Ok, Prosecute Bonds and Clemens...But let the "Wall Street Guys " Walk !

Don't get me wrong , I don't feel the slightest bit sorry for Bonds or Clemens, despite their present legal headaches. While this is a "sad culmination of their careers", they dug their own ditches and neither will ever be accused of being "poster children " for "how to make friends and influence people". Both have been extremely arrogant and have treated most like shi_. But despite that, I can't help thinking that the crimes they have been accused of (and Bonds convicted of) are truly "victimless crimes ". So why has the Government spent millions and millions to prosecute these "former megastars"?One has to then recall the credit crisis since 2008...How many executives, hedge fund tycoons, bankers or mortgage executives have really been as aggressively prosecuted as Bonds and Clemens? Did anyone say near collaspe of the world's financial markets? Talk about crimes with victims....Doesn't get any worse ! So were the "investment bankers of the world spared so not to derail "the bailkout package"? Close ties to Washington? Wimpy prosecutors? Who knows ? All I do know is that a disproportionate amount of time , resources and money has been spent prosecuting two former jocks who gave us a lot of thrills, but now will never see the light of day in Cooperstown. Should have remained "a baseball problem". Doesn't add up for me. Oh well.... Your thoughts?

Raj Rajaratnam; Anil Kumar's testimony(if believed) is devastating stuff!

So this week Anil Kumar testified in the "Galleon Insider Trading Case". Kumar, a former financial consultant has already plead guilty to securities charges and is cooperating with the Prosecution.

In his testimony Kumar stated that he provided "hot " insider info to Rajaratnam on the ATI Technologies Inc merger, and that Raj paid him a million. Probably cash. If proved , that testimony alone will be sufficent to convict the former hedge fund magnate. We shall see how Kumar survives cross-examination!



Stay tuned!

Wrongful Imprisionment cases; City of New York is Paying some serious money($) to settle.

Not too long ago before individuals were being cleared through DNA testing(The Innocence Project etc.,) false imprisonment /malicious prosecution cases against The City of New York or The State of New York were looked at as more of "long-shots", rather than legally recognized causes of action. I prosecuted several myself; and without "eveidence of blatant police misconduct"(like the old 3oth precict cases) they were "uphill battles".
Now with firms like Neufeld,Scheck and Brustin and Beldock, Levine and Hoffman these cases are getting the attention of defendants and the "Bench", that they warrant and deserve.
How would you like to "wrongly " spend fifteen years in prision in the prime of your life?Just this past week, the City of New York agreed to settle the case of Jose Garcia (who wrongly spent 15 years in prision ) for $7.5 million . The money will not get him those years back; but justice was served. He probably did better by settling the case rather than trying his case. HIS ATTORNEYS? Neufeld, Scheck and Brustin. Congratulations to you , Mr. Garcia and your fine attorneys!

Civil Rights Cases; To fund there usually must be physical injury.

How many false arrest, false imprisionment, malicious prosecution cases and 42 U.S.C. 1983 cases are filed against the City of New York each year. Hundresds, if not thousands, I'm sure. Whatever the number, a great many do not involve actual physical injury claims. Yes, there are emotional injury and psychiatric injury claims, but the vast majority of those don't even have medical workup.
The City looks at these cases without physical injury or any real psychological workup "as a dime a dozen", unless someone served "real time" with a conviction later being vacated due to prosecutorial misconduct or DNA evidence.(i.e. see The Central Park Joggers Case).
So when your client who was falsely arrested and held for 12 hours in Central Booking comes to you for funding, be conservative, and don't encourage him. The end result will usually be a denial unless there is something really special about the case.
If you have a question/inquiry please contact me.