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Judge Hulk Smashes Joe Cool Verdict; Herald Approves

I almost never read Miami Herald editorials. They are usually banal, boring, and "measured" to the point of squeezing out anything remotely controversial or even interesting -- leaving only inoffensive and obvious truisms, poorly presented.

But today I have to agree with the Herald, which strongly endorsed Judge Hulk's smashing of the Joe Cool verdict:

Better late than never. This is the best that can be said about U.S. District Judge Paul Hulk's decision last week to throw out four guilty verdicts against a Hialeah security guard whose gun was used in the murders of a Miami Beach charter-boat captain and crew. It's a pity that Judge Hulk didn't realize the mistake earlier -- during trial -- when it could have spared the victims' grief-stricken family members another round of trauma.

Seething with anger, and busting out of his "puny human" clothes, Judge Hulk still managed to do the right thing:

That was a mistake, Judge Hulk said last week. He acknowledged that he should have told the jurors they could find Zarabozo guilty of the gun charges only if they also found him liable for the kidnappings or deaths. It is rare for a judge to publicly admit to a trial error, especially after a verdict has been rendered. For this, Judge Hulk deserves credit. It took courage and conviction for him to do so.

Perhaps we should not be so quick to judge the rampages and wanton destruction of buildings and property that are so often associated with Judge Hulk's courtroom rage. Maybe they are merely the product of a tortured, misunderstood and conflicted soul.

Oy. I should note this is not some typo -- the Herald got Judge Huck's name wrong nine times in that editorial.

Full post as published by South Florida Lawyers on November 11, 2008 (boomark / email).