PHIL SPECTOR’S NEW HOME: CORCORAN STATE PRISON

June 26, 2009
By Blogonaut

Music producer Phil Spector was transferred this week to the largest and newest state prison in California where he will serve his sentence of 19 years to life for his conviction for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson, unless fate intervenes in the form of bail pending his appeal or a reversal of his conviction by a higher court.

Until then, “home” will be California State Prison, Corcoran (“CSP”) as it is officially known—located at 4001 King Avenue, Corcoran, CA 93212.

Spector is being housed in an area of CSP that Department of Corrections officials have dubbed the "sensitive-needs facility" of this newly constructed prison and he has been assigned a single room.

Spector's notoriety probably got him into that housing area, Lt. Stephen Smith told Linda Deutsch, writing for the AP. The typical inmate in the section is a former gang member who has dropped out of a gang and needs protection, Smith said.

Most State Prison inmates in California are allowed to purchase and possess personal items such as a color television, personal music players, paper, pens, and writing materials. However, internet access and cell phones are generally not allowed for security reasons, and both in going and outgoing mail is reviewed by prison staff—with the exception of letters to and from an inmate’s legal counsel of record. (In fact, California inmates are not even allowed to receive emails that have been downloaded and printed by third parties off prison grounds and mailed to the prisoner in question--which ban the California Court of Appeal upheld in 2001.)

We have previously discussed Spector’s most likely prison security classification as a “level III”. CSP is home to Level I, Level III, and more violent inmates—it has no level II.

We infer from what Lt. Stephen Smith told Linda Deutsch as well as our knowledge of the prison classification system that Spector is currently housed in CSP “Facility III-C”—which is described by the CSP level III web page as having “five buildings with a total combined bed capacity of 1,180. III-C is designated as a Sensitive Needs Yard. Current programs in this facility include an Orientation Unit, DPP, DDP, and CCCMS. On June 4, 2007, 200 non-traditional dayroom beds were activated (40 per housing unit).”

The entire III-C Facility (after the gym was converted to a housing unit) currently houses 1,330 inmates.

For updates regarding the status and progress of Spector’s pending appeal, visit Blogonaut often and look for the PHILLIP SPECTOR APPEAL WATCH.

FONDLER UPDATE: JUDGE KENT RESIGNS ON EVE OF IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

Huston chronicle

Embattled federal judge Kent—the first federal judge to be convicted of a sex crime and who is already in a federal hobby farm serving his sentence—abruptly resigned today on the eve of his impeachment, the Huston Chronicle reports.

“The resignation of Kent, a convicted felon who had continued to collect his $174,000 a year salary in prison, was announced to the surprised participants at the first meeting of the Senate’s impeachment trial committee on Thursday afternoon in Washington D.C. The committee is chaired by Senator Claire McMcCaskill, D-Missouri, who announced Kent had handed in a resignation, effective June 30th, 2009, on plain paper to the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms during an official prison visit.”

Hat Tip: ABA Journal

Federal Judge Samuel Kent Resigns, as Senate Impeachment Trial Looms

PHILLIP SPECTOR APPEAL WATCH

Phillip Spector at counsel table with his appellate attorney Dennis Riordan

Many Blogonaut readers have asked some very intelligent questions over the last few weeks following music legend Phillip Spector’s sentencing on May 29, 2009, on second degree murder charges, ranging from where will he be housed within the prison system to what are the chances of his being released on bail pending appeal, to does he go free if he wins the appeal.

A coin dealer was the last to post the question: How could this not have been viewed as an accident and why was Spector not offered a plea bargain through which he would be out of prison by now?

In view of the expressed interest in the Spector appeal from both sides of the courtroom gallery, we will be closely motoring the status of the appeal in People vs. Phillip Spector, California Court of Appeal No. B216425, and relating to you any and all developments here as soon as they happen--including an in depth analysis of the augments on appeal, and full coverage of Spector's highly anticipated motion for bail pending appeal.

As of today, June 25, 2009, the appeal is the infancy of a minimum one and a half to two years (or more) process.

But here is the time line to date:

Trial Court Judgment Date (sentencing): 05/29/2009

Noticed of appeal Notice of appeal lodged/received by Court of Appeal: 06/01/2009

Due date for lodging the record on appeal (Court File/TR-Transcript): 07/20/2009

Once the record on appeal is filed, the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District (in lawyer parlance, the CA/2) will notify Phillip Spector appellate counsel
Dennis P. Riordan that he has 40 days to file Spector’s opening brief on appeal.

It is common, especially in view of the anticipated gargantuan size of the trial court record following a six month retrial with many written motions, orders, and rulings), for that 40 days to be extended at least 30 days, maybe even several times.

Spector’s opening brief on appeal will, however, frame the issues that he is raising on appeal, by listing them and providing both legal and factual support for his reasons that the trial court erred, justice miscarried, and that he should be afforded a new trial.

From what we know about the proceedings in the lower court, we view Spector’s chances on appeal to be excellent—with the wild card being will he be released on bail pending appeal?

Stay tuned here for in-depth coverage and analysis of this appeal as it progresses.
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In the meantime, if you write us at the upper left hand contact link, we will try to incorporate your questions and our answers, based on our best impressions as a California lawyer.
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Please keep in mind that we are not privy to defense or prosecution strategy on appeal, and are not offering legal advice to the parties or their family members--just our journalistic take and comment based on the information available.

MAN WHOSE LAWYER SLEPT AND READ MAGAZINES DURING TRIAL WINS DO-OVER

New York Law Journal

A New York judge has thrown out a felony conviction after the defendant's lawyer slept during trial, read magazines while witnesses testified and provoked laughter among the jurors with his "bizarre" opening statement, the New York Law Journal reports.

Acting Justice Vincent M. Del Giudice ruled that the attorney, Manhattan solo practitioner Michael Harrison, did not provide his client "meaningful representation" as defined by New York case law. (Do ya think so?)

Although Harrison was not named in the judge’s opinion, the Law Journal obtained the name from other records in the case.

Hat Tip: ABA Journal:

After Judge Finds Lawyer Slept During Trial, He Tosses Weapons Conviction

NOTORIOUS “PENIS PUMP JUDGE” ARRESTED AGAIN—FOR DUI

North County Gazette

TULSA, OK—Former Creek County District Judge Donald Thompson, known as “the penis pump judge,” has avoided jail time for his drunk driving arrest.

In case you missed the former press coverage of Hiz Honor, he was accused by prosecutors of, among other things, using a penis pump while on the bench presiding over criminal trials. Lawyers trying cases in front of the judge testified at the trial on charges that he exposed his (pumped up) penis to a laterally situated (and not concealed to the bench) female court reporter.

The pump use, they claimed, was revealed by the telltale hiss the pump made when the vacuum was released as well as the fact that after a recess, a curious prosecutor found a penis pump under the bench. The court reporter also testified that the judge exposed his penis to her while on the bench.

Despite producing an MD’s prescription for said penis pump, Hiz Honor went down like a submarine, and was sentenced to four years in the joint.

Thompson, 62, was arrested last Dec. 5 by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper about 3 a.m. According to a police report, the trooper came upon a vehicle that was stopped on the outside shoulder of the Creek Turnpike. The car had a flat tire and damage to the driver’s side.

According to the report, the trooper said that the driver, identified as Thompson, had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Thompson told the officer that he didn’t know how the car had sustained damage. It was later determined that Thompson had struck a wall.

No word as of yet on whether the former jurist was trying to inflate the flat tire on his vehicle with a penis pump.

Thompson had been released from state prison in April, 2008 after serving 20 months of a four year sentence after being convicted of four counts of indecent exposure. He was defrocked as an attorney in September 2008.

Special Judge Carlos Chappelle found Thompson guilty Tuesday of having physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a misdemeanor. Thompson had waived his right to a trial and entered a no-contest plea. The judge sentenced Thompson to a year of probation and no jail time.

A court ruled in February that Thompson must forfeit the portion of his pension that he had realized from his judicial service.

The Oklahoma Pubic Employees Retirement System Board of Trusts unanimously accepted an administrative hearing examiner’s decision that Thompson violated his oath of judicial office when he was convicted in 2006.

Thompson was, however, allowed to retain his retirement salary as a state legislator—where he served before becoming a judge. He was also (apparently) allowed to keep his penis pump.

MADOFF ATTORNEY SEEKS 12-YEARS FOR PONZI KING

REUTERS

Bernard Madoff's criminal defense counsel requested the court to sentence Wall Street's Ponzi King to a punishment of less than life in prison, saying the court should not give in to the "mob vengeance" sought by those he defrauded, Reuters news service is reporting.

Madoff, 71, pleaded guilty in earlier this year to operating a Ponzi scheme that cheated investors (many who had invested their entire life savings) out of an estimated $65 billion over two decades.

The maximum sentence on all 11 charges, including securities fraud and money laundering, adds up to 150 years in prison—a far cry from the 12 year wrist slap sought by the Ponzi King’s lawyer.

FONDLER UPDATE: U.S. HOUSE IMPEACHES JUDGE KENT PAVING WAY FOR TRIAL IN SENATE

**BREAKING**

Bloomberg

The House of Representatives voted unanimously to impeach U.S. District Samuel B. Kent, who has refused to step down from the bench after pleading guilty to obstructing an investigation into charges he sexually assaulted two female employees.

The impeachment case now goes to the Senate, which will hold a trial to determine whether he should be removed from the bench. Federal judges are appointed for life and can only be removed by Congress. Meanwhile, The Fondler kicks back on the Hobby Farm and collects his $170K a year. Cushy.

Related:

FEDERAL JUDGE CONVICTED OF A SEX CRIME SENT TO HOBBY FARM

SITTING FEDERAL COURT JUDGE SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON—SAMUEL KENT TO BE IMPEACHED

JUDGE ARRESTED AFTER KEYING NEIGHBOR’S CAR ON SECURITY VIDEO

Homeowner Adam Kliebert says a hidden video camera captured his Rice Village-area neighbor, state District Judge Woody Densen, damaging his Range Rover May 23. June 4, 2009; An influential local lawyer stated that the Judge was embroiled in a long running dispute with the neighbor

Houston Chronicle

Texas trial court judge Woody Ray Densen, 69, is facing two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted of doing what his neighbor’s security video tape seems to suggest he did—key his neighbor’s $70,000 Ranger Rover.

Woody Ray was recorded on a surveillance camera walking by his neighbor’s 2006 Range Rover and making contact with the vehicle twice on May 23 the Houston Chronicle reports.

The next-door neighbor, Adam Kliebert, a 40-year-old home builder, discovered a series of scratches made by a key to the rear door of his vehicle. The damages totaled nearly $3,000, Kliebert told the Houston Chronicle.

Kliebert set up the motion-activated video cameras inside his Rice Village area townhouse for less than $1,000 last month to film all activities on his driveway because he kept finding scratches and damages to his Range Rover and his ex-girlfriend’s Mercedes.
Densen and his attorney appeared before the grand jury Thursday morning.

After Kliebert’s cameras recorded video of Densen walking by and dragging his arm along the rear door of the Range Rover, Kliebert turned the surveillance video over to Houston police.

Although Densen’s actions are partially obscured on the surveillance footage, his arm can be seen making contact with the car, sometimes gliding or moving in a jerking motion along the vehicle’s rear door.

On one occasion on May 23, Densen looks back over his shoulder before pausing for several seconds directly behind the vehicle, looking down and dragging his arm along the rear of the car.

In a secretly videotaped conversation the next day, Densen told Kliebert he didn’t know who damaged the vehicle, but suggested the vandalism might have occurred because the SUV was partially blocking the sidewalk.

Densen presided over criminal cases as judge of the 248th State District Court in Harris County from 1983 until he was defeated in a re-election bid in 1994.

After that, he served as a visiting judge for many years, but stopped accepting courtroom assignments in 2007 after the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association filed a complaint against him with the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. The state commission dismissed that complaint without taking any action.

Now that he has been indicted, Densen will likely be suspended from serving as a visiting judge in any courtroom, according to the state constitution.

“This has been a bad year for [Texas] judges generally,” Patrick McCann, a past president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association said, referring to disgraced U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent, now serving a 33-month sentence in a federal hobby farm for a sexual assault conviction, and former Brazoria County court-at-law judge James Blackstock, who resigned last year after pleading guilty to official oppression and no contest to misdemeanor assault following his sexual harassment of various women.

“There may be a perception among some folks that (judges) can do what they wish..." McCann told the paper.

According to McCann, Judge Densen had a long running dispute with the neighbor whose car he (allegedly) keyed. (Over and over again.)
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Hat Tip: Martha Neil, ABA J, Texas Judge Is Indicted for Allegedly Keying Neighbor’s Range Rover

MURDER A BILLIONAIRE, GO TO PRISON (FOR A LITTLE WHILE)

It was not the most dignified death—particularly for the billionaire head of Lazard Freres & Co., one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world. Eduardo Stern, 38th richest man in France, financier-- was found shot to death clad entirely in a latex suit and tied to a chair in his luxury penthouse apartment in Geneva. (Not to mention the strategic placement of an extra-large 'martial aid' iside his posterior body region.)

That was the story that rocked the stayed European financial world in 2005. Today that story came to a close when the whore—and we mean this in the literal sense—who shot Stern between the eyes, then once more in the head, then several times in the torso, while the billionaire was helpless and tied to a chair--was sentenced.

What sentence did the prostitute—who executed the financier after he called her a whore and after reneging on what she claimed was a $1M gift promise—receive?

If you guessed life in prison you would be a tad low. As in way low.

Total time received, subject to further time reductions for good behavior: 8 years.

OK, granted, Stern was one kinky SOB—but he was executed by a whore, who skated.

Soon, she will be free to whore and kill again.

And that is just not right. I mean, granted, she will probably kill a lot of bankers--but still....

Call girl jailed for eight years after shooting dead billionaire who called her a whore

MORE SAD CLOWN NEWS: CONVICTED CLOWN WILL SUE ALL POLICE

Brookfield Police Chief Daniel Tushaus has released this statement:

“The Brookfield Police and Fire Commission "dealt with yet another sad chapter in the saga of Ronald Schroeder, the convicted felon also known as ‘Silly the Clown.’

“Schroeder had requested the commission file disciplinary charges on his behalf against the chief of police, members of his command staff and eight individual police officers who worked to convict Schroeder of sexual assault, according to the statement.”

Hmmm; charge the chief of police, members of his command staff, and eight cops because an arrested clown thinks he was targeted?

Where have we read this recently?

Something about the Boulder PD?
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See our prior mention of Silly the Clown: When Clowns Go Bad: A Blogonaut Series

WHEN CLOWNS GO BAD: DRUNKEN HIT AND RUN CLOWN ARRESTED IN FRONT OF KIDS

Clown Patricia Ingalls mug shot

We have not had occasion to update our “when clowns go bad” series in some time. (See prior posts in this series, here.)

Now, out of Steubenville Ohio comes the story of a female clown who got drunk, was in a hit and run accident (dressed as a clown and drunk as a skunk, she crashed into a parked car) only to be arrested in front the children she was entertaining at a party. Now that's bad.

The clown, Patricia Ingalls, talked with News9 (Steubenville) and admitted that she never should have attended the party where children witnessed her being taken into custody:

"I'm not allowed to drink in costume and I should have never went (to the party) because I was too upset," said Ingalls.

Too upset? This clown wasn’t upset—with a .252 blood alcohol level she was seeing double and feeling no pain, trust us.

Still in all, the drunken clown did feel bad about being arrested in front of the kiddies:

"They were all hanging on me and saying, 'Don't take the clown,'" said Ingalls.”

Drunken Clown Arrested In Front Of Kids (News9)

BOCA RATON LAWYER GETS WRIST-SLAP FOR STEALING $1.2 MILLION IN CLIENT FUNDS

A former Boca Raton lawyer who acknowledged stealing nearly $1.2 million of clients' money from a trust account has been sentenced to 15 years of probation, including some house arrest (ouch!), and ordered to repay the money to victims.

How much jail time did Richard Bagdasarian, 54, now a convicted felon after pleading guilty to organized scheme to defraud over $50,000—and looting $1.2 million in client funds from his trust account--get: Exactly none. Zero. No time.

Why would the court be so lenient on an admitted thief, who stole so much money from his own clients?

According to his attorney Jeff Brown, the theft was “situational”:

"Richard Bagdasarian has committed a wrong and and has taken extraordinary steps to make it right," Brown wrote in the court record. "He is a man of great character who experienced a situational occurrence which will not be repeated."

Any lessons here? Well yea! If you are an attorney and steal $1.2 million from you own clients, save enough money to hire Jeff Brown!

Hat tip: Martha Neil at the ABA Journal:
Fla. Lawyer Gets Probation for $1.2M Client Trust Fund ‘Situational Occurrence’

NYC LAW FIRM CASHES IN ON GM BANKRUPTCY WITH $54M PAYDAY

Debra Cassis Weiss at the ABA Journal has a post up this morning informing just how well the lawyers have done in the run-up to the General Motors bankruptcy filing, and the answer is very well indeed.

The breakdown:

“General Motors has paid three law firms $80 million for work leading up to its bankruptcy filing.

The biggest fee earner was Weil, Gotshal & Manges, which racked up $54 million in fees and expenses in the six months leading up to the filing, the Wall Street Journal reports. Its hourly fees range from $355 to $640 for associates, and from $650 to $950 for partners, the Am Law Daily reports…”

Nice to see someone doing well in this economy.

LAWYER’S DEM-ON-GOP “BEAR-HUG” NETS ASSAULT CHARGE

“Isn't she a beautiful Republican?"
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Eagle Tribune

It’s never pretty when law and party politics intersect, and the case-of-the-courthouse-bear-hug is no exception.

The two protagonists in this tawdry tale are Robert LeBlanc, a defense lawyer and Democratic activist and defense lawyer Pamela Saia-Rogers, 39, a Republican activist.

Maybe LeBlanc was just being friendly. Perhaps—like other Democrats—LeBlanc was rubbing in the 2008 election results with his local party rival. Pamela Saia-Rogers, 39, tough, asserted in a complaint to the state bar that LeBlanc grabbed her in a from behind “bear hug” while uttering the words “Isn't she a beautiful Republican?'".

She further told the bar that she felt “embarrassed and violated, but kept her composure due to the work setting [she] was in."

The bar took no action, so Saia-Rogers (as Emeril would say) “kicked it up a notch” by augmenting her description of the incident—this time to the police—that the “bear hug” included a “crotch press”—elevating her charge into something sexual.

Oh, by the way, did we mention that when—three months later— Saia-Rogers marched into the police department to allege the never-before-claimed sexual assault she was accompanied by her husband, police Lt. John Rogers?

And what a surprise! Despite the lack of any verbal objection or outward indication that she took offense at the time, the change in story, and the three month delay in reporting the incident to police, Robert LeBlanc was charged with the crime of sexual assault. (Noooo, the insistance of her POLICE lieutenant HUSBAND that LeBlanc be charged had nothing to do with charging him. No way. Cops, even cops from neighboring police departments are neeever influenced by demands by high ranking cops in reference to their wives--no way dude!)

Yesterday, a magistrate judge ruled that there was no probable cause to proceed on a charge of sexual assault, but also held that LeBlanc must be arraigned on a simple battery charge.

"I'm confident at the end of the day I will be vindicated, as I was yesterday," LeBlanc said."

We agree, but somehow doubt that the dropping of criminal charges will end the matter—predicting a third round in civil court as the next stop. These people are, after all, lawyers.

FEDERAL JUDGE CONVICTED OF A SEX CRIME SENT TO HOBBY FARM

As our loyal readers know, sitting Federal Court Judge Samuel Kent was recently sentenced to 33 months in prison for a bad habit: He just could not keep his hands off female court staff—even though his fondling was unwanted. Kent is the first federal district court judge to be convicted as a sex offender. (See our most recent post here and out prior coverage here here and here.)

You may also recall that Cathy McBroom—the primary object of Kent’s sexual attention and the one-time Galveston case manager for Kent who made the formal complaint that led to the judge’s criminal conviction waxed eloquent at Kent’s sentencing:

“Being molested and groped by a drunken giant is not my idea of an affair,” McBroom said. She said she lost her marriage, her Galveston position, sleep, self-esteem and more and asked Kent be sentenced so he and others will remember it.”

However, if you’re among those thinking that prison life will be tough on the bastard (who still makes a six figure salary as a judge), think again. Alas, The Fondler (as we think of him) will, according to the WSJ Law Blog, be sent to a federal correctional facility more akin to that arts and crafts day camp we were shuffled off to by our parents during a month one summer:

“Kent has been ordered to report by 2 p.m. on Monday to the Devens Federal Medical Center in Ayer, Mass., about 40 miles west of Boston. Click here for the Houston Chronicle report. According to the Chron, a Federal judge has not gone to prison since 1991.

“The prison — known specifically as the Federal Medical Center at Devens —[…] offers a variety of indoor and outdoor recreational activities that range from individualized hobbycraft programs to intramural team sports. The Inmate Recreational Yard and Activity Center includes a multi-purpose room, outdoor recreation yard, and an indoor inmate activity center. The indoor activity center is located on the recreation yard and is intended for activities such as basketball, soccer and floor hockey. A music practice room is also available.”

Yea! That's what I'm talk'in bout!!! What a lovely 33 month paid vacation Judge Kent—who will also get his $170,000 judicial pay during that time—has lucked into. Granted, no women to fondle and no booze, but he will be paid $10,000 more than the starting annual salary of a lawyer graduating from Harvard Law with honors. No doubt, that will take some of the sting out of any inconvenience suffered by The Fondler due to said lack of chicks and Jack Daniels. After all, $170K a year buys a lot of candy bars and ping pong balls in the prison commissary. (You know it does Holms.)

And who knows what arts and craft and music skills Judge Kent can learn!

Let this be a lesson to you kids: Don’t do the crime unless you want to earn $170,000 a year while doing the time! Not to mention you might be made to do hobbycraft!!!!!

Kent to Do Time in Wilds of Massachusetts (WSJ-Law Blog)

MAN ARRESTED-AGAIN-FOR IMPERSONATING AN ATTORNEY

The law is in Harold Goldstein’s blood. He is a natural in the courtroom, representing the criminally accused with the zeal and enthusiasm befitting his chosen vocation. He loves trial work so much he goes to court every chance he can get.

The trouble is that he has never actually been licensed as an attorney or even been to law school. So the Newport Beach, California “attorney” was arrested on federal charges on June 10, 2009 the US Attorney's Office announced on June 10, 2009.

Fake lawyers are no strangers to this blog. Some fake lawyers even have successful, if short, careers. We have even posted about a woman who impersonated a lawyer to have sex with a prison inmate.

What makes Goldstein’s story unique is that he was impersonating a lawyer while on parole after serving part of a 150 month sentence for—you guessed it—impersonating a lawyer.

In fact, Goldstein’s original arrest over 5 years ago for impersonating a lawyer took place while Goldstein was on parole, as reported at the time in the White Collar Crime Prof Blog.

Are there any lessons to be learned here?

Follow your dream. But you might want to actually go to law school and pass the bar first.

For Harold Goldstein, as the White Collar Crime Prof Blog pointed out in 2005:

“At least he was well-versed in the criminal law, and no doubt had a good understanding of prison issues.”

JAILED LAWYER WHO STOLE MILLIONS SEEKING RELEASE

Cape Cod Times

Disbarred East Orleans lawyer Richard Birchall, who stole almost three million dollars from his client—and who was ordered jailed until he pays her back--is asking his state's highest court to spring him from the poky.

There is no actual evidence, he says in his brief, that he has any assets; yet he finds himself trapped in what amounts to "debtors prison" for 25 months and counting.

The defrocked barrister’s former client (and victim), Jennifer Vecchi, has a different perspective: That she has repeatedly proved in court that her dirt bag former lawyer has money and is just waiting out the court—albeit for two years.

Indeed, such stubbornness is not unprecedented among lawyers forced to chose between millions and freedom. As reported here, feisty barrister H. Beatty Chadwick was jailed until he tells his ex-wife’s attorney where $2.5 million in marital assets are hidden—and that was over 13 years ago! (This does not bode well for Jennifer Vecchi.)

Last year two legal experts agreed that Birchall can be held indefinitely on civil contempt until he pays or convinces another judge that he can't. (Apparently, the trial judge was unaware of a heartbreaking fact of life known by just about every criminal defense lawyer in private practice: Crooks don't save.)

Will the dirt bag former lawyer get sprung in time to enjoy some of his ill-gotten gain before his appellate attorneys can spend it all?

Do we really care?

Stay tuned.

HAT TIP: ABA Journal.
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Related: Free H. Beatty Chadwick

LEONARD COHEN TO APPEAR IN COLORADO’S RED ROCKS TOMORROW

Writer-poet-recording artist-performer Leonard Cohen (left) partying with his bud, fellow artist and philanthropist Bono (right)

For you Colorado (or jet-setting) Cohen fans, his coolness is appearing on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm at Red Rocks Amphitheatre just outside Boulder.

Tickets are reportedly on sale for $40.00-$190.00 (for reserved seating third row from the stage). (See here to buy tickets on-line.)

We experienced our teen angst at the height of Leonard Cohen’s international, block-buster popularity, and it appears that the Great One is more popular than ever—as ably demonstrated by Cohen’s stupendous and excellent current world tour that has elicited nothing but the highest and best reviews by critics and fans alike.

By all accounts, Cohen is a better performer than ever, and his well known giving spirit and generosity continues—with substantial six figure gifts to many organizations serving the less fortunate in many of the venues in which he as appeared on his recent world tour.

What a good and generous human being Cohen is! (See here.)

Expectations are understandably high for such a prolific and talented singer songwriter and iconic musician and performer. As stated by the Denver Decider:

“The word on Leonard Cohen’s current tour has been fluctuating somewhere between serene joy and utter breathlessness, which shouldn’t be surprising for an artist followed with such Zeal. From the early folk masterpieces he made in the ’60s to his later futuristic cabaret (not to mention his novels, which have been more than well-received), Cohen in the wake of Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man, a 2005 documentary that worked to survey Cohen’s life and work anew. Expect a highly reverent hush here.”

We remember you from a point of teen angst Leonard Cohen; we profoundly respect you as a kind, caring, gentle and ethical human being and wish you well. (We dig your music too.)