Posted on
January 28, 2009 in
Houston Press article describing Houston criminal-defense lawyer Murray Newman’s blog as “A Digital Bathroom Wall for Pat Lykos“.
As rumors spread of continued purges, of internal memos being
distributed “Re: unprofessionalism of reading toxic antiregime blogs at
work” and of investigations being conducted regarding improper use of
county computers, Newman predicted that his former colleagues may soon
become so paralyzed by fear that the courts will choke with backlog.
That’ll show Lykos, he seems to think: A prosecutor needs support. And
until Lykos causes the total shutdown of the criminal justice system,
or until his “last dying breath,” Newman vows to be the criminal
defense lawyer whose blog supports prosecutors. There’s an aspect of
bitterness to it as well, he admits, but “it’s natural to be irritated
about losing a job.”
Defending People even gets a little quote love (but no link? c’mon now, Randall, even the WSJ blog gave me a link!):
On the blog, the Kool-Aid drinkers and the rebels thrashed it out, the
former having really just one question for the rebels: Why didn’t these
people simply quit? The defense lawyer Mark Bennett dared them not to
attend the swearing-in (“part of what I do is teach people how to
fight,” he writes), and it was on his blog, “Defending People,” that
the answer came that such an act would require courage. “See, growing a
pair,” the writer explained, “means that we’ll all be out of jobs
pretty darn quick.”
I have to admit that the article today wasn’t exactly what I
thought it was going to be. Although I wasn’t misquoted and nothing was
written completely out of context, there are several things
in it that I’d like to address. Mr. Patterson blended things I said in
the interview with things I’ve said on the blog along with what
commenters have said on the blog and he wrote his article.
So far I’ve been treated fairly — even gently — by the press. I’m sorry that Murray is not happy with how he was represented in the Houston Press (a free weekly tabloid). He deserves to be quoted accurately and in context.
But supporting prosecutors to his “last dying breath”? Holy melodrama, Batman, it sounds like someone drank a little too much Rosenthal kool-aid.