Letter From America: The Strong Arm Of The Lawyer
Ever heard of an unfriendly handshake? Ronnie Bray tells of a curious incident in a Florida court.
It was a different sort of day in one Florida court when Antony Rentas appeared on charges of violating the terms of a probation order previously imposed for being a cocaine dealer. Although the court took Rentas’ infraction seriously, it handed down what most believe to be a too lenient sentence; a mere ninety days under house arrest. He was a free man, but he could not go anywhere.
The Court was satisfied that the sentence was the right one, and the prosecuting counsel, Assistant US Attorney Jennifer Keene, agreed. However, one lawyer who witnessed the trial was far from pleased with the sentence.
It is normal in American courts, after the hearing is concluded, for lawyers on either side to comport themselves in a friendly manner, speak briefly to their professional adversaries, and shake hands, whatever the outcome. This is what seemed to be about to happen after Rentas’ lawsuit when a lawyer approached Ms Keene with her hand outstretched. Ms Keene smiled and took her hand in a gesture of customary good will.
However this Florida lawyer shook Keene’s hand so violently that her arm was almost ripped out of its socket. The offending advocate has been charged with assault for her "over-vigorous" handshake, and could face up to a year in prison, because her powerful, robust, and convulsive shake almost took the prosecutor to the floor.
A court security officer told how, "With Keene in hand, Attorney Brewer made an upward, then a quick downward motion and pulled Keene toward the ground moving her forward, almost causing Keene to fall to the ground." Lawyer Keene later told how her arm and shoulder were seared with excruciating pain.
The US Attorney's Office said that assaulting a federal officer was a very serious matter and that Mrs Brewer, the offender, would be prosecuted "vigorously."
The malefactor was freed on $100,000 (£50,000) bail, after a night in solitary confinement, and is ordered to undergo psychological evaluation. She was also ordered to stay away from Mrs Keene, despite her insistence that she intended no harm: a claim denounced by witnesses to the assault who were shocked at its unmerciful severity.
I have not yet heard the outcome of the assault case, but I believe that I can put my finger on the reason it took place with no fear of contradiction.
Although Attorney Mrs Kathy Brewer, 49, was not directly involved in the Rentas case, it would not be stretching the truth to say that she had an interest in it and its outcome. The connection is best seen when we add Mrs Brewer’s married name to her maiden and professional name. That’s right, she is married to the convicted drug dealer, Rentas, and her foray to the prosecution’s table was, it is widely believed, a vicious act of revenge, because her husband had been found guilty.
This is an cautionary example of how ‘the long arm of the law’ became ‘the strong arm of the law,’ ‘the wrong arm of the law,’ and also 'the strong arm of the lawyer!'
See you in court, but be careful whose hand you grasp!
Read Ronnie's Stories at:
http://www.2theheart.com/author_ronnie_bray/
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/voices/011024summer.html
