"The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded."
~Charles-Louis De Secondant (1689-1755) Baron de Montesquieu (Source) The Spirit of the Laws, 1748
THE LAWYERS
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"I am a lawyer. I am entrusted by the People of Texas to preserve and improve our legal system. I am licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas. I must therefore abide by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, but I know that Professionalism requires more than merely avoiding the violation of laws and rules. I am committed to this Creed for no other reason than it is right." |
The most damaging injustices being committed in the legal system today are
perpetrated by attorneys who do not do their job to the best of their ability.DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
Most District Attorney's have developed a 'cop mentality'. They only see in black and white, mostly black. DA's use words like monster, evil, and unforgivable over and over to describe every defendant who comes before them. In their minds, every case has a defendant who premeditated whatever he's accused of and his just punishment is damnation to the pits of hell with no further thought. No defendant is ever appropriately 'contrite'. No defendant is ever telling the truth and no defendant is ever ever innocent, no matter how much proof to the contrary exists. We can thank district attorneys like Bill Hill, John Vance, Henry Wade and their assistants for their crucial role in the innocent people going to prison.We can thank them for Dallas County having the dubious title as the nations leader in DNA exonerations of the wrongfully convicted.
The Texas criminal justice system is at an important crossroads. DA Craig Watkins can play an important role in the direction taken to reverse the historical methods of operations employed for decades by district attorneys throughout Texas and around the country. The time has come for changes in the system and there is no better place to start then the State of Texas, with special attention given to Dallas and Harris County, Texas. With the high number of exonerations in Dallas and the recent revelations of wrongdoing at the DNA crime lab in Houston, focusing attention on both these counties is important in the efforts to restore credibility and the people's trust in the Texas judicial system as a whole.In our haste to right the wrongs, DA Watkins nor other seeking criminal justice reforms can allow tunnel vision to overtake them, because DNA cases are not the only cases being prosecuted, nor are they the only cases where unjust prosecutions and wrongful convictions have and shall occur, absent changes in the way things are done.
What Do We Really Know About Craig Watkins?
Kay Lee's Letters to Toby Shook
PRIVATE ATTORNEYS
I have nothing but scorn for lawyers who are cashing in on bad laws and the resulting prison boom. I get letter after letter from trusting people who paid $10,000, $20,000, $40,000 to a lawyer who appeared to be sympathetic and accessible - UNTIL they got the money, at which time they suddenly are never available, never return phone calls, and arrive in court ill-prepared to present anything but a sloppy case. The majority of lawyers take on more cases than they can possible defend properly, then they urge a plea agreement so they can move on and snag the next unsuspecting client's money. It's sinful, shameful, and absolutely disgusting that a once honorable profession should be reduced to this.
PUBLIC DEFENDERS
Court appointed attorneys are doom for poor defendants. They are so notorious for slacking that they are usually and rightfully called "Public Pretenders". I've watched them come into the courtrooms staggering under piles of files they haven't read until they can quickly peruse them while standing at the bar with a defendant they have barely spoken to and whom they are most likely urging to take a guilty plea just to get the case off the books.I make excuses for the public defenders; the system is overburdened, too many laws make too many criminals, there's not enough public defenders; but whatever the reason, it is totally unAmerican for a defendant not to get the best representation a lawyer has to offer. No wonder there are so many innocent people in prison! Kay Lee
PUBLIC DEFENDER TOM GRETT
No wonder they call them "Public Pretenders"
We would like you to meet Dallas lawyer/public defender, Thomas R. Grett.
Thomas Grett was appointed by the court as Lakeith Sharif's public defender. He failed to defend Mr. Sharif's case, failed to keep him out of the state hospital, and failed to file all of Sharif's motions. When Sharif contacted him by phone about the motions, with a witness on the third line, Mr. Grett was most unprofessional. Grett called Sharif names, including the immoral, if not illegal, racial epitaph "nigger" and told him to never call again. Mr. Grett would later lie to the Texas Bar about his racist comments to Sharif. For these reasons, Sharif asked that Mr. Grett not be allowed to be his lawyer, as Sharif would rather defend himself than have the defense of someone who so obviously couldn't care less. Judge Karen Greene refused to rule on Sharif's motion.
As you read Sharif's legal work below, Keep in mind what Dr. Lisa Clayton told the judge Karen Greene:"Mr. Amir-Sharif does not have a rational understanding of the charges against him, nor does he understand the possible penalties or various duties of courtroom personnel in a trial process."
Sharif wrote all the legal work below, much of it was done "without" access to the jail's law library. Pretty good for an 'incompetent', yes? Kay Lee
MOTIONS FILED
MOTION TO DISMISS COUNSEL
Written by Lakeith
Sharif
Mailed April 14, 2005
MOTION TO COMPEL PROMPT REVOCATION HEARING
by Lakeith Sharif
Written May 3, 2005
REQUEST TO SELF REPRESENT
by Lakeith Sharif
Mailed May 8, 2005
LIST OF PRO.SE
MOTIONS
Written by Lakeith
Sharif
۩۩
GRIEVING THOMAS GRETT
GRIEVANCE TO STATE BAR
By Lakeith Sharif
Stamped Received May 6, 2005
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECIEPT
FROM STATE BAR
Dated May 9, 2005
STATE BAR SCREENING DECISION
Dated June 2, 2005
APPEAL STATE BAR SCREENING DECISION
Dated June 17, 2005
LETTER TO BAR ASSOCIATION
Written by Alida Smith, Witness
dated June 19, 2005
GRIEVANCE TO DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL OF TEXAS
State Bar of Texas
Jun 28, 2005
UNASKED AND UNANSWERED
Questions Regarding Public Defender's Office
۩۩
THOMAS GRETT DECLARED INCOMPETENT
5th Circuit Court Of Appeals
No. 02-10373
THOMAS GRETT DECLARED INEFFECTIVE
5th Circuit Court Of Appeals
No. 02-10373
ATTORNEY JOHN H. READ II
Non-performance of duties.
JOHN READ'S RESPONSES
To Sharif's Complaint to the Bar
| "It isn't about truth, it isn't about justice--it's about convictions." ~One Man's Attorney |
 DALLAS/FW LAWYER WRITES JAIL ARTICLES Name: Dallas Criminal Lawyer - David Finn http://www.dallascriminallawyer.com/
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