Maryland Executive Jack Johnson Faces Corruption Allegations

Did you hear the news out of Prince George County, Maryland? According to The Washington Post and numerous other news outlets, Prince George County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife were arrested yesterday by F.B.I. agents, who allege that the two had destroyed evidence in connection with an ongoing federal probe of public corruption and kickbacks in this Washington, D.C. suburb.

According to reports, the feds have been wiretapping Mr. Johnson for quite some time concerning alleged kickbacks which they claim he has received from real estate developers in connection with HUD grant money. Johnson maintains his innocence and asserts that he will be vindicated when the truth comes out.

Here's hoping that Mr. Johnson and his spouse get some good criminal defense lawyers who are experienced in federal criminal cases! As a former federal prosecutor, (and currently, as a criminal defense attorney in Augusta, Georgia), I can attest that, facing an F.B.I. federal wiretap case, they are going to need all the help they can get!

A Goolsby "War Story:" Winning A Tough Murder Case

"We felt like we had to find him guilty. Even his own defense lawyer looked like he thought his client was guilty!"

I will never forget these words spoken to me by a jury foreperson in a case I had just tried. As a young Assistant D.A. in Augusta, Georgia, I had just gotten a conviction in a tough murder case. After the case was over, I was interviewing the jury foreperson.

The evidence in the case was largely circumstantial. The defendant was accused of strangling his girl friend to death. She was found dead in a local motel room. We could prove that the defendant had checked in at the motel with his girl friend and that she was found dead, in bed, by a maid the next morning. As I recall, the only other evidence we had was the testimony of a cell mate of the defendant, who testified that the defendant had admitted strangling the girl friend. That's about all the evidence we had! But the jury still convicted the defendant, in part, as the jury foreperson explained, because it appeared to the jury that even his own criminal lawyer thought he was guilty!

I learned several important lessons from this criminal case. First of all, it reminded me that you never know what a jury will do! Also, I learned to always tell my clients, (in my current career as a criminal defense attorney), not to talk with their cell mates, (or anyone else), about their case. Finally, I learned that, during a criminal trial, it is critical for a criminal defense lawyer to always maintain a "poker face," no matter how the trial is going.

After all, you never want a jury to convict a client simply because it appears to the jury that his own criminal lawyer looks like he thinks he is guilty!

Criminal Law "Joke of the Day"

We criminal attorneys have been far too serious for far too long in this blog about white collar crime in Georgia! So...don't you agree that it is high time for a ..."joke of the day!?"

The story goes that two people, a priest and a criminal lawyer, had died and were approaching the Pearly Gates together. They each identified themselves to St. Peter, who agreed, in turn, to take them to their assigned Heavenly accomodations. He took the priest to a humble house, but then he showed the criminal attorney a beautiful mansion. The priest was flabbergasted! He asked St. Peter, "Tell me, why does this money-grubbing, underhanded criminal lawyer get to live in this mansion, while I, a priest, who has helped the poor and the sick, am assigned a humble house?"

"Well," replied St. Peter, "We get preachers and priests here all the time, but this is the first criminal lawyer we have ever had!" Have a great day!

Voting and Election Fraud

As we approach election day, I remember some of my "war stories" from my days as a federal prosecutor, during which I prosecuted the largest vote-buying case in U.S. history. In that case, I successfully prosecuted a total of 28 defendants for buying votes in Dodge County, Georgia, including a sheriff and two county commissioners. I wish I could say that I "cleaned up Dodge," but the U.S. Attorney's Office was required to "make a little visit" there again and lock up some folks not too long ago!

Election problems and voting fraud continue to pose a serious problem in this country. Consider the following examples:

• In Nevada, there have been reports that, when voters have gone in to vote, their ballots have already been marked for Senator Harry Reid;
• In Illinois, election officials missed the deadline for mailing absentee ballots to soldiers overseas, so that they can vote;
• In Daytona Beach, Florida, a city commissioner was arrested earlier today and charged with absentee ballot fraud in connection with his own re-election bid.

Election fraud is a serious problem which strikes at the heart of our Constitution. Don't you agree? Do you believe electronic (computer) voting is more safe, or less safe, than paper ballot voting?

Atlanta Attorney Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

Did you hear the news? An Atlanta area attorney, Michael Shaw, (not pictured above), just entered a guilty plea in federal court to fraud charges involving fraudulent invoices which he submitted to his old law firm between 2003 and 2009. And get this: the fraudulent invoices from fictitious vendors which he submitted to his employer totalled up to more than a whopping half-million dollars over the six year period! Shaw now reportedly faces up to thirty years in a federal prison, although his federal sentencing guidelines score will likely net him a much lower sentence.

Don't you agree that it is incredible that he got away with it for as long as he did? How often do you believe such crimes go undetected? Once again, this criminal case illustrates the importance of each business having adequate checks and balances concerning payments of invoices.

Indigent Defense in Georgia: The Costs of Justice

A war is currently raging in the State of Georgia. No, I am not referring to a political or sporting contest. It is a battle over whether or not the State's General Assembly will adequately fund indigent criminal defense. Funding for indigent defense refers to paying for lawyers for those who cannot afford to retain their own criminal defense attorney. Sadly, in this state, our legislators have constantly fought against having to adequately fund this necessary program. As a result, our state's criminal justice system appears to be melting down.

For example, the Daily Report has recently profiled one murder case, currently pending in Fulton County, in which the defendant has sat and sat, in jail, without bond, waiting for trial, for five years! That's right: FIVE YEARS! And one of the primary reasons for this unconscionable delay is the fact that there are no funds to pay for lawyers to defend him!

In my opinion, delays like this are outrageous! As the old adage goes, "Justice delayed is justice denied!" Georgia citizens deserve better! Hopefully, in January, our General Assembly will step up to the plate and address this important funding issue! Let's stop the war and fix the problem!

"It's A Mad, Mad World:" The Case Against Judge Jack Camp

For the past several days, I have been away, while trying a federal criminal case. You can imagine my shock, upon my return, to learn about news reports of the arrest of Federal Judge Jack Camp, of Atlanta, for allegedly buying drugs from, and for being "up to no good with," an Atlanta stripper! Such things just don't ever really happen, do they!? Of course, the judge is presumed innocent, but it will be interesting to see what happens in this salacious matter!