I don’t blog extensively about my work — yeah, I whine from time to time because my day job cuts into my real life, but I seldom give blow by blow accounts of what I get paid to do. Yesterday and today have been gold star though. Yesterday a Federal Judge ruled that the police cannot make up crimes, the concocted violations of which give them the right to search citizens and their vehicles. My client has been sitting in jail for almost three years. He was driving north on I-25 near the border with Colorado when a police officer stopped him for changing lanes after signalling for fewer than 100 feet. The traffic law continues — to indicate that the signalling requirement is in effect when the change in direction “may affect other traffic”. At 5:00 AM with only my client, the officer, one semi truck on the road, and a water truck sprinkling the shoulder, the “affecting traffic” didn’t happen. A thoughtful judge granted our motion to suppress the fruits of a search because the stop itself was unconstitutional.
Today, my client charged with 1st degree murder, entered into a plea to manslaughter. No, she didn’t walk out of court a free woman, but she is facing up to 11 years rather than life in prison. It was a victory in a field where “victory” is a relative word.
So, both my May and my June trials have evaporated. I will be able to attend the dog shows May 14th through the 17th. I can be at the house while the guys are planting my meadow. I’ll be able to fall asleep when I go to bed. It has been a great beginning to the merry, merry month of May.
