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But someones gotta do it, and now,that someone is Judge Paige Reese Whitaker.
Another judge even recusedherselffrom the case before it got to Whitaker.
But so far, Judge Whitaker has been up for the job.
Its a tough, tough job for her, says Cynthia Godsoe, a professor at Brooklyn Law.
Every time a piece of pasted-up wallpaper is removed more rot is found hidden underneath.
No herculean effort by the present Court can fix the Due Process violations of the last Judge.
This house must be torn down.
(Not all defendants motioned for mistrials, though.)
People would be furious, right?
Even as a defense attorney, Im a little wary that that standard was met here, she says.
I dont think that the state wanted a mistrial.
I think there are numerous issues that could lead to a reversal on appeal, Webster says.
And when I say 8:45, I mean 8:45, she said on her first day.
“When I say 8:45, I MEAN 8:45.
I intend to take the bench at 8:45.
Once Glanville was recused, all of that testimony was effectively voided.
That is not how anyones mind actually works.
To Pointer, the difficulty in proceeding with Woodys testimony only shows why Whitaker should have declared a mistrial.
The defense will cross-examine him afterward.
Limiting that questioning could go against defendants rights to a thorough and sifting cross-examination, according to Webster.
He didnt want to testify and was willing to go to jail, she says of the meeting.
How is that not relevant to his credibility and what hes testifying to?
However, Whitaker admitted, I dont know how I would have decided the bond originally.
Godsoe thinks Whitaker had an opening to reconsider bond.
Bail is actually supposed to be an ongoing assessment, she says.
(Whitaker did cite her intent to speed up the trial when she denied bond.)
However, judges can be pretty reluctant to change bond mid-trial, Pointer adds.
So far, Whitaker is beating those allegations.
In the days since, shes expressed frustration withall attorneys,especially prosecution, over their unpreparedness in court.
The move fell short of the disqualification the defense had been looking for but still came as a surprise.
I think thats an indictment right there.
