During the next year as president, I would like to offer more CLE opportunities, increase speaker presentations, create a mentorship program for our members, start a monthly newsletter with case law updates, establish a plan of action to address pressing problems affecting criminal defense lawyers and increase our partnerships with state and national organizations who share similar goals as us.

      I want BACDL to have a seat at the table and be able to have our position considered in decisions affecting criminal defense attorneys. I believe that the above changes will strengthen our voice in the community and assist us in effectuating real change. I am honored to have this new leadership position and look forward to the transformation of our organization.
 
Regards,

Lindsay Chase

THE TRAGIC DEMISE OF JOHN LONGO

Seventy-two year old John Longo died in custody, one day after being remanded by Tim Bailey. He was convicted by a jury on February 4th for a non-violent theft charge involving scamming a boat from an elderly victim back in 2018. The police report is here. A civil action also accompanied the prosecution.

Multiple motions were filed by defense counsel Marco Quesada in the days before the trial, asking to stay the proceedings, citing Covid-19 concerns, Longo’s heart and lung disease, and his reliance on an oxygen machine, which was utilized throughout the trial via a long tube connected to where the noise-emitting oxygen concentrator was stationed in the ante-room of the courtroom. Two doctors had also offered opinions that Longo’s health concerns, coupled with contracting Covid-19, “could be fatal,” but after SAO objection, and an appeal to chief criminal judge Andy Siegel that was deferred back to Bailey, the case proceeded to the jury.

According to Quesada, after the guilty verdict, he strongly reiterated his client’s obvious health issues, and asked to keep Longo out of jail pending preparation of a Pre Sentence Investigation report (PSI) and the sentencing. The request was denied, with Bailey reportedly assuring all parties that BSO had more than adequate health care facilities to help Longo. There were some logistical issues as to how to bring the breathing apparatus into the jail, and Longo may not have received his required oxygen intake for periods of time due to transport issues. He died less than twenty-four hours after the remand.

The prosecuting attorney, Kathy Heaven, spoke with us earlier today. Answers as to why the SAO wouldn’t agree to a continuance were off the record, and we agreed to follow-up with the SAO’s PIO. Our subsequent official request for an interview with Heaven and Harold Pryor was denied because the parties were “not available.”

“John’s worst fear has come true,” Quesada says. “He was afraid he was going to die if he went to that courthouse. And it all could have been avoided.”

In tragic fashion, case number 18-007687-CF10A is now closed.

Forever.

HAMILTON IN …

Judicial hopeful Tamar Hamilton

Attorney Tamar Hamilton is running to fill the most definitely retiring Sandy Perlman’s circuit court seat. Tamar’s filing is here.

Other circuit judgeships up for grabs in 2022 include:

County court elections in 2022 include:

Thus far, with qualifying around the corner, the only contested elections are for circuit court: Gundersen v. Alperstein, and M. Davis v. Andres Chaves

VOTE EASY!

In your inbox now:

Follow the link on the email currently in your inbox to receive an easy to return electronic ballot. It’s matched up with your bar number.

COMING SOONGot Pregnant?; 6000 jurors …