Federal law enforcement bungled pathetically by fingering Brandon Mayfield with someone else's fingerprints in the investigation of the Madrid bombing, arresting him, jailing him, and, he says, even threatening him with capital punishment.
Brandon Mayfield fought back with a vengeance, as he should have, ultimately obtaining this week a $2 million settlement and an apology from the federal government. If given a choice between turning the clock back and receiving the $2 million settlement, turning the clock back would win hands down.
One of Mr. Mayfield's lawyers is Gerry Spence -- who founded the Trial Lawyers College that I attended in 1995 -- who characterized Mr. Mayfield's gross mistreatment as "a rape the government has committed on its citizens."
Mr. Mayfield, who is a lawyer, took the right approach by going full guns to reverse the injustice he suffered. However, for every Brandon Mayfield, probably many more who suffer gross injustices do not seek or find the right avenue to reverse those injustices.
Bill of Rights. (From the public domain.)A late, ordinarily likeable, often entertaining, and sometimes frustrating (for his overly informal manner that too often overlooked the law and procedural rules) judge was said to have pontificated about speed
Tracked: Jul 20, 20:49