Florida Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Published on: May 12, 2008

Cocaine Is Back, Killing More Than Ever

The signs: Increased business at rehab centers. Those Ski-related personal ads. A big spike in death rates. The trend began to reveal itself about five years ago — in centrifuges and under microscopes — at the University of Florida’s Forensic Toxicology Laboratory. Each year, the lab assists seven Florida medical examiners’ offices with about 3,000 cases, helping to identify toxic substances in bodies as medical examiners perform autopsies. Dr. Bruce Goldberger, the UF toxicologist who runs the lab, says he began to notice a “significant increase” in the number of cases in which cocaine either caused the death or was present in the blood stream. When he and his colleagues looked at data collected by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement from all 24 of the state’s medical examiners, they found that cocaine-related deaths had been rising all over Florida — from 1,034 in 2000 to 2,052 in 2006. The raw numbers also translated into a statistical spike in the cocaine-related death rate, from 6.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2001 to 11.2 in 2005.

Full Story: http://floridatrend.com/article.asp?page=1&aID=48829

Published on: May 5, 2008

Conference center, plaza may be coming to St. Marks

by Leland Garvin

From deli meats to video rentals, the family store on St. Marks’ main drag has it all; its selection of used paperbacks even serves as the town’s public library. It’s part of a way of life many here want to preserve.
“We all love St. Marks just the way it is,” said Joy Brown, Bo Lynn’s owner for the past 43 years. “We really don’t want another Miami. … We’re not ready for it, and we don’t want it.”
But time is catching up with the town 20 miles south of Tallahassee. A group of citizens is planning to restart the town’s economy following a decade of hardships. Their proposal calls for a conference center and a waterfront plaza that could include the site of the shuttered Posey’s Oyster Bar. Click Here for Full Story: http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/NEWS01/805060327&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL Take a look at the website, there is a photo gallery and a video about the Confrence Center

Published on: April 18, 2008

Florida Senate amendment takes on ‘Truck Nutz’

by Leland Garvin

The Florida Senate on Thursday passed an amendment to impose a $60 fine on Truck Nutz, one brand name for the novelty item on vehicle trailer hitches that resemble the dangling southern end of a northbound bull.

The proposal would make displaying bull genitalia reproductions on a vehicle subject to a $60 fine, moving violations and points against a driver license. The penalties were proposed by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis. Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said he had a set on one of his vehicles, which he described as “all pimped out.” They are no more than “an expression of truckliness,” he said, although he’d acceded to his wife’s request to take them off. “I find it shocking we’d tell people with metallic testicles on their bumpers that this is a violation,” said Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale. “There’s got to be better things for us to spend time debating.” Geller suggested this ban might be followed by prohibiting silhouettes of nude women on truck mud flaps.
“We’re basically going to have the bumper police,” King said. “All their concerns are legitimate,” Baker said of the critics. “And I do have more important things to do this session. But I think this is important, too.” The transportation bill was debated Thursday, and a vote is expected next week. The House version, however, doesn’t include the prohibition.

Published on: April 9, 2008

Crist says he’ll likely sign guns-at-work bill

by Leland Garvin

The guns-at-work bill is on its way to the governor — who said he’s likely to sign it — after the Senate passed it Wednesday with little debate and a 26-13 vote. I’m probably gonna sign it,” Crist said afterward. “The 2nd Amendment is very important.” The governor acknowledged the intense lobbying war that preceded the bill’s passage, but added “people being protected, that’s very important to me.” Both sides, meanwhile, went into action almost immediately, urging their supporters to contact Crist with their opinions.The Florida Retail Federation, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce both opposed the bill, while support came from the NRA and other pro-gun groups…. The bill says that employees who have a concealed weapons permit can keep a gun locked in their trunks at work, even if the employer wants to ban guns on the property — something that opponents said ran contrary to private property rights. The bill also provide several exceptions, allowing defense and military contractors, corrections facilities and schools to continue to ban the weapons.
http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080409/CAPITOLNEWS/80409016&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Published on: April 1, 2008

DISORDERLY LAWMAKING

by Leland Garvin

Tallahassee Democrat, editorial, http://www.tallahassee.com, March 30, 2008.The editorial states: “Florida’s state court system is already a lean, hardworking justice machine. It operates with roughly half as many trial judges per citizen as other large states — 4.5 judges per 100,000 citizens compared with Texas with 10, for example, or the national average of 7.3 judges. A point of pride, however, is that our court system ranks near the top of the states in terms of clearing cases quickly and opinions issued per justice. Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Lewis says much of this is due to an efficient system of top-quality paralegals and judicial assistants who keep the judges judging and the paperwork orderly and flowing. . . . A 10-percent slice of the judicial budget could be more painful than with many other agencies because it starts out with just a sliver of the state’s $70 billion budget. The state courts system consumes just 0.7 percent of the total, compared, for example, with education at 31 percent. Cutting 10 percent of a $483 million budget for one entire branch of government is dire, especially when 80 percent of that goes to the 20 circuit courts.”

Published on: March 16, 2008

Justices OK new state legal offices for poor defendants

by Leland Garvin

Five regional legal offices the state has created to represent poor defendants in special circumstances can stay open, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday [March 13]. The justices reversed a judge’s ruling that the offices, which opened their doors in January, were unconstitutional because they are headed by appointed rather than elected officials. The offices handle cases public defenders cannot take for reasons that include conflicts of interest that often occur when more than one defendant is charged with the same crime. Those cases previously had been assigned to private lawyers, but the new offices are expected to do the same job at a savings of about $55 million the first year.

-We’ll have to wait and see on this one….

Full Story:
http://ap.polkonline.com/pstories/state/fl/20080313/257656307.shtml

Published on: March 6, 2008

Man arrested after high speed chase and jumping 70 feet from bridge

by Leland Garvin

A 24-year-old Fort Myers man jumped about 70 feet off of the Caloosahatchee Bridge to avoid Lee County sheriff’s deputies this morning, after trying to run over a deputy and then fleeing in what became a lengthy high-speed chase, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.Lorenzo Dean Hood was quickly arrested after his leap to the ground below. He suffered only a sprained ankle.His jump from the bridge – deputies estimate 70 to 75 feet – would be about the equivalent of jumping from the top of a seven-story building.According to the arrest report:A call came into the sheriff’s office at 2:44 a.m. about an assault on Boatways Drive. The caller said the perpetrator left in an older model Chevy Caprice.Deputies stopped a car that matched the caller’s description at the northbound onramp to I-75 from Palm Beach Boulevard.The driver, later identified as Hood, swerved and attempted to run over the approaching officer before accelerating up the onramp.

Full Story: http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080306/NEWS0110/80306007/1085/RSS0110

Published on: March 6, 2008

CHILDREN IN CHAINS

by Leland Garvin

Remove shackles unless offenders pose a clear threat

As they consider ways to make juvenile offenders safer in state custody, lawmakers should seize the opportunity to clarify state policy on one controversial practice — slapping leg irons and belly chains on youthful offenders, regardless of their age, physical strength or offense.

Lawmakers never officially approved the practice of shackling juveniles travelling to and from court. Yet it’s common procedure in courthouses across the state — even in circuits where adults accused of violent offenses are transported without the chains. Experts in juvenile justice lament the message the heavy shackles send to young offenders, many of whom are already terrified.