Comments
by Alex Blaine...
Do You Mind Dying a Little
More Quietly?
Hey, someone call the Pope,
declare a miracle. Alex Blaine is back. Yes, in all my faded
glory, I have returned to save this miserable website from e-hell.
I hope you're up to date
on your constitutional rights. I hope that you understand all the
protections and priveliges afforded to all Americans. Such as freedom
of speech, and right to speedy trial, and so on. You expect these
things because it's part of our national heritage...they're your rights.
Unfortunately, there are exceptions to every rule.
Namely, if you ask a panel
of judges to condemn the conduct of a fellow attorney, your rights don't
mean shit. I was always told by my Grandad not to speak ill of the
dead, but in the case of the late Joe Cannon, a lawyer who practiced in
Texas, I'll have to make an exception.
Back in 1984, Cannon was
court-appointed coucil for Calvin Burdine. During the trial it was
ascertained that Burdine's gay lover, W.T. Wise, wanted him to prostitute
himself so they could have extra money. A terrible argument ensued,
concluding when Burdine's knife somehow ended up buried in his lover,
sharp side first.
This had to be riveting stuff.
Lurid testimony concerning matters of illicit sex, love and murder.
What a rush to be part of the action...as the lawyer for the defense.
Uh, well maybe not. Witnesses have testified they saw Atty. Cannon
NAPPING for ten minutes at a stretch while court was in session...while
important witnesses gave crucial accounts to a matter of life and death,
during the most important hours of Calvin Burdine's life. You'll
notice nowhere in this article do I claim Burdine is innocent. I
don't know, and it's possible that the jury didn't know either.
Cannon, who may have been
a wonderful friend, father, and golfing partner apparently was not very
adept at staying awake. The great state of Texas may lag far behind
most of the nation in education and public health, but you best not forget
the Lonestar State leads the nation in a long list of accomplishments,
not the least of which is their proclivity to execute.
I wonder why? Is it
the fact that their public defenders routinely catch up on their sleep
while in court? Do they consider the aggravation of a boring old
trial to be just a formality? If you're poor in Texas, you're entitled
to representation...they're just not required to actually be awake.
This case has taken 15 long
years to make it to a federal appeals court. Fifteen years of stonewalling,
sidestepping and paper shuffling. Until finally, a divided panel
of three judges concluded there is nothing wrong with your lawyer taking
a nice refreshing snooze while the boring old trial goes on without them.
As a matter of fact, they
suggest the jurors and the judge catch a few zzz's themselves. Hell,
while we're at it, everyone in America has the right to just zonk out whenever
they feel like it...in the middle of brain surgery, during a high-speed
chase, while landing a jetliner, and any other damned time they feel
like it.
So screw you if you don't
like people you count on nodding off while they're on the job. It's
our God-Given right as Americans. And i for one, uh z-zzzz zzz zzzzz
zzzzz zzzzzz zzzzz zzzzz zzzzzz zzzz zzzzz zzz zzzz zzzzz zzz zzzzz zzzz
zzzzz zzzz zzzzz zzzz zzzzz zzzz zzzzz zzz zzzzz zzzzz zzzz zzzz zzzzz
zzzzz zzzzz zzzz zzz zzz zz zzzzz zzzz zzzz
[Editor's note, Alex Blaine has apparently lost conciousness.
Good Night] |
