Every now and then, the system works.

This was my case. The victim is a very nice young girl who was attending college and trying make a decent life for herself and her young daughter.

The details aren't really suitable for this venue. The things that make it a good case for us (bad guy was a stranger, there were injuries in a couple of places) made it a particularly bad deal for the victim.

Early on, the bad guy pled guilty and got a deal for 10 years. It was too light for what he did, but my victim didn't want to go through a trial. I didn't blame her.

The bad guy then got some jailhouse advice from his celly. He got the guilty plea withdrawn, fired his public defender, and got his mom and aunt to mortgage their house to pay a private attorney $30K upfront for his defense.

I went to the victim and told her we were back on. She is a very shy Navajo girl, and I wasn't sure she would be able to handle what was coming.

As people often do, she surprised me. She was a compelling witness, and the way she stood up to a brutal 6 hour cross examination was something to behold.

When the jury came back in two hours with guilty verdicts to both counts, she just stood silently. No cheers or gestures to the rapist when the Marshals hooked him up and led him away.

As soon as he was gone, she hugged me and broke down crying.

As I was leaving the courthouse, the defense attorney was hitting up the two old ladies who had mortgaged their home for more money for an appeal.

The rapist, who was looking at 10 years, which is 8 1/2 with good time, minus time served, is now looking at federal life.

FBI — Federal Jury Convicts Navajo Man from Arizona on Rape Charges

__________________
“What you got, ain’t new.”

the verdict reads like a good punchline

__________________
it just needs more voltage

That's awesome! Good for her, may God bless her and her family.

I hope she does okay after this. And you did good.

__________________
Have guns...will shoot'em.

I would say that is a feel-good story but don't want to disrespect the victim as she is still living the hell of this event I'm sure. Praying that someday she can get a lot of this **** behind her.

As for the punk, he can RIH.

Some people that want a trial really are innocent but a lot of them are guilty as heck but so arrogant that they think they can beat the system. I hope that this dirt bag gets to know very well what it is like to be sexually abused for someone elses enjoyment.

"I hope that this dirt bag gets to know very well what it is like to be sexually abused for someone elses enjoyment."

This.
Hopefully, upon his arrival in the joint, he'll be seen as nothing more than a "woman of mystery".

A good story - with as happy an ending as it is going to get.

It sounds like that young lady relied on you to get her through what I am sure was a heck of an ordeal. Thanks for your good work in keeping it headed on the right track.

Sometimes life is EXTRA good....
Thanks for sharing your story and putting a smile on my face.

My best wishes for the victims recovery from a brutal attack.

the only way it could have ended nicer is if she had been carrying when the incident occurred and put him out of his misery then.
But who knows how that would have worked out.
Steve W

I just have no feeling for the guy. I'm offended that we will be paying for his stay at Club Fed. But now he won't be getting an allowance from his assumed destitute family. I do feel sorry for them. First because they're related to a criminal. But they were the ones who got conned into fronting the money for the lawyers new BMW (I know, its not enough to pay it off, but he's probably got one a few years old he can trade in.)

So to the OP, keep notes of your cases. Maybe some day you or someone can write a book about them. My brother retired and had a book written about one of his cases ("On the lasers edge"). It was dry reading, but then most Federal cases are. The best part is when the bad guy gets his due.

__________________
Dick Burg

A tip of the old Stetson to you and the young lady for staying the course and putting a dirt bag in a place, where with luck, he can be the victim for a few years.

Well done.

No Club Fed for Mr Jim - crime of violence + lengthy prison term = Maximum Security (High Security in BoP parlance).

__________________
“What you got, ain’t new.”

You both done good. I hope she will heal from this.

Wouldn't it have been nice if they had just done the old way of justice and let them stake him out over an anthill?

__________________
Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

Sounds like there was also a good case agent in the mix.Congrats on Justice being served.

I love it!!! Don

__________________
"Don't worry be happy"

Sometimes in this legal system of ours one has to be very careful what one asks for, like when one withdraws a guilty plea. Things can and often do get much worse than they already are. I suspect the trial judge just might have seen that coming. Guess this guy's learning that lesson the hard way, huh?

It used to be the philosophy that good always conquers over evil. Now, it seems like SOMETIMES the good guy (or gal) wins.

It's a beautiful thing.

GOD bless.

Good job to both of you!

As a criminal defense lawyer I got to chime in.
People diss on public defenders but in this case it looks like the PD representing this dirtbag did a GREAT job the first time around.
The real scum is the defendant for getting his family to cough up all that money for a "real" lawyer. I can't tell you how many times it has happened to me-I get a guy as good a deal as could be gotten and some bottom feeder promises the moon-takes the family's money and the defendant gets royally screwed. In a lot of cases it is sad because the defendant really didn't seserve the second shafting he got from the lawyer. In this case however sounds like the guy deserved the life sentence. I DO I feel bad for his family and have nothing but distain for the lawyer who took the money. A reading of the story indicates that if the lawyer had done some due dilligence he would have charged the family a nominal amount for his time in resaeaching the case, told them to keep the 10 years and the rest of the money and move on. I have a real problem with making a fee on the clients back just to make a fee. About 3 hours ago I turned away an 83 year old who was going to borrow money to pay me to represent her *** grandson. Told her that the PD will do just as good a job, and since I was in charge, I would see to it that a good lawyer would be appointed for her grandson (fairly easy case that can be pled out quickly). This 33 year old piece of garbage was going to let his grandmother borrow money to pay his legal fees less than a month after she buried her husband. Oh well, I guess that's why I ain't rich.
Simple due dilligence peobably would have dictated that he tell the family the guy ought to take the original 10 years.
Of course maybe I'm the stupid one.....................................

__________________
Forum consigliere

Nahhhhh.....Your a man of wealth and taste..and compassion..

__________________
SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

As a parole agent who deals with nothing but sex offenders, great news that this animal is gone. Prayers for his victims.

__________________
Always bet on stupidity.

I do love a happy ending.

What will make this even happier is for him to be a cellmate with fella nicknamed "Psycho"

__________________
I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

Great result!

I'd like to know if Jim Chee or Lt. Joe Leaphorn were involved in this case as well...

I want Caj as my attorney if I ever come completely off my rails.

Also, nice to know the Sip220.45 is working for justice.

Maybe the system is working after all?

Out
West

How sweet it is when a plan comes together. Too bad the young lady had to endure that. May he (the perp) get what he so richly deserves from a very large, mean cellmate that has been in prison way too long. Live by the sword.....,so to speak, if you get the drift.

__________________
Go big or stay home

Awesome, great, fantastic!!!

__________________
Lynnie, Professional Pest

Sig, praise to you and prayers of healing for the young lady.

Caj, you don't need money to be rich.

Russ

I talked to one recently who is thinking the same thing. He pled to 20 years with a possibility of parole at five years, including 17 months for time served waiting for his trial. He's been locked up for 27 months now and wants to have his plea withdrawn, claiming he was misled by his PD. He wasn't. His arrogance, and ignorance, makes him think that he can win in front of a jury and sue to recover the guns seized during his drug arrest plus other monetary damages and retire at the state's expense without a felony conviction. All he needs is $15,000.00 for the super lawyer. Say he does get the money for councel and gets convicted at a trial, which he surely will, the penalty goes to 120 years with no parole. He owns enough property to more than cover the legal fees. This should be interesting.

My experience is that the PDs are very, very good. The ones that aren't up to snuff never graduate from misdemeanor or juvenile court. (I'll save for another day my rant about the sad state of affairs in our juvenile courts). When you get into heavy weight charges, you want an attorney who has experience, has the experience of more learned collegues to call upon, and a clean copy of every conceivable motion, with all the proper language and all the commas in the right places, at his disposal.
I don't have anything good at all to say about the perp, or the so-called lawyer who bankrupted his family. What was needed was what we call a Come to Jesus meeting.

__________________
and what his trumpet saith

So refreshing to hear a good outcome on one of these cases. A tip of the hat to you sir and prayers go out to the young lady so she may find some peace and a time to heal. Karma is a B--ch !!!!!

__________________
They hold no Quarter

Thank God for jailhouse lawyers!

The old saying that "It's better to have a good attorney and a great investigator than vice versa" rings true in this case. Congratulations, Sig!

I think this would make a very good plot for a T.V. movie. Given the high rate of violence against women, especially in some areas/communities, such a movie would not only have a broad appeal, it would serve to encourage victims and their families as well as those who prosecute such criminals. I applaud her unreservedly.

__________________
<><

I do too. It takes guts to face down your attacker and these guys count on the fact that the victim doesn't have the stomach for it. I'll take defending a murder over defending a sex crime any day of the week.

__________________
Forum consigliere

You're absolutely correct-but you can still buy lots of neat stuff with it

__________________
Forum consigliere

The sentencing guidelines worked out to be 30 years to life, and the judge went straight to the low end and gave him the 30 years.

We argued for life, of course, but the victim was fine with three decades behind bars. There was a chance the judge would give him a downward departure and less than the 30 years, but he didn't.

The victim gave a tearful statement at sentencing, but seems to be doing fairly well. She gave me a big hug and proudly told me she was back in school and got straight As last semester.

There is no parole in the federal system, so he'll do at least 85% of the 30 years, if he stays out of trouble and earns some good time. He probably won't. He'll be almost 60 when he gets out. Maybe that, his five years of close supervision, and a lifetime registration as a sex offender will cure him of his evil ways.

ABQJournal Online * UPDATED: Ariz. Man Gets 30 Years for New Mexico Rape

__________________
“What you got, ain’t new.”

We can still hope for a cell mate with an attitude can't we.

__________________
I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

My only regret is having to pay to put this dirt bag up for the rest of his life, may God have mercy on his soul.

It takes a special person to deal with this day in and day out. Thank you!

looks like the BG in this case is going to get a first hand experience on knowing what it feels like to be up close and personal.

Way to go, Sig.
Godspeed to that young woman.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I had a relative and close friend get shafted by a well paid but incompetent or possibly intentionally sandbagging lawyer. He is the brother of a local politician, and I honestly think my relative got way to much bad press to be "permitted" to win his case.
He is now housed about 8 hours from his family. I think that makes it at least twice as bad for him. The prison also has a habit of doing stuff to cancel visitation whenever I try to see him. I have 2 or 3 times wasted a day and a hotel room only to be told "buzz off, maybe next time." and its not like I get a chance very often at all

Congratulations, you did well! The strength that the victim showed probably bodes well for her future.

__________________
SWCA #1917

A while back (2000) the General Manager of the company where I worked got caught in one of his theft schemes. He got arrested and plead guilty of a much reduced charge. The big problem for him was it being a felony and pretty much eliminated him ever getting a good job in the future. There was a lot of animosity toward the guy (he'd pretty much wronged everyone he could). So we did a little research on the aging effects of incarceration. What it seems happens is with most people, it takes decades off their life expectancy. There are some who seem to thrive on it, but the vast majority come out of the slammer as broken men. Particularly as they approach old age when they get out. I guess they're not as adaptable.

I only bring this up as the bright side of the guy just getting 30 years (less 15% or 4.5 years). So he'll get credit for the couple of years he's been waiting, but he'll still be 55 or so when he gets out. Its pretty much a good outcome for everyone, or as good as it gets. Most everyone involved in the investigation, trial, and his entrance into the system will be retired when he gets out. Even if they just started work when he got arrested.

__________________
Dick Burg

Mr. attitude may not survive long in a high security facility..

good wishes for the young lady. to bad he just couldn't have been turned over to the young lady's family for disposition.

Great ending to a sad story. Good to know this guy won't be around
to harm anyone else. Prayers sent for the victims peace and recovery.


Chuck

__________________
They hold no Quarter

Rape used to be a capital crime. Then it got downgraded. To bad. In this case, it really is to bad.

__________________
<><

Great job With a great ending . I hear guys like this and people who harm kids get real special atten.in the clink . I hope this guy and all like him become close buds with the rest of the inhabitants .