Wednesday, June 15, 2005

I saw Bert on TV - He's Distracting Us

I actually got to see H. S. "Bert" Garcia, our Texan U.S. Attorney in Puerto Rico, on the TV news last night when they showed a portion of a press conference the U.S. attorney's Office gave to announce a number of indictments in what they call a $4 billions a year money laundering operation and drug trafficking conspiracy. I was going to repress myself and not comment on the case, given that I have a client who is accused, but why should I have to shut up while the U.S. Attorney blabs to the press.

Bert, my client is innocent!

Bert must be thrilled to have some big indictments to put forth after playing with silly putty for more than a year. See our post on "Thin Resources" a/k/a AUSA's in D.PR in which we summed up the Chief Judge's comments to one of the Assistant U.S. Attorney's as to the paltry grand jury returns for the past year in this district.

Moreover, Bert must also be thrilled to have something to distract the attention momentarily from a lawsuit filed against him and others by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Marquez, who Bert fired. Carmen was a serious prosecutor, and she now has a formidable attorney named Judith Berkan. I would not enjoy being on the opposite side of Judy Berkan.

So, Bert, the distraction will only last for a short while. Enjoy your depo. Maybe I'll help Judy set it up in TrialDirector so that the same can be videotaped and then the transcript can be played along synchronized with the video. And, remember, the truth and nothing but the truth! Can you handle that?

You cannot bully people around and expect all of them to go away quietly. Some will inevitably come back to haunt your life. You cannot sully someone's reputation and expect them to take it in stride. No, Bert, you can't do that. And I believe Carmen any day, just any old day, before I believe you.

To the reader it may seem as if I have something against Bert. Well, I really do not know Bert other than by what gets out to us defense lawyers - but that's usually an earful - and the lousy treatment he gave me the one time I called him directly on a civil forfeiture matter. Bert, you could have been courteous, it would not have hurt much. Arrogance, sheer arrogance!