WITNESS THE CHANGE …

New Times – Judge’s Gambit (2008)

Broward courts are set to reopen next week for in-person Final Violation of Probation (FVOP) trials. Witnesses and attorneys must appear in-person, while friends, family, and observers will only be permitted to attend via Zoom.

Status hearings are being held this week, with the easy to fix cases, mostly those not designated as VFO, for “Violent Felony Offender,” getting resolved to county time or reinstatements of supervision, just as they’ve been for months now on the regular in-custody Zoom division dockets.

The problem, of course, remains the VFO qualified offenders, those individuals with qualifying offenses they’re on probation for, or have as priors, even if they’re old. VFO is a deceptive term; it’s possible, and common, for someone who has never thrown a punch, or having committed a violent act a long, long time ago, to be held as VFO, even if they’re on probation for a non-violent charge. The majority of the cases being set for trial next week seem to involve VFO’s accused of “technical” violations of the type highlighted in the Gardiner article above, not involving new arrests while on probation. Since the pandemic started, the SAO and many judges have been resistant to stating that many of these Defendants are “not a danger to the community,” the requirement to a VFO being spared prison and put back out onto their original probationary or modified new terms. This has caused a backlog in the jails and, it’s believed, jumpstarted the need for the extremely short-noticed FVOP reopening next week.

The status hearings we’ve observed thus far in anticipation of next week’s trials have yielded few surprises. As previously stated, the easy ones are being handled, while prison time is being doled out on others. Many stiff prison offers are being rejected, and those cases are keeping their previous haphazardly assigned trial dates for next week, since the judges don’t seem willing to state any type of position on dangerousness, preferring to wait until next week. Anyone hoping for more flexibility on behalf of the SAO under Harold Pryor in these situations, given the “technical” nature of most of the violations, are most certainly disappointed.

And now the main point: next week’s live-Zoomed trials offer a historic opportunity for anyone interested in criminal justice reform to easily witness how a large segment of the mass incarceration problem, specifically violations of probation of a technical nature, are traditionally handled in Broward County. There are, of course, plenty of serious offenders who have earned a trip to prison, but there are many others who may be sent up the river for long stretches that many believe shouldn’t be under a modern, reform-minded State Attorney.

Be sure to spread the word. A lot of things have gone down unnoticed in courtrooms across the country over the years that have contributed to the mass incarceration crisis that would shock the average layperson, but with Zoom, can now be easily observed from the comfort of home or office. It’s just about the only good thing we can think of coming out out of the pandemic, so if you’re committed to change, spread the word, and stay tuned here for dockets and Zoom links for next week’s Zoom FVOP trials …

JAABLOG – GOT VFO? GOT ARTHUR? (4/20/2020)

112 thoughts on “WITNESS THE CHANGE …”

  1. 19

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    The line ASA’s are so used to the old regime they don’t understand they now have discretion. Well if asking a supervisor if ok equals discretion that is. Oh broward. More of the same.

    1. 3

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      No one in their right mind would speak to
      Norman whose main goal is to rake for muck,
      cause scandal and acquire some fleeting
      measure of acclaim & notoriety for himself.
      Buddy Nevins remembers.

      1. 6

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        But he busted that dishonest Ana down to dirt and should get a Pulitzer for that.

      2. 4

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        It’s well known Nevis was forced out. You have to actually have a reputation to sue for defamation. He’s a hack with no talent.

  2. 23

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    Harold dosen’t have leadership qualities… he is too scared to stand up. The office is still running how it always has been. He wants to make friends and want people to “like him”…. This is all politics. That’s why I cant stand “nice people” as leaders…. they wanna make EVERYONE HAPPY to the point NOTHING GETS DONE… they cant make a choice because they don’t wanna “piss” either parties off. That’s why people like Satz last so long because everyone else it TOO SCARED.

    1. 23

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      Harold came in during the best times to make a change…. the pandemic has aided him in giving the system its biggest reset ever…. if he cant do it now he cant do it EVER…. if he got in at a different time it would’ve been understandable how hard it is to stop something while the wheels are moving, but seriously he has the best timing to implement new rules and standards. He has better ways to brainstorm and organize, BUT HE WONT, because I believe he CANT… ITS NOT IN HIM.

  3. 0

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    STOP! Give him time! He’s just isolated and doesn’t know what’s going on.

      1. 7

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        The only reform coming around here is if this Baby Huey can find a faster way to funnel taxpayer money into his pocket !

  4. 11

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    He’s a quick learner he’ll beat my record and rack up 50 years on top

    1. 6

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      Given what lying POS she was as a judge who spit on the law as written decided as a judge, I doubt she was anything better as an atty.

  5. 3

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    Some mental case loser gets kicked out of a program and ends up using on the streets…..10 yrs prison is the offer…..F the State.

  6. 21

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    Yet Satz is still around. All this complaining about Satz abs the old ways and we finally get change and Mr Pryor still has Satz in the office. It’s a shame.

  7. 22

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    Pryor is a place holder. He’s got his eyes on bigger things. Why rock the boat? The only good thing one might say about MJS is that he had zero ambition. Being a jailer of humans was all he cared about.

    1. Harold Pryor is just a "place holder". Dont expect much from him. He will play it SAFE. says:

      21

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      I agree Pryor is definitely a placeholder…Nothing More.

      1. 5

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        Laughing last is the best revenge. Her career on the bench may have been a dead end but she’s blazing a trial in retirement. Good for Judge Holmes I say.

        1. 13

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          No one likes her. Some people fear her, but no one genuinely likes her. She has always pushed people so much, that her friends leave her. She is just not a good person. She must live a very lonely life.

      2. 1

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        Judge Holmes literally had a few judge forums cancelled …worried her girls in the races would mess up.

  8. 20

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    What is the black community going to say when Pryor starts to reveal his conviction stats of brown and black people? He’s already lied to the community saying he’s not prosecuting small amounts of cannabis and in fact he is! There’s been no change in direction given to prosecutors. It’s still prison prison prison and so much for he’s not direct filing juveniles!! Yeah Black Lives Matter—Pryors only!

    1. 2

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      PRYOR CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE IGNORANCE AND RACISM. THEY HATE TO SEE AN EDUCATED BLACK MAN IN LEADERSHIP.
      KEEP YOUR HEAD UP DUDE! #WE GOT YOUR BACK!

    2. 2

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      PRYOR CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE IGNORANCE AND RACISM. THEY HATE TO SEE AN EDUCATED BLACK MAN IN LEADERSHIP. WE GOT YOU!

      1. 16

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        Racist ——oh yeah wondered how long that would take for Pryor’s defenders to yell to the roof tops!! I’m a black lawyer. Don’t cry your racism to me. This has nothing to do with race. We voted for him because he promised change. All we have is Mike Satz dressed up like Harold Pryor with everyone of Satz people still running the show. Take your racism and shove it

        1. 17

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          The game was to obtain office. Not to change anything. It makes for an easy transition.

    3. 3

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      PRYOR IGNORE THE IGNORANCE AND RACISM. THEY HATE TO SEE AN EDUCATED BLACK MAN IN LEADERSHIP. WE GOT YOU!

      1. 2

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        PRYOR IGNORE THE IGNORANCE AND BAD ADVICE. THEY HATE THE CHANGE. FOLLOW YOUR BRAIN AND HEART. BREAK FREE OF THE SATZ CREW AND DO THE RIGHT THING. FREE THE CHAINS OF OPPRESSION. BRING THE LEADERSHIP AND END DECADES OF OVERPROSECUTION AND OVERINCARCERATION.

      2. 3

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        AN EDUCATED BLACK MAN IN LEADERSHIP. THEY HATE YOU FOR TAKING THE OFFICE. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND MAKE THE 100 DAY PLAN CHANGES.

        1. Don't pull the "race card" for Harold.... He suckss as a leader ( has nothing to do with his race) says:

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          Black people always bringing up color. Noone is “hating”, your guy is just not built for a leadership position… He is scared to take the lead. He is to focused on people “liking” him and “accepting” him. Leaders stand out,, they don’t try to “fit in”. A leader doesn’t use their color to play “victim”… you make the changes and accept what comes with your responsibilities. He can’t decide what is best and they override his authority anyway. He can’t assign the right people to the right position and they are all stuck in thier ways.

          1. 4

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            Shirley Chisolm, MLK, Malcolm, Jesse, Thurgood Marshall, James Baldwin, President Obama, John Lewis, ?Harold Pryor?

            1. 11

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              Look at his transition team and stop sqwaking…..he wasn’t never changing anything meaningfully…..Judge Ilona Holmes (Co-Chair)….she was always pro-prison….Eugene Pettis…..he was Pres of FlBAr and never did nothing about racism…..
              Stephanie Toothaker…..white shoe law firm/campaign pro (agreed/does HP have future lofty goals)…….Mike Dutko…..BFF to BOgenschutz/Satz……Larry Davis……some totally old guy (like all them)……..Charles Chuck Morton…..Mike’s right hand man for Chrissakes…..Karina D. Rodrigues…..who???

          2. 9

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            He’s just in over his head and all the Satz people he kept on are working him. Plus he worked there, for Mike. He’s likely in agreement with a lot of the old policies anyway. It’s why I supported Kimok.

          3. 1

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            Several white people were not built for leadership and NO ONE complained. Just leave the DAMN guy alone. He will be fine.

            1. 1

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              Satz was a useless you know what…….please Mr. Pryor don’t be one toooooooooooo………….

          1. 1

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            No one likes Judge Holmes BLACKS or WHITES. Heck Delta’s don’t even like her Ass.

    1. 2

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      There will be no DUI diversion when some of his top people are married to defense attorneys where their livelihoods depend on DUIs. Why doesn’t Pryor see it??

      1. 13

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        The only person in charge with a reform vision is Mr. Pryor himself. How he intends on implementing it with an entire office full of Mr. Satz’s top people running the Divisions is the riddle. Without bringing in outside people to assist him in changing a petrified culture it’s doomed to fail. The marijuana issue was a gimme. The real issue is the prison pipeline but I’m afraid only Ms. Williams or Mr. Kimok or Mr. Canady would have had the courage to make the necessary changes to impact the systemic racism institutionalized in Broward County.

          1. 3

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            I bet he’s running for a different office. Sooner or later. He’ll pass the Sao off to one of his Satzite adjutants.

        1. 3

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          The way I see it, is only Gordon Weekes won decisively.
          Brenda Forman was beaten if it’d been a one-on-one.
          Harold Pryor squeaked by.
          Gordon Weekes has the real political muscle.
          He crushed it.
          If Harold Pryor can’t deliver any change?
          Gordon Weeks should run a Black Female against him who can.

        2. 8

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          Yes someone with COURAGE…. NOT a WIMP…. ANYBODY but WIMPY HAROLD. Someone please take him down the yellow brick road.

        3. 1

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          Kimok, only. Williams has been a POS joke her entire career and Canady is simply a seasoned political.

  9. 14

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    STATE “HE’S VFO I’M NOT TOUCHING IT”
    JUDGE “HE’S VFO I’M NOT TOUCHING IT”
    INMATE “WHAT THE HECK DOES VFO MEAN?”

    1. 10

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      THE COURTHOUSE SURE SMELLS LIKE A POOP SHOOT ALRIGHT
      TOOTY NEEDS TO ASSIGN POOP DUTY
      HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THIS DUMP HAS BEEN DEEP CLEANED?

      1. 0

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        Are the bathrooms really closed for virus safety and the public has to poop in boxes? Is this true?

            1. 0

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              This kind of stuff couldn’t be made up even if one tried because it’s only believable because it actually happened.

    1. 4

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      She’ll go over like a lead balloon with her big fat snapper. Broward Judges have a well deserved stigma attached to them.

    2. 5

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      You mean she’s taking her Flea Market gig on the road now?
      Ilona sure has run it into the ground around here.
      What an unmitigated ham !

      1. 0

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        With the powers she’s been accruing the last few years, she’s more like a boar now. Cross her at your own risk! We’re all pumping gas in Ilona’s station!

        1. 4

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          I feel bad for her. She can have all the power she wants. She isn’t liked or respected by most. She has driven people away with her attitude. She is all alone. It has to be sad. I hope she realizes she can’t treat people like garbage and expect them to respect and like her.

          1. 6

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            I remember when she used to talk about herself in the third person. Like: “Judge Holmes is speaking.” She stopped doing that I think. It was such a arrogant thing to do. Someone must have told her it made her look silly. I’m glad she’s doing so much better than when she was a Judge. I wish she would speak to Mr. Pryor though. He’s wasting his good fortune at being elected. He could make so many positive changes instead of going with the old ways because it’s the path of least resistance. Judge Holmes has so much clout. She should help him. Unless she thinks everything’s ok as is too.

  10. 7

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    TO THINK I COULD HAVE BEEN SITTING AT HOME DOING NOTHING COLLECTING A PAYCHECK ALL THIS TIME LIKE THE REST OF BROWARD JUDGES

  11. 8

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    BROWARD DEMS LIKE TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY
    IT EASIER TO STEAL WHEN THERES CHAOS WITHIN THE RANKS

    1. 7

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      Poor little Megan couldn’t be happy looking pretty and traveling with her crazy husband. She knew she was marring into the Royal Family, she just thought being black we going to give her the right to change tradition. I give that marriage less then five years, they are both mental cases. Maybe she could get her job back at Deal Or No Deal since the queen cut off their money.

      1. 3

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        I wonder how “trapped” Crazy Harry was feeling when he was single? I seem to remember reports of his dating a ton of bimbos, partying and being drunk all the time and let’s not forget his naked party photos in Vegas. I think they are both screwed up in the head. Maybe her dad was not as nutty as we thought, he said she was a head case.

    1. 3

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      I remember the “Iron Mike” nonsense. Mr. Satz was a master of smoke and mirrors.

    1. 2

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      Broward Corruption County. The perfect recipe. A weak/timid State Attorney and the Scum Sentinel in bed with the status quo.

  12. 0

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    The danger was compounded by the wanton use of this piece of modern technology able to fire multiple shots in quick succession unlike to muzzleloaders of my youth

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