A 100's of miles journey to D.C. - District of Corruption - ("The Belly of the Beast"), with the custom made bike/cart, collectively referred to as "The Buggee", loaded with nearly 185 lbs. of gear at the start. The journey is to bring closure to evils that Canadian officials, certain Bulgarians, as well as, Tennessee officials and others took part in, hence "CORRUPTION CRIPPLES". CORRUPTION does CRIPPLE and affects us all, so stand up against it! Do not be silent! Become AWARE and stay ALERT!
The video is entitled, “Healing the Believers Chests” That’s from the
Qur’an: “Fight them, and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover
them with shame, help you over them, heal the breasts of Believers.”
(Qur’an 9:14).
People have been getting burned alive for one reason or another since the dawn of man, so WHY is this particular pilot getting SO much attention? Would the same be given to just a common man?
He knew the risk when he would murder from thousands of meters above the ground. All without ever knowing for sure if it was only those they deemed guilty, he was murdering.
WARNING: The accompanying video might contain content that is not suitable for all ages. Proceed only if you are 18 years and older.
WARNING: The accompanying video might contain content that is not suitable for all ages. Proceed only if you are 18 years and older.
Tens of thousands of Islamist terror
group's supporters offer ghastly suggestions in coordinated response to
Jordanian campaign in solidarity with captive pilot's family. The
radical Islamic State terror group has shown its murderous colors again
after capturing a Jordanian pilot flying a mission for the US-led
coalition, by asking social media users how they should murder the
captive. The group's supporters on social media have been using the
hashtag "Suggest a way to kill the Jordanian pilot pig" to crowd-source
creative solutions to murder First Lieutenant Muath al-Kaseasbeh, who
was shot down over Syria and captured by the ruthless radicals. The
active hashtag, which has garnered thousands of shares and tweets by the
group's activists and their supporters, has exposed horrific methods to
torment the Jordanian pilot to death.
According to news website Vocativ, which identified the increased use of
the hashtag, the myriad ways suggested included beheading, burning
alive, pummeling with a tractor, and "impalement." And if one hashtag
wasn't enough for the Islamic State supporter, another –
WeAllWantToSlaughterMuath – has been mentioned over 11,000 times. The
jihadi hashtag campaign was a response to the much wider campaign run by
supporters of the Jordanian pilot and his family. Since he was taken
captive last week, hundreds of thousands of Arabs have tweeted using the
hashtag WeAreAllMuath, in which they share their prayers for the
captive Jordanian.
The campaign was even adopted by Queen Rania, who uploaded a photo to
instagram in solidarity with the captive, and Jordan's official
television channel, which broadcast a picture of Muath alongside the
hashtag. Muath married last summer and only finished flight school in
recent months. His father, Youssef, also urged the public to support the
family. "I pray that Allah will plant mercy in their hearts and they
will release him."
He implored Jordan's King Abdullah "to return my son to me. We all
sacrifice for our country and for the honor of the king." The father
said he was notified that the king was following the affair and
dedicating special efforts to saving his son's life.
First Lieutenant al-Kasaesbah was born in 1988 and lived in the city of
Al Karak south of Amman. In 2006, he began his studies at the Royal
Jordanian Air Force Academy. Al-Kasaesbah completed his studies in 2009
and joined the Jordanian Air Force. Before his summer wedding, he made
pilgrimage to Mecca and then joined the coalition against the Islamic
State.
MORE, Man's Religion at its best again.
Christians aren't with clean hands when it comes to burning people alive. Some of the victims worshiped deities not of the ruling "church". However most apparently did not.
During 1550 - about 1671, Christians burned an estimated 50,000 to
100,000 for what they claim was such things as heresy and/or withccraft.
Some of the victims were midwives and native healers; however most
were not.
Most of the victims were tried executed by local, community courts,
not by the Church.
A substantial minority of victims -- about 25% -- were male.
The insanity affected mostly
Switzerland, Germany and France, yet the United State of America did their fair share as well.
On or about 2008-2009 by Christians in Africa burning humans alive after declaring them as witches. Praise to Abba, Elohiym that not all are as these ... — civilisation has arrived to the heathens with white man’s religion.
Video below allegedly occured Kisii Nyamataro Kenya. Graphic.
WARNING: The accompanying video might contain content that is not suitable for all ages. Proceed only if you are 18 years and older.
WARNING: The accompanying video might contain content that is not suitable for all ages. Proceed only if you are 18 years and older.
State Comptroller Yosef Shapira has called for an umbrella
organization to be set over the non-profit organizations that are
fighting government, corruption in Israel.
At tonight's (Thursday)
OMETS (Citizens for Good Governance and for Social-Legal
Justice) awards presentation in Tel Aviv, Shapira said that his door
would always be open to representatives of all of the NGOs.
Shapira, Lindenstrauss tell MKs of efforts to improve country’s record on money-laundering, other corruption.
State Comptroller Joseph Shapira confers with his predecessor, Micha Lindenstrauss, at the Knesset, January 8, 2014..
(photo credit:Yonah Jeremy Bob)
Two state comptrollers, current and former, on Wednesday signaled their
determination to face down corruption at a meeting of a Knesset lobby, in the
wake of reports stating Israel has a bad record fighting money-laundering and
related crimes.
The meeting of the Lobby for the Struggle Against
Corruption in the Public Sector was attended by Joseph Shapira (current
comptroller), Micha Lindenstrauss (former comptroller), Justice Minister Tzipi
Livni, opposition leader (Labor) Isaac Herzog, Labor MK Shelly Yachimovich and
other top officials.
The two reports, which came out last month, were
from a monitoring body of the Council of Europe, Moneyval, which harshly
criticized Israel for being its only member country failing on certain
obligations in fighting both money-laundering and terrorism financing, and a
report by the Israeli chapter of the International Transparency NGO (run by
Lindenstrauss) placing Israel 23rd out of 34 OECD countries in fighting
corruption.
During the hearing, Shapira announced that he had “decided to
start a new beginning in checking the claims of Rafi Rotem,” a former top tax
official who has been claiming for years that he was fired improperly for trying
to serve as a whistle-blower regarding illegalities by the Israel Tax
Authority.
Rotem has had supporters from many corners calling for some
time for the state to grant him a special whistle- blower status and to
compensate him for alleged retaliation against him that reportedly was a factor
leading to him being ruined financially.
Shapira also cited a number of
his efforts to fight corruption and ensure ethical conduct, including an
initiative for the state to finance legal defense costs for whistle-blowers when
those whom they blow the whistle on try to sue and silence them.
Another
initiative was to obtain protective court orders to prevent firings and other
retaliation against whistle-blowers, he said.
Channel 10 journalist Raviv
Drucker briefly had a spat with Shapira in which he implied that Shapira had
been weaker in hunting down corruption by top officials than Lindenstrauss had
been.
Shapira took exception to Drucker’s comments and, sitting next to
Lindenstrauss, emphasized that “Lindenstrauss and I are together [in fighting
corruption], and if the press or someone says we disagree, they are
wrong.”
Turning to Lindenstrauss he said, “What you are doing is very
important.”
Lindenstrauss said the work of organizations attending the
meeting against corruption was “further praise of Israeli democracy” and sounded
a positive note in fighting corruption despite the problems described in his
report.
Livni said that the reports showing problems with Israel’s
efforts against corruption were valuable, but that whether the data is not
ignored, but is used to fix the problem, is important.
“Not everyone is
ready to fully” address corruption, she warned. “We need to do more things in
the open and not behind closed doors.”
Livni further noted that those who
were corrupt were “very strong, and it is hard to get to them and to deal with
the real issues.”
Shapira had sounded a similar theme, saying,
“Corruption now wears different clothes, and evolves, becoming more
sophisticated all the time.”
Other actions Shapira said he was pushing
for to fight corruption, particularly surrounding elections, were heavy fines
for election-related violations, publicizing the names of guarantors of
contributions for candidates and not only their donors, and calling on the state
to finance primaries to even the playing field between richer and poorer
potential candidates.
Israel ranks among the world's
most ruthless states. It qualifies for rogue state status.
It spurns the UN Charter,
major treaties, and other international law. It violates its own. It
gets away with murder because world leaders mattering most do
nothing.
It's contemptuous of anyone not Jewish. Arabs are
considered subhuman. Militancy, belligerence, and institutionalized
racism reflect official policies.
Israel is also a failed
state. Separate and unequal is official policy. One-fifth of its
population is considered a fifth column threat.
Neoliberal
harshness harms most Jews. Arab citizens fare worst of all. Wealthy
and powerful elites run Israel for their own benefit. Most others
lose out.
International laws and standards are spurned. Israel
does what it pleases with impunity. World opinion is ignored.
Democracy exists in name only. Hypocrisy reflects official
policy.
Israel is unfit to live in. Many Jews vote with their
feet and leave. Others consider doing it. One day perhaps most
Israelis no longer will want any part a nation threatening
humanity.
Corruption reflects Israeli society. On October 26,
2010, Haaretz headlined "Israel ranks among Western world's most
corrupt countries."
Transparency International's (TI)
assessment was cited. It rated Israel number 30 on its 178-nation
list. Number one ranking reflects least corrupt.
Compared to
OECD countries, Israel fared much worse. Denmark, New Zealand and
Singapore scored best. TI's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) rated
Israel 6.1 out of 10.
It ranks countries according to
perceived public sector corruption. Israel placed 22nd out of 33 OECD
members.
TI calls itself "the global civil society
organization leading the fight against corruption, brings people
together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating
impact of corruption on men, women and children around the
world."
Its own transparency is lacking. Its reports are
predictably politicized. They consistently understate Western
corruption. Other parts of the world score worse. Independent nations
are unfairly targeted.
Washington and other Western
governments provide most funding. They get what they pay for. Suspect
information is used. Countries like Venezuela are grossly
mistreated.
In 2008, TI falsified information about PDVSA. It
claimed the state-owned oil company failed to disclose important
financial information relating to revenues and royalties paid. It
also said proper audits weren't conducted.
It rated PDVSA
lowest among oil companies in 42 countries. Data TI said was withheld
was publicly available. Proper audits were conducted. Claiming
otherwise was false.
Anti-Chavista information was used. The
Cundacion Momento de la Gente group provided it. Washington's
National Endowment for Democracy (NEW) funds the organization. It
gets what it pays for.
In May 2010, the OECD accepted Israel
as a member. It did so despite its deplorable human rights record,
gross wealth disparity, eroding social justice, and extreme
belligerence.
Haaretz said Israeli corruption hadn't improved
since 2007. Compared to other countries, its position is
deteriorating. TI CEO Galia Sagy said:
"As opposed to
Israel, other countries are improving, and that is a problem."
"Even
though corruption is discussed and condemned, politicians are not
doing enough to deal with it. If the political leadership does not
prioritize this issue, nothing will change."
On December
1, 2011, Haaretz headlined "Corruption in Israel drops to record
depths, new survey shows," saying:
TI's Sagy said
Israel's ranking was affected by the number of high officials
indicted. "The accrual of corruption allegations filters down
and affects perception," she said.
TI first ranked Israel
in 1997. At 5.8, it scored lowest last year. It ranked 36th out of
183 nations surveyed. The higher the number, the greater the
corruption.
Israel ranked 25th out of 34 OECD states. Its
score either replicated or slightly bettered St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Bhutan, Malta, and Puerto Rico.
New Zealand,
Denmark and Finland scored best. Somalia was worst. Sagy wasn't
optimistic about Israel improving. "We don't see actions
designed to halt the downward slide," she said.
"The
ties between wealth and government need to be severed, as corruption
is one of the main causes of inequality."
It's true
throughout Western societies. America by far is most corrupt. Funding
Washington provides TI gets what it pays for.
Its reports
downplay US corruption, extreme wealth disparity, eroding social
justice, deplorable human rights record, and war it wages on
humanity.
Israel goes all out to replicate the worst of its
paymaster partner. On December 22, 2011, Haaretz headlined
"Corruption in Israel must be uprooted," saying:
An
end of year State Comptroller's report raised concerns. It said rules
applying to central governance with respect to money and power ties
also affect local authorities.
Israel's cabinet and Knesset
decisions affect all Israelis. At the same time, their main contact
with government is local. "Everyday life is determined by the
decisions made by the local authority or municipality council, and
especially by its head."
The State Comptroller's report
raised red flags. Corrupt mayors were named. They're "good to
those who have been good to them, at the expense of the public and
public funds."
Conduct reflecting criminality,
approaching it, or skirting it was suggested. Security issues were
raised. Local authorities have flawed measures in place to handle
them.
Corruption and negligence issues were discussed.
Ordinary Israelis lose out. The comptrollers report discussed what's
ongoing. Little is being done nationwide to change things.
On
December 5, Haaretz headlined "Israel ranks 39 on list of most
corrupt countries," saying:
Its score keeps falling.
Year-over-year, it dropped from 36 to 39.
TI said malfeasance
forced several leaders from office last year. Little changed.
Corruption and abuse of power persist globally.
Two-thirds of
the countries ranked reflect extreme corruption. Distorted measures
excluded America, Israel, and other Western states among the world's
worst.
Independent states Washington targets scored poorly.
Rankings were grossly distorted. Somalia ranked 174, North Korea 174,
Afghanistan 174, Sudan 173, Venezuela 165, Syria 144, Russia 133,
Iran 133, Lebanon 128, Belarus 123, Ecuador 118, Bolivia 105, China
80, and Cuba 58.
Most major Western countries got undeserved
high rankings. EU states affected by financial crisis ranked poorly.
Greece was 94. Italy scored 72.
Israel scored lower than
Slovenia, Taiwan, Puerto Rico, Estonia, Botswana, UAE, and Qatar. It
should have ranked much lower on TI's list.
Its managing
director, Corbus de Swardt, called corruption "the world's most
talked about problem. The world's leading economies should lead by
example."
They should "mak(e) sure that their
institutions are fully transparent and their leaders are held
accountable."
He didn't explain their involvement in
massive corruption. As a result, their high rankings distort reality.
America is the world's largest economy by far. US corruption is worst
of all.
London may be the world's most corrupt city. It's an
international financial center. It's the world's largest. Over 20% of
all international bank lending occurs there and more than 30% of all
foreign exchange transactions.
Over 240 of the world's largest
banks operate key parts of their international business there.
Economist Jack Rasmus calls it the world's "cowboy finance
capital."
It's the epicenter of libor rigging. Binary
Economics Professor Rodney Shakespeare told Progressive Radio News
listeners that amounts involved exceed global GDP 15 or
20-fold.
Multi-trillions of dollars are manipulated. Liborgate
reflects massive fraud. It persists because nothing is done to stop
it.
Government and business collude. Doing so facilitates
massive corruption. It reflects business as usual on Wall Street and
in other financial capitals.
Israel is mired in corruption. So
are other Western states. TI rankings exclude reality. They downplay
extreme corruption where it most needs exposing.
Money buys
influence. Washington, major Western states, and Israel get the best
rankings money can buy.
By Karuna Madan, Correspondent Published: 19:30 August 27, 2014
A security personel walks in front of the Indian Supreme court in New Delhi on August 27, 2014.
India’s top court said lawmakers with criminal backgrounds should not serve in government. Image Credit: AFP
New Delhi: The ruling by the Supreme Court on ministers with criminal
background in the government has put the spotlight on Narendra Modi and
his cabinet after the prime minister swept to power this year pledging
clean governance.
The court said that lawmakers with criminal backgrounds should not
serve in government, with 13 ministers in the current administration
facing charges for attempted murder, rioting and other offences.
“We leave it to the wisdom of the Prime Minister whether to appoint
people with criminal background or not. The PM and the CMs should not
include people with criminal antecedents in their cabinet. Those in
conflict with law and involved in offenses of moral turpitude and
corruption should not be allowed to discharge duty as ministers,” the
apex court said in its judgement while dismissing the petition filed by
Manoj Narula, who had sought direction against criminalisation of
politics.
It was a unanimous ruling by the bench comprising Lodha, Dipak Misra,
Madan B Lokur, Kurian Joseph and SA Bobde. While all five judges stood
by the verdict passed, two of them — Justice Kurian and Justice Lokur —
strongly insisted that if a person with dubious integrity is barred from
civil services, then politicians with criminal background should also
be barred from the cabinet.
“We are saying nothing more, nothing less and it is left on the wisdom
of the PM to decide. PM and CMs will be well advised not to include such
people in their ministry. Corruption is an enemy of the nation. As a
trustee of the Constitution, the PM is expected not to appoint
unwarranted persons as ministers, no disqualification can be
prescribed,” the judges ruled on a 10-year-old petition that sought the
removal of chargesheeted ministers from the UPA government at the time.
Modi’s cabinet has 13 ministers with police cases, but Wednesday’s
ruling will have a bearing on them only if charges have been framed by a
court.
Earlier, the Centre had argued that the dismissal of ministers would be
against the Constitutional prerogative of the PM and the will of the
people, and that “once a person is a Member of Parliament (MP), he is
entitled to be in the council of ministers.”
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the ruling.
“The apex Court is wise in going by the spirit of the law. They have
done the second best thing of appealing to the conscience of the PM,”
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy told the Gulf News.
Reacting to the Court ruling, the Congress urged the PM to come clean on this.
“The Supreme Court has made a very critical observation. Hope the PM
does not include tainted leaders in his Cabinet. The PM has to now come
up and state clearly what he plans to do, whether he agrees or disagrees
with the verdict. In politics, one is bound to morality and ethics,”
Congress leader Manish Tewari told the Gulf News.
“It is a very strong message to the PM. Indirectly, the Supreme Court
has advised the PM to drop ministers with criminal background. There is a
need on the part of the PM to be very serious now. Before elections,
the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by BJP promised to root out
corruption, now there are 13 ministers in the government with criminal
background. In the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) government, there were no ministers with criminal background. The
PM must be serious and act on the advice of the Supreme Court,” Congress
leader Rashid Alvi told the Gulf News.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader DP Tripathi said those with
criminal background should not be made ministers. If the chargesheet is
filed against a minister, he must lose the right to be in the Cabinet.
In an earlier hearing, it was argued that those with a criminal past
should not be made a part of the Cabinet. This was limited to people who
had criminal chargesheets filed against them and were taken into
consideration by a criminal court.
The government, however, argued that only Parliament can decide the
threshold of what would constitute as being a criminal past. The court
also ruled that it cannot pass directions for disqualification of
ministers facing criminal and corruption charges.
Please read the article and understand that what's written is so true of those holding positions as public servants.
Public servants do seem to be taking their positions of power to extremes, and inflict harm when and where they can. It takes those who are repentant, remorseful and/or regretful in these positions that make fine public servants.
Arm yourself with video and audio recording devises and catch them in the act if they're dirty! But, remember, not all are dirty. So, please don't stereotype them as they may you. Be better, and maybe, just maybe, they will learn how to correct and not follow their wrongs.
Search the internet for articles, video and audio of those public servants who forget their postion and over step their authority. The occurrences of them going wrong is increasing.
Truck driver Brian Miner turned the tables on a trooper for the
Illinois State Police who pulled him over for “unlawful use of horn.”
That’s because Miner noticed the officer was driving at a high rate
of speed, cellphone in hand, on wet pavement, and decided to “voice” his
displeasure with the officer’s reckless driving in the only way that he
could.
The officer, who goes unnamed but clearly seen in the video that
Miner posted to YouTube following the event, decides to pull the truck
driver over.
Big mistake.
Miner lets the officer know right away that he’s being recorded and
things get pretty contentious from there with Miner going off on the
reckless driving of his potential ticketer.
It does seem, for a moment, that the Illinois State Trooper is bound
and determined to find something he can “get” Miner for — unfortunately
for him, he finds a pretty spotless record and has to come back to the
vehicle ready to eat crow.
At the end of the video, Miner gets away without a ticket and even an
apology, and then turns the camera on himself: “And that’s what happens
when they know you’re recording.”
For any truck driver — or anyone — who’s ever been furious at police
officers who think they’re above the law, this is must-see stuff:
Naturally, YouTube nation loved it:
“Police (aka terrorists) wise up really fast, once they realize they’re
being recorded,” said one commenter. “It’s too bad that we have to rely
on recordings to keep them honest. That’s what happens when you put
corrupt humans into positions of ‘authority’ over other people.”
Another: “Thank God Americans are catching these lying supremacist predators in the act.”
And this: “This video is simply trying to bring light to the fact
that there are countless public servants, be they cops, legislatures
[sic], bureaucrats, politicians and government officials, who believe
they are above and exempt from the law. The problem has gotten
completely out of control as more and more high-ranking individuals
within state and federal governments continue to violate state and
federal law to push their own agendas without being held accountable.”
To be fair, the officer here does not represent all police officers.
Many are great at their jobs, and we’re all better off that they’re
there protecting us.
But they also must be held accountable to the same standards as the rest of us, and this truck driver did it beautifully.
Judge John C. Murphy, a judge in Brevard County, Florida who lost it...
What you will view and listen to accompanied herein is becoming a more prevalent occurrence in the United States of America Corrupted Judicial system. It has come to seem that Law Enforcement officials on all sides of the bench think they can put themselves above any sort of the once existent "Rule of Law" in the USA.
Here a so-called "judge" seems to have no problem violating law and/or others rights. What should also be disturbing is that Judge John C. Murphy seems to coerce public defender Andrew Weinstock to not allow his client a right to a speedy trial.
So-called "judges", all across the USA, use different tactics to make their job easier and to make more profit, gain and/or control for a system that has long been operated by evil. They are merely people who make mistakes and as with us all, must be held accountable.
Most of those sitting some sort of bench of justice in the US follow a version of a faith.
The day after the nasty assault, outside the courtroom, people were abuzz about the recording showing
part of the incident. Some said they watched the video on a national
news morning show. The video of the confrontation received substantial
play on national news outlets.
Just inside the entrance to the
courthouse, a framed copy of the "Principles of Professionalism for
Florida Judges" hangs on the wall. First on the list: "A judge should be
courteous, respectful and civil to lawyers, parties, witnesses, court
personnel, and all other participants in the legal process."
All too many USA citizens are being herded up and treated far less than common cattle via the widespread CORRUPT judicial system in the United States of America. "Rule of Law" and for "protect and serve" sake, have become more like: If you have money, assets and/or we can use you in our cold, cold cells, then you're needed to fuel the CORRUPT system of justice. Shut up, you're ours now, they seem to think! That seems to be the way it is for those roped into the Corrupted US Judicial system.
How will John C. Murphy repent, be remorseful and/or be made to give unto restitution as he has surely imposed on those he cast judgment upon during his time on the seat of "justice"?
The ordeal is listed below beginning with the most recent details first and the video of the ordeal towards the end.
UPDATED:
Since the firestorm from John C. Murphy's assault, oh so many have been calling for him to be removed.
Having had the privilege of serving a
three-year term on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee for the 18th
Judicial Circuit, I can state with some certainty that this type of
behavior is unacceptable to the legal community, and rightly so.
Whatever bad blood existed between Judge John Murphy and Assistant
Public Defender Andrew Weinstock should have been settled in a more
professional manner.
Charles A. Kohler
Lawyers, when
they address a judge, should use their title as judge or the term "your
honor." When a judge asks a lawyer if he would like a trial or a docket
sounding, the lawyer should give the judge a straight answer. When a
lawyer is told by the judge to sit down, he should. When a lawyer
refuses — after the third time — that lawyer might expect to be taken
into custody by the court deputy and taken to a holding cell. When a
lawyer agrees to go fight a retired Army colonel, instead of stating
unequivocally, "No sir, I do not want to fight, I want a trial date,"
then that is just wrong. I am surprised the public defender announced
his approval of this conduct.
Pat Pasley
Yes, Judge
Murphy could have shown more restraint, but the attorney willingly
accepted the challenge and met with the judge. This implies mutual
consent. The camera angle does not show who made the first move out of
the courtroom. The judge is now on leave and has to take
anger-management classes. I would expect no less to be assigned to the
attorney. I have known Judge Murphy for some time and he is a good and
honorable man who normally uses good judgment. Something had to trigger
this incident , which I am sure he now regrets.
No
judge is above the law. Taxpayers are being forced to pay his salary
after video, audio and eyewitness evidence proves beyond a shadow of a
doubt that this judge not only violated judicial canons, he demonstrated
his own mental instability, committed assault and disturbed the peace
in a matter of minutes. If he is not prosecuted for his premeditated
crimes, it serves as indisputable proof that judges are allowed to
violate the very same laws they are duly sworn to abide by and decide
within the court system.
Marcus Hochman
I understand
that he might be a good judge, served in the military for 30 years and
has helped out numerous vets. But this is not about the man; instead,
this is about the position he swore an oath to. This is about an
expectation of excellence. I truly hope that this judge holds himself
accountable and resigns. This would be an act of honor for Lady Justice.
David Smith
No
one has all of the facts, yet most want to hang him high ... He is on
paid leave. That means he has vacation time coming. Instead of vacation,
he will be going to anger management classes. Again, for all of you who
can't wait for your pound of flesh, he will be punished. Even judges
have the right to due process … If it makes you feel better, file your
complaints … There is no prosecution of anyone, including county court
judges, if there is no criminal complaint filed. It is "assault" in
Florida if you approach someone in a threatening manner with the means
to inflict harm. It is criminal "battery" if you strike another person.
It appears from the video and sound both were in violation. I didn't see
what actually occurred when they left the room.
William Worsham
It
actually is not about extracting a pound of flesh or any of the other
things. It is about maintaining some kind of reasonable courtroom
decorum and serving the people who are in court. That said, there is
another side to this, which is the actual problem they were discussing.
There are cases stacked up on these judges because the state doesn't
want to pay more money to expand courtroom functions. This is causing
this kind of stress. That problem is a political one. What you are
seeing is those frustrations play out in a ridiculous way.
Matt Reed, FLORIDA TODAY
10:08 a.m. EDT June 5, 2014
Judge John C. Murphy
A Brevard County judge called out and attacked a defense lawyer
Monday in front of at least one sheriff's deputy and within earshot of a
prosecutor. Then, he walked right back to the bench to schedule a
suddenly lawyerless defendant for trial on two counts of assault.
Judge
John C. Murphy hasn't received even a ticket after allegedly grabbing
and beating Assistant Public Defender Andrew Weinstock in a courthouse
hallway for "pissing me off." Video and audio of the courthouse fracas
have played on TVs and mobile phones across America.
But I suspect
the Florida Supreme Court, which disciplines attorneys and judges, will
not be as blind to Murphy turning his courtroom into the Viera version
of "The Jerry Springer Show." The commission has long sanctioned other
judges for rude or sexist comments or showing favoritism — mild problems
compared to what Judge Murphy caused in court this week.
Meantime,
I'd be surprised if the Bar does much more than reprimand the assistant
public defender. On the video, Weinstock's biggest sin was some
arrogance in defending his client's Constitutional right to a speedy
trial.
"The attorney had every right to be irritated," his boss,
Public Defender Blaise Trettis, said Wednesday. His deputy felt
pressured to waive his client's rights to aid scheduling. On video, he
suggests prosecutors filed charges at the last minute, causing whatever
"crisis" Murphy perceived.
"If I had a rock, I would throw it at
you," Murphy tells the lawyer from the bench. "Sit down. I'll take care
of it. I don't need your help."
"I'm the public defender, I have the right to be here and represent my client," Weinstock responds.
"I said, sit down," Murphy shouts before calling Weinstock "out back" ... for something.
"Let's go," Weinstock says, marching to the hallway, file folder in hand.
The attorney had "no earthly idea" what to expect, Trettis said.
Coercive courtroom?
"It's completely unexplainable, as I see it," Trettis said.
Murphy
is an otherwise respected judge who launched a special court for combat
veterans and conceded in an application for higher office that
impatience is a weakness. His job in misdemeanor court is to adjudicate
thousands of defendants accused of petty theft, domestic violence and
drug problems.
He took a paid leave of absence Tuesday to seek anger-management counseling.
What led to the blowup? I've heard plenty of speculation.
But
the key moment Monday — and a potential problem for the judge — may
have come during an appearance by another Weinstock client minutes
earlier. That client, too, had declined a plea deal and requested a
speedy trial.
Murphy responded by scheduling the trial for Monday
June 9, allowing less than four work days for attorneys to swap witness
lists and prepare. If that was too little time, the defendant could
always waive her right to a speedy trial.
That seems coercive.
"You don't want to be late that day," Murphy told the woman, charged with domestic violence and disorderly conduct.
I won't speculate on Murphy's thinking.
But
Trettis told me some judges get testy when clients request speedy
trials. It's the one situation in which defendants' rights force judges
to give up some control. Speedy trials trump judges other scheduled
trials and hearings, forcing them to rearrange calendars.
Still,
your right to a speedy trial is fundamental, like owning a gun or
praying in your choice of churc. And public defenders are among the most
idealistic (if worst paid) advocates for criminal suspects' rights.
Who's next?
During
the off-camera beat-down, video shows the gallery of defendants
laughing and hooting in the courtroom. They smile and clap nervously for
Murphy as he returns alone and collects himself on the bench.
In
response to their cocky attorney, Murphy had resorted to violence,
abandoned control of his courtroom and thrown of any semblance of
impartiality to the wind.
Imagine if your case was next with that judge.
Looking dazed at the lectern was Weinstock's client, William Rounicles of Cocoa, whose counsel had just disappeared.
Murphy pressed ahead, asking Rounicles what he wanted to do next.
"I want to get it done as soon as possible," the defendant said.
"That doesn't help me," Murphy responded, expecting the man to pick a trial date.
Then he set Rounicle' trial for Monday at 8:30 a.m., the same time as for Weinstock's other client.
Both
trials would be impossible. Murphy was either flustered by the fight —
or knew he had just forced one of the defendants to cave.
TRANSCRIPT: LIVE IN ORANGE COUNTY, MICHELLE MEREDITH, WESH 2 NEWS. IT'S COURTHOUSE
SHOWDOWN BETWEEN JUDGE AND ATTORNEY THAT'S BEEN SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NOW CALLS ARE MULTIPLYING FOR THE OUSTER OF A BREVARD COUNTY JUDGE
REPORTED TO HAVE BEATEN UP A LAWYER IN A COURTROOM DISPUTE. WESH 2 HAS
LEARNED A FORMAL COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST JUDGE JOHN MURPHY.
WESH 2'S DAN BILLOW LIVE AT THE BREVARD COUNTY COURTHOUSE. WHAT HAPPENS
NEXT? STATE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION WILL INVESTIGATE NOW AND COULD
RECOMMEND JUDGE MURPHY'S REMOVAL. IF I HAD A ROCK I WOULD THROW IT AT
YOU. THIS IS PISSING ME OFF. JUST SIT DOWN. I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. SIT
DOWN. JUDGE JOHN MURPHY'S OUTBURST HAS DRAWN A FORMAL COMPLAINT FROM A
SOUTH FLORIDA ATTORNEY. JOHN B. THOMPSON WROTE... MURPHY'S ACTIONS MAY
VIOLATE A PART OF FLORIDA'S CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT THAT SAYS...
PRESUMABLY NOT BY THRASHING THEM IN THE HALLWAY. [ BLEEP ]. ARE YOU ALL
RIGHT? IT WAS THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT THEY'VE SEEN SINCE THE END OF THE
JERRY SPRINGER SHOW. THE COMPLAINT ABOUT MURPHY GOES BEFORE THE JUDICIAL
QUALIFICATIONS COMMISSION WHICH MEETS IN SECRET. IT CAN RECOMMEND A
REPRIMAND TO A REMOVAL FROM THE BENCH. THE STATE SUPREME COURT MAKES THE
DECISION. THE JUDGE COULD ALSO EVER CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR BATTERY IF
AN INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT HE DID HIT THE ATTORNEY AND THAT IT WAS
WITNESSED. THAT INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY.
"Stop pissing me off. Just sit down. I'll take care of it. I don't need your help," Murphy is seen saying on courtroom video.
"No.
You know what. I'm the public defender. I have a right to be here, and I
have a right to stand here and represent my clients," said Weinstock.
"If you want to fight, let's go out back and I'll just whoop your (expletive)," said Murphy.
The two are seen leaving the courtroom, and the audio from the scuffle was captured on Murphy's microphone.
Murphy's outburst has drawn a formal complaint from South Florida attorney John B. Thomas.
"Is
this state to issue robes made by Everlast?" Thomas wrote in the
complaint. "The Florida Supreme Court must remove this judge from the
bench immediately."
The judge's actions may violate a part of
Florida's Code of Judicial Conduct that says, "A judge shall be patient,
dignified, and courteous ... and shall require similar conduct of
lawyers."
The complaint about Murphy will go before the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which meets in secret.
It can recommend anything from a reprimand to a removal from the bench. The state Supreme Court makes the final decision.
The
judge could also be charged with misdemeanor battery if an
investigation reveals he hit the attorney and it was witnessed. The
investigation is underway.
Brevard County Judge John Murphy will take a leave of absence and seek anger management counseling following a scuffle in his Viera courtroom Monday morning, officials said today.
Chief
Judge John M. Harris issued a written statement this afternoon related
to an incident and alleged fight that occurred between the judge and
assistant public defender Andrew Weinstock.
Harris' statement says Murphy's cases have been reassigned to other judges.
"Moreover,
Judge Murphy has agreed to seek anger management counseling and
treatment during a temporary leave of absence," the statement says.
Also today:
The Florida Bar, which handles attorney discipline, confirmed it has a "file open" related to the courthouse brawl.
The
Judicial Qualification Commission could not confirm whether it was
investigating Judge Murphy's role in the incident. However, officials
said it was the kind of thing the JQC would investigate.
The
criminal investigation continued, but no charges were filed. Brevard
County sheriff's spokeswoman Deputy Maria Fernez said deputies "weren't
able to get statements, that I'm aware of," from the judge and attorney.
The involved attorney, Weinstock, took the day off. Public Defender Blaise Trettis said Weinstock would be out for several days.
Judge John C. Murphy giving some sort of explanation
I was appalled, but not surprised, to read about the awful conduct of
Brevard County Judge John Murphy and his decision to take the law in
his own hands in court on Monday.
I am appalled because this
so-called judge apparently knows nothing about courtroom conduct, has
apparently never heard of the majesty of the law and apparently doesn't
know the days of judges like Roy Bean are over.
It is a sad day
for Brevard County jurisprudence when Murphy, a former Special Forces
colonel, decides that brute force is the answer for imposing courtroom
decorum, but perhaps that is the only law he really understands. He
should be removed from the bench and disbarred from the legal
profession.
However, I would not be surprised if nothing comes of
this, just as I am never surprised when Brevard County judges are
accused of breaches in decorum (search out information from the Judicial
Qualifications Committee). Just because he is an officer of the
court/law does not mean he is above the law.
I can only hope that
the Florida Bar Association and the Florida Supreme Court will view the
judge's conduct in the same light as I do, and that citizens of our
county will demand he leave the bench before he does something more
drastic.
To resort to violence, even if he is provoked, does not
indicate a fair and impartial ability to administer the law. By the way,
what were the bailiffs doing in this case? Are they not present to
enforce order in the courtroom?
And now, below is a bit of what took place:
Inside the Brevard County, Florida coutroom
A fight between a judge and a public defender broke out in a courtroom in Brevard County, Florida on Monday the 2nd of June, 2014.
Judge John C. Murphy
Judge John C. Murphy was allegedly trying to get public defender Andrew Weinstock to waive his client’s right to a speedy trial.
Weinstock's boss, Public Defender Blaise Trettis,
said the judge became angry because Weinstock refused to waive his
client's constitutional right to a speedy trial. Under Florida law,
defendants have the right to a trial within 90 days for a misdemeanor
and 175 days for a felony.
Video footage shows Murphy telling Weinstock, “You know, if I had a
rock, I would throw it at you right now. Stop pissing me off. Just sit
down.” Weinstock responds, “You know I’m the public defender. I have a
right to be here and I have a right to stand and represent my client.” Both Murphy and Weinstock can be heard via the video from the courthouse in Viera on Florida's east
coast.
After Weinstock refused to sit or
waive his client's rights, the judge Murphy issued his challenge to Weinstock to go out to a hallway in the back so
they could settle their dispute with fists. Murphy is heard saying, “If
you want to fight, let’s go out back and I’ll just beat your ass.” Weinstock can
be seen on the video walking out of frame toward the courtroom's back
door.
Video from inside the Brevard County, Florida courtroom where it began
Public defender Blaise Trettis said Weinstock thought Murphy just wanted to talk, but was unpleasantly surprised. Trettis told WFTV,
“The attorney said that immediately upon entering the hallway he was
grabbed by the collar and began to be struck. The lawyer said he just
tried to stop the blows. There was no discussion,
no talk, not even time for anything. Just as soon as they’re in the
hallway, the attorney was grabbed.”
Deputies pulled judge Murphy off of the lawyer, and Murphy went right back into the
courtroom, Murphy returned to the bench and said he needed a moment to catch his breath. He then finished up. Murphy was not charged with anything, but the
incident will be reported to the Florida Bar Association.
"Judge
Murphy has agreed to seek anger management counseling and treatment
during a temporary leave of absence," 18th Circuit Chief Judge Harris
said in a statement.
Trettis said he would not file charges, but he expected the Florida Supreme Court to take action against the judge.
"It's really out of character," Trettis said of the judge's behavior. "He's really got a good reputation."
"Hopefully it won't hurt either career," said Melbourne Attorney Eric
Morgan, who wondered if the incident was the result of a medical issue
or a misunderstood prank by the judge. He spoke highly of both men, but
noted they both expressed a willingness for a confrontation.
"In a sense you can say they had a consensual encounter," he said.
Public
defenders are typically assigned to cases in a single judge's
courtroom. Trettis said Weinstock had worked in Murphy's courtroom for
about six months and that he wasn't aware of a dispute that lead to the
fight.
Trettis said he had watched the courtroom video and didn't see anything that warranted disciplining Weinstock.
Weinstock
has been an attorney for about 15 years, some in private practice.
Before working in misdemeanor court with Murphy, he worked felony cases.
In the past year, two clients filed complaints against Weinstock, according to The Florida Bar.
In
January and October, two separate clients claimed Weinstock violated
rules regarding communication, saying he did not return their calls, for
example, and one claimed Weinstock violated his rights for speedy trial
by not properly handling his case.
Weinstock presented evidence
to the contrary, and documents released to FLORIDA TODAY show that The
Florida Bar's counsel found insufficient evidence in both cases to
pursue further investigation. Weinstock has no disciplinary history on
record, according to the Bar.
Last year, Murphy, who earns
$138,020 annually as a county court judge, applied to be nominated as a
judge in the Fifth District Court of Appeal, but he was passed up for
the position.
In his application, he wrote: "Judicial temperament
includes patience, open-mindedness, courtesy, tact, firmness,
understanding, compassion and humility. Patience was the toughest for
me. I work very hard to ensure that I do not become impatient."
Murphy,
a retired Army colonel who served 30 years in the military, helped to
start and presides over Veterans Treatment Court, which seeks to help
veterans suffering from mental health issues or substance abuse by
keeping them out of jail. Efforts are made to get veterans in treatment
that they might not seek on their own or for which they don't know they
are eligible.
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