A Public Defender's Life in Alaska: Public Defense

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Public Defense

A Public Defender's Life in Alaska

Post Frequency: 4.3/day

Last Entry: December 10, 2018 at 17:21:00

So. Dirty play. Fine. I won't come

Posted on February 23, 2010
So. Dirty play. Fine. I won't come home anymore feeling like this. It is time to get into the trenches. Those of you who know me. Any question I can do it? Fix bayonets.

So, I haven't blogged in a while.

Posted on February 18, 2010
So, I haven't blogged in a while. My murder trial is progressing. Slowly. The State thought he might be done today or so. But no. Witness coordination in a trial this size requires the attention of 5 people. A delay of a day or two means massive re-shuffling...

So newspapers have a knack for

Posted on February 10, 2010
So newspapers have a knack for picking the worst photo ever of a client. Trial is progressing. God I love this trial. It involves DNA. People finding evidence in a 'trance'. People forgetting. People lying. It is a just amazing. I won't say more than is in the papers...

So, I have written before about

Posted on February 07, 2010
So, I have written before about how little I care about the Super bowl. But, once again, I find myself at my desk. I realize that I have worked almost every night, every weekend and every holiday (except Christmas day) for months. It is strange. When this case is over I won't know what to do with myself...

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So, my opening is done. I worked

Posted on February 05, 2010
So, my opening is done. I worked on it for 3 months. I counted my edits: I wrote it and re-wrote it and re-wrote it 80 times. 80. I practiced. I had it filmed. I gave it over and over. And I think it paid off. I think it was one of the best openings I have ever given...

So, jury selection. Obviously I

Posted on February 03, 2010
So, jury selection. Obviously I am not going to talk details. It is my favorite part of a case I think. It is when I get to talk to the jurors and not have them sit in silence. I went to the National Criminal Defense College in Macon Georgia and I have been a million times better at it since then...

So, rack 'em. My cold case murder

Posted on January 29, 2010
So, rack 'em. My cold case murder starts Monday. I can't sleep nights. I sweat. It is not fear. It is anticipation. I am a trial lawyer. This is what I do. All the frustration of this job is falling away. Every client who blames me. Every junkie who swears they want to get clean who I see back in a week...

So, goddamnit! Damn it all to

Posted on January 24, 2010
So, goddamnit! Damn it all to hell. We were outside today with the dogs. For some reason Kadee's dog Peanut went down the road (unknown to us). I found him a few minutes later. I don't know what happened, but he is gone. I don't know if a moose got him or a car...

So, the police are the same everywhere.Here

Posted on January 22, 2010
So, the police are the same everywhere.Here is the story from the CBC. Emphasis is mine. The Vancouver Police Department has issued an apology after a man said he was beaten by officers who knocked on the wrong door while investigating a report of a violent domestic dispute...

So, there is one thing I do not

Posted on January 17, 2010
So, there is one thing I do not understand. At all. I am watching CNN about the earthquake in Haiti. It is an awful tragedy. But here is what I don't get. I see a lot of bodies that are just covered with sheets. I see people complaining that there is not enough rescue workers...

So, instead of offering my views

Posted on January 17, 2010
So, instead of offering my views on how to stop terrorism or end poverty, I will stick to what I know. Like I know that my little girls are Alaskans, despite what the Government says. I filed Kadee's formal PFD appeal in the Superior Court a few days ago...

So, I always have to laugh at the

Posted on January 14, 2010
So, I always have to laugh at the comments about what a 'liberal' I am. Those same people criticized my last post but not one person suggested an alternative. So, General Pershing. I realize this poster is meant to be tongue in cheek. But I like it...

So, I haven't written in a while

Posted on January 10, 2010
So, I haven't written in a while about how America is slowly going downhill. I have felt a lot better since I got to shake my fist at Bush's helicopter last January. But this latest absurdity over airport security is just nuts. Has everyone in this country just lost his balls? No matter what the government tells us they need to do to keep us 'safe', we do...

So, for the few of you out there

Posted on January 08, 2010
So, for the few of you out there that have ever prepared for a murder trial, you and only you, know where I am right now. Obviously, I am not going to talk about my case. A simple 'google' search will tell you more than I will. I'll save you the trouble...

So, I have been getting calls.

Posted on January 06, 2010
So, I have been getting calls. Again, I have to say that I don't speak for the Agency. I just don't. I am happy to answer questions if I can. Let me explain one of the biggest things I am asked about. I am often told that people want to live in a 'rural' area...

So, I got a load of birch. That

Posted on January 03, 2010
So, I got a load of birch. That stuff is worth its weight in gold. We all went to work. Start 'em young. I wish I had something more exciting to write about. Between the broken snowmachine and working on the rental for 7 weeks, this winter has been quiet for me...

So, the local magistrate reminded

Posted on December 29, 2009
So, the local magistrate reminded me today about a case where the Alaska Supreme Court got it wrong. In Alaska Board of Nursing v. Platt 169 P3d 595 (Alaska 2007), the Supreme Court gutted the idea of a suspended imposition of sentence. Alaska Statute 12...

So, Alaska can be a hard place

Posted on December 28, 2009
So, Alaska can be a hard place to be when you don't have many friends with common interests. In winter it is even more so. Now that the rental is almost done I feel I need to get out. Ride the snowmachine. Ice fish. Use the Rhino. The girls are not old enough yet to really get out...

So, Merry Christmas. As usual

Posted on December 25, 2009
So, Merry Christmas. As usual the girls were spoiled by their family. Thank you to everyone who sent presents. The girls got more than they need but it is still nice to see once a year. It is my hope that everyone, everywhere, is able to put aside all the troubles of their life for this one day...

So, my buddy Jesse hit a moose

Posted on December 23, 2009
So, my buddy Jesse hit a moose yesterday. He is ok but his truck? Well. It won't start. It is pretty mangled. And this was only a yearling. A small moose. It might only be my eyes but moose get darker in the winter. And when one of these big black bastards steps out in front of you...

So. Tilt, bitch, tilt. Now we

Posted on December 22, 2009
So. Tilt, bitch, tilt. Now we start gaining day light. And, in a total coincidence, today was above freezing. All day. Light and warmth? Life is good in Alaska today.

So, some people believe in fancy

Posted on December 20, 2009
So, some people believe in fancy store bought Christmas trees. You know one with lots of pretty even branches and all that. Not me. I think part of Christmas in Alaska is hauling one of these ugly little scrub spruce in and seeing what can be done to pretty it up...

So, there is one thing I have to

Posted on December 12, 2009
So, there is one thing I have to bitch about. In Alaska, the Public Defender Agency makes us pay our own bar dues. I believe the Department of Law had the same policy for DA's. I have never heard of this anywhere else. It certainly was not true even in (my hated) California...

So, the Governor of Alaska has

Posted on December 10, 2009
So, the Governor of Alaska has announced a new campaign to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault. It is shame that he only listened to one side of the story. He is mistaken in his views and his polices will do nothing. Here is why. First, there is a claim that the rate of 'domestic violence' in Alaska is higher than the national average...

So, the Alaska Public Defender

Posted on December 06, 2009
So, the Alaska Public Defender Agency is hiring. I do not, of course, speak for the Agency in any way whatsoever but I simply figured I would do some free advertising. Quite frankly our office needs a misdemeanor lawyer. There are spots open throughout the State and I encourage anyone who is interested to call Doug Moody in Anchorage...

Huh. A man accused of killing

Posted on December 02, 2009
Huh. A man accused of killing 4 cops was gunned down by cops after 'refusing to obey orders'. Who would have guessed? Maybe it was justified. Maybe not. I'm just saying that if you had asked me to bet my left testicle (being sheared off with a rusty hedge clipper by a serial killer who then ate it in front of me) on how this would end, I would have guessed right...

So, you know what the worst part

Posted on December 01, 2009
So, you know what the worst part of being a public defender is sometimes? Dealing with DA's who have simply lost their way. I recently asked a DA to arrange a meeting with some witnesses and he says 'no'! They are 'too busy'. Like he can tell me no. It is trite law that there is no property in a witness...

So, let me tell you why I am a

Posted on November 28, 2009
So, let me tell you why I am a public defender. When I first went to law school I wanted to be a cop. Maybe Crown Counsel. Oh, my views were far different back then. That all changed on July 26, 1996. It was on that day that a search warrant was served at my home...

So, happy Thanksgiving. To celebrate

Posted on November 27, 2009
So, happy Thanksgiving. To celebrate we took the turkey over to Jesse's house. It was nice. He had a friend in from Portland. His mom and her friend came over. Other friends came by. It was a house full of kids and dogs and chaos. We had all the traditional food and spent the afternoon drinking, watching football and playing Modern Warfare 2 on the X-Box...

So, I know what we are eating for

Posted on November 23, 2009
So, I know what we are eating for Thanksgiving dinner. Do you? Or more importantly do you know how your meal lived? Died? What it ate? Thank you turkey. Even though, in your death throes, you did shatter the glass door to the chicken house. I respect you even more...

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