The whole point of free speech is not to make ideas exempt from criticism but to expose them to it.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Bye, Pete. It's a better life to which you return.

I've read several of the documents regarding the ethics complaints against Judge Fuller. As much as it pains me, I think Glenn Brenner said it most succinctly: “I don’t think he had a great deal of respect for the system in which he worked.”

That's the feeling I got as I read what people said, and what Judge Fuller said. This appears to be a man with a great deal of cynicism about the process in which he was an integral cog. I think the cynicism is warranted, but Pete's actions often were not. He also appeared to suffer from black robe fever, a disease characterized by one's arrogance and the ability to stifle anyone's inclination to say to one, "You're acting like an asshole."

The evidence I've read points one direction; out the door for "Judge" Fuller, maybe back into the Lead law office with the VW microbus with the license plate that reads, "Probable Cause" (or a shortened version thereof, according to the documents).

That's not sad, aside from the fact that Fuller distrusted cops and hated the drug laws. What's sad is that Brenner and all the folks still in the system DO have a lot of respect for it. Cops lie incessantly in court. The judges and prosecutors know, encourage it, and snicker about it, but they have respect for the "system," maybe (sniffle) the best goddam system on Earth. A system where prosecutors routinely extort money from people in return for dropping of false charges. A system where people are routinely imprisoned for acts that no sane person calls a crime.

No, Pete, it's not sad you're out of that.

4 comments:

Duffer said...

Sounds to me like he's a good candidate for the State Supreme Court. Toss off one of the Scalia-o-philes.

larry kurtz said...

Great post, Bob; inverse square peg in Rounds' hole is worse than deadwood. Thanks for visiting ip, Duff.

"untium"

Les said...

Interesting Larry.

Good words Bob. Unfortunately I've seen a Judge, States Attorney and defense attorney all sitting at the same table relegating the gal that just went through their system to nothing more than a piece of meat, to be divided many ways.

It's a great system until you fall, through human fault, error or by the hand of a vindictive part of the very system meant to protect.

Douglas said...

The SD judicial qualifications commission for apparently the first time in history plans to remove a judge. Not for corruption like giving his business and poker buddies a special break. Nope, because he didn't show the proper respect to a cop.

Does anybody ever wonder why anybody not mentally skewed in some way would ever want to be a cop?

A local attorney here noted that he had decided after years of practice that the primary qualification for cops was the ability to lie convincingly.