Three very prominent cases in the news on LI :

[Samrai309]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

What do you mean by the boys parents? Maybe Im a little behind on the topic. How did they act?

They cheered in the courtroom and shouted "Dan-o Dan-o" and reportedly had a festival in a local bar. I guess that it was the yelling and cheering that kind of put me off. How does that honor their son, I wonder?

With regard to the Tankleff case, it was a little before my time and I am not well versed in all the details so I reserve my comments for later but from what I hear, the integrity of the crime scene and/or evidence seems to have been compromised. Not really sure of all the details.

Slave case....I agree with previous posters...in 2008 now....it should not happen....they need the book thrown at them

As for the White case...bottom line, these kids were liquored up, out of control, out of line and perpetuating their beer muscles on a lie from this girl, or whatever high school nonsense made this fester. I agree with a previous poster that this was a series of bad decisions by all involved that culminated in a tragedy....
And while no one can explain what threat Mr. White felt.....he felt a threat and responded the way he felt was best to protect his family at the time. However, there was 20 minutes between the time the White family became aware of the gathering outside their home and the time they called police and/or went out to confront. Thats just too much time....

while I would definitely confront (with a weapon) someone on my property if I felt threatened or my family is in danger, I would most certainly "FIRST" call the POLICE and if possible, NOT go outside unless forced to respond to someone attempting to enter my home and/or harm my family.

And for the parents of this Dano kid to celebrate leaving the courtoom and say..."We're Goin to Disney world"...C'mon...thats just not the way to enjoy the moment and celebrate a judicial victory for your family.....Low class if you ask me.

[nancy thereader]

I've stated on other forums that by introducing race as a major factor Mr. White's defense was weakened. Mr. White was portrayed as a good neighbor and hard working man who had never had legal troubles. They should have stuck with that and although he allegedly was called the N word, it should have been introduced as a fact in the case and not blown up any further.

I totally agree. Having the son wear a bulletproof vest to court as if he would not be safe among the rest of us Long Islanders and bringing in The Nation of Islam guys to the courtroom. What a tactical error on Brewington's part. He should have known better.

[omigawd]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

They aren't retrying Martin Tankleff in an effort to cover their own arses. If the nonsense they pulled on this case, and pulled in others, gets out -- heads are gonna roll and prison cells will open. The unjustly accused will finally go free and sue the pants off the county, the justly accused will face new trials and back things up in the courts.

I am just so glad that all charges against Marty are dropped and he is now a truly free man. I hope he sues the county and wins millions! His life was destroyed because of a bunch of male egos, liars, crooked cops, and an unjust/corrupt court system.

I am just hoping and praying that the detective in the case finds himself in prison now, along with "The Bagel King"......

[catlaw1]

I think that we are all being quick to judge the "facts" in the slave case. These people do not live in a luxury mansion (though it is a nice home on about an acre of land) in Muttontown proper. They live in a development where you can hear what is happening next door if you listen.

The children had friends (High School kids) in and out of the house at all times. I do not know if these kids were called as witnesses but they claim to have interacted with the maids and did not notice any of them beat up.

Children have a hard time keeping their mouths shut. Yet these children never mentioned a thing to a friend or teacher about what was going on in the house.

I am not saying it did or didn't happen, I just wonder how this case and the White case would have gone down if there had been maybe a jury of at least 25% minority instead of 1 or 2 members.

As a trial lawyer, I can tell you there is no harder jury to convince that the government is wrong than one from Nassau or Suffolk. I also have tried a number of cases here and I have never had a jury venre much less a petit jury that had more than three minorities in it. So often minority jurors find reasons to get off juries. It is frustrating for a defendant to look at a jury made up of people he is sure do not understand him and is worried do not like him.

If the make up of Long Island is over 25 percent minority, why do the jury panels in criminal cases not reflect that?

If either of these cases is tried in the five boro's I say the outcomes are different.

Nancy I think you are right, you can't play a race card, when the people you are trying to convince are members of the race you are accusing of being prejudice. OTOH, how many of us, facing an angry crowd of white youths hopped up on alcohol are going to retreat and wait in the house while these "victims" are destroying our property??

White did what so many of us think we have the right to do. Protect our family and our property... I am looking forward to the appellate decision on that case.

And yes, whether they are or not, the family acted like white trash.

[ClarkStreetKid]

Originally Posted by catlaw1

Nancy I think you are right, you can't play a race card, when the people you are trying to convince are members of the race you are accusing of being prejudice. OTOH, how many of us, facing an angry crowd of white youths hopped up on alcohol are going to retreat and wait in the house while these "victims" are destroying our property??

White did what so many of us think we have the right to do. Protect our family and our property... I am looking forward to the appellate decision on that case.

And yes, whether they are or not, the family acted like white trash.

White did what so many of us think we have the right to do.

Ignorantia legis neminem excusat. The moment Mr. White decided to bring a gun into his home because he was worried about lynch mobs he should have become familiar with the laws regarding firearms in his local, figured out what he would do if a lynch mob did show up to his home and decided where the line was where he would use deadly force to protect his family. I'd make the guess that he did none of these things and improvised by trying to use the guns as intimidation (dumb) but was called on it by the kid (dumber).

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

I totally agree. Having the son wear a bulletproof vest to court as if he would not be safe among the rest of us Long Islanders and bringing in The Nation of Islam guys to the courtroom. What a tactical error on Brewington's part. He should have known better.

Wow. I didn't know that. I think you have a good point with this.

[Manigault]

I think John White's lawyers blew it. They had to make the jury identify with him and did not.

Just heard, Tankleff will not be re-tried!