Shell Games Catches up to Professor Dave Protess - Innocence?

After the student paid the cabbie, the driver recorded the transaction in his log, today's filing states. Apparently suspicious that it was a drug deal or a sting, he wrote: "detective gave me 60, told me to give him 40, gave me 60... gave him change." The "him" refers to Drakes.

Seems like Professor Dave Protess and the Kids of the Innocence Project - in the zeal to free Mr. McKinney of course - engaged in a little Pay-to-Play.

"You be a Witness to Justice , Mr. Drakes, and You Keep the Change! Change You Can Believe In!"

The Medill Empire encompasses Northwestern Law and Schools of Journalism and they work very well and nicely with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board.

Americans love to root for Innocent Men Falsely Accused/Tortured/Disrespected/Hookwinked/Bamboozeled/Bewitched/ Bothered and Bewildered - we do, honestly we do.

However, given the thick padding American Justice gives to the accused it sometimes might be a stretch to find a really innocent man. The more Innocent men the more news it will be and the more funding for pet projects like the Innocence Project.

Every young law student harbors the dream of being this Century's Darrow - the Lawyer of the Damned. There are no Clarence Darrows. There are only the balsa wood imitations like G. Flint Taylor.

Thus, I have a tough time soiling my boxers when the Tribune fulminates against Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarez in her rather respectful demand that Professor Dave Protess, an insulated Professor at Northwestern University whose work on behalf of career criminals looking to get out of prison has been most newsworthy and celebrated, cough up the Discovery material - it seems Professor Dave may have let it be known that grades might be attached to convictions overturned by the Kids. Professor Dave gets crowds to hush at the sound of his name - he is such an on-the-level-straight- shooting- Justice Samurai.

Until now. Hokey-pokey! Cab Cash!

It sure looks like States Attorney Alvarez caught Professor Dave with his Innocence down around his ankles.

Officials with the state's attorney's office also said there could be a bias on the part of students seeking better grades by finding more witnesses.

Northwestern and its attorneys respond by saying the investigation should be treated as one conducted by journalists. They said the county already has all on-the-record information, including interviews and copies of audio and video tapes.

I wonder if Judge Stinky Sarokin will continue treating us with his Cook County States Gestapo pieces.

Judge H. :Stinky" Lee Sarokin Calls Cook County States Attorney's Request a Gestapo Move

Old Judge H. "Stinky" Lee Sarokin a rock-ribbed Civil Rights Activist Judge who was overruled by an Appellate Court that a homeless gent 'did in fact stink' and could be asked to leave a Public Library - going without soap and water (at minimum) is not - it seems - a 1st Amendment right - free speech by stinking out loud and on ice.

Old Judge H. "Stinky" Lee Sarokin resigned after 17 years of Judicial Activism, which included opening the cell door for Ruben Hurricane Carter, because he was called names by Bob Dole - get this :

Federal judges granted the protection of lifetime tenure by the Constitution should be made of sterner stuff, even if it means having to endure public scorn and ostracism. Judges, of course, are only human. It is understandable that Judge Sarokin does not like being counted among those who have been singled out by Senator Bob Dole as excessively sympathetic to the constitutional rights of criminals. Nor does he relish the prospect of remaining a campaign issue until the Presidential election.

It is also easy to understand his frustration that a few controversial decisions in a generally energetic and honorable judicial career -- including a misguided 1991 ruling refusing to bar a homeless man from a New Jersey town library for his annoying behavior and bad odor -- have been used as grist by Republicans to paint Democratic judges as soft on crime.

But the right response to what Judge Sarokin has called attempts to "Willie Hortonize the Federal judiciary" is not to contribute to the demonetization of the institution he reveres, which is what he has effectively done by surrendering to judge-bashing politicians.

There is a question, too, of candor. President Clinton, who nominated Judge Sarokin to the appellate bench, supported him through bruising confirmation hearings in 1994 -- something the President might not have been willing to do had he known that just 22 months later the judge would surprise everyone by deciding to move to part-time senior status. Just weeks before Judge Sarokin's resignation, colleagues on the bench correctly rejected a nervy request by the judge to transfer his offices from Newark to California. That has led at least some judges to question whether political attacks are the real reason Judge Sarokin decided to resign.

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/07/opinion/judge-sarokin-s-retreat.html

And that is the New York Times all but pulling down Stinky's Britches.

The Northwestern University Innocense Project has called in all its chips against the Cook County States Attorney, Anita Alvarez in her attempt to get the entitled and endowed University lambs to offer up the requested documents.

The Headline Club of which I am a member ( I think I paid the last dues) sent a letter of protest.

Now Huffington Post has trotted out Old Judge H. "Stinky" Lee Sarokin to roundly harrumph that this is Gestapo Stuff!! Click my post title for Stinky's howl - it's a good 'un!

Thus, ""the grades, grading criteria, class syllabus, expense reports and e-mail messages of their journalism students themselves" at Northwestern University warrants and deserves the Gestapo label.

It is a flagrant attempt to intimidate the Medill Innocence Project and other similar projects which have been so successful in overturning wrongful convictions."

Oh, Stinky. Non Sibi sed Patriae Not California Country/Beach Houses!

Jesus, Stinky, it's not like Ms. Alvarez is asking them to relocate to California?

"It Goes to Discovery" - Whether a Fatly Endowed, Tribune Bannered NU Law Project Whines or Not! Nice Job Ms. Alvarez!

The Medill Innocence Project begs the question - rather it beats all of us over the head with it - "Their Featured Victim is Innocent -Believe It!"

Maybe. Let's go to Discovery - as the earnest lawyers always shout on them Cop/Lawyer TV Shows.

Discovery in Law:

In American law, discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party through the law of civil procedure can request documents and other evidence from other parties and can compel the production of evidence by using a subpoena or through other discovery devices, such as requests for production of documents, and depositions. In other words, discovery includes (1) interrogatories; (2) motions or requests for production of documents; (3) requests for admissions; and (4) depositions.

"I don't think it's any of the state's business to know the state of mind of my students," Protess said. "Prosecutors should be more concerned with the wrongful conviction of Anthony McKinney than with my students' grades."

Professor Dave wants to deny the States Attorney Discovery? You have the Editorial Geniuses of the Trib with you Dave and they are always ready willing and able to bleed ink in their Pet Causes ( Smearing James Tyree, Smearing Sheriff Mike Sheehan & etc.). That is not Justice, Professor Dave.

Professor Dave!

Nice work Anita Alvarez. If Professor Dave and his Junior Future State Jackpot Lawyers' Innocent is innocent a court will decide - only after Full disclosure - Discovery, Professor Dave - Discovery.