Monday, June 26, 2006

Six hours in the Fairfax County Circuit Court

The Connection paper has this interesting article on what it was like to watch a full day of criminal motion hearings before Judge Klein on June 16.

Here is a segment of the article:

Defense attorney Michael S. Davis used himself as an example in order to defend his client Robert William Arnold, who violated his probation on a DUI charge by committing another DUI offense.
"I’m going to make a fool of myself," Davis warned Judge Klein.
"I hope not, Mr. Davis," said Judge Klein.
Davis told Klein that he holds five degrees, including three undergraduate degrees — one in nursing — and two advanced degrees including his law degree.
Davis also holds another distinction in his family for being the only man who has lived past the age of 50. But he recently started smoking again after three and a half years of abstaining, he said.
"Obviously, I know better. I know every time I stick one of these things in my mouth, it’s like putting a stick of dynamite in my mouth."
But even though he knows better, that hasn’t stopped him. "That’s an addiction," he said. "That’s what my client has, an addiction."
Arnold knew he would be sentenced to spend additional time in jail, Davis said, but he asked Judge Klein to look at this from the perspective of someone with an addition. "He needs treatment," Davis said.
Arnold said he is on a waiting list to enter a 90-day treatment program.
But Klein reminded Arnold that he didn’t show up for the Alcohol Safety Action Program that was imposed after he was convicted.
Klein reimposed the 160 days he suspended after Arnold was convicted of DUI, Second Offense within 10 years on May 17, 2006.
"Mr. Arnold, there is a difference between your situation and Mr. Davis’s situation in that the only person who is going to be killed because of Mr. Davis’s addiction is Mr. Davis," Judge Klein said.

No comments: