Brickbat: Swift Justice

Adam Jones PhD

Carlos Montero, now 23, has spent almost seven years in New York City's Rikers Island jail awaiting trial and it still isn't clear when his case will be heard. Witnesses say he was with two other men who stabbed one man to death and cut another during an attempted robbery. Prosecutors had offered Montero a plea deal which would see him serve only 15 years, but he turned it down, insisting he did not take part in the robbery and is innocent.

Comments

[invisible furry hand]

"I still think I can get justice," he said.

It's probably that blind bleeding optimism that's kept the poor bastard going for the last seven years

[Rebel Scum]

Something about a right to a speedy trial.

[WTF]

The words of the Constitution no longer have any meaning.

[UnCivilServant]

He is current on trial - a trial by ordeal.

[np]

The right to a speedy plea deal.

Maybe by the time they let him go to trial he'll have served most of the time of the plea bargain. That'll teach 'em.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...insisting he did not take part in the robbery and is innocent.

WTF does that have to do with anything? Take the plea, asshole. You're wasting everyone's time.

[Jerryskids]

Why would the cops have arrested him if he weren't guilty? The prosecutor and the judge are both legal experts and they both know being arrested by the cops is proof enough that you're guilty - who are you to argue with the experts?

[straffinrun]

According to the city's Independent Budget Office, the cost of housing one inmate in the city in 2012 was $167,731

The rent is too damn high.

[Lee G]

But Montero's lawyer, Robert Jaffe, said he has already moved to separate his client's case from the other two suspects' but was denied.
Jaffe said the bulk of the delay was caused by Enriquez's fight over DNA evidence, an issue that doesn't affect Montero.
He, too, called it "totally unfair."
"The massive delay should not have happened," Jaffe said.
Jaffe, who was appointed by the court, added that he never asked the judge for bail because "there's no point."
"Because it's a murder case, he isn't getting bail," he said.

What the hell? At this point, you're building a case for constitutional violations. You at least get the court on record for denying bail. Idiot.

[Rich]

Look on the bright side. When Montero finally gets found guilty, he can appeal because of his incompetent attorney.

[Rich]

Annnnnd the squirrelz are out agin!