Lawyers Hied For for Marshals Who Shot Plane Passenger

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1134554712069

The U.S. Department of Justice has hired two Zuckerman Spaeder lawyers in Miami to represent the federal air marshals who last week shot and killed a mentally ill Orlando man who allegedly said he had a bomb aboard a plane at Miami International Airport.

But legal experts don't expect any criminal charges to be filed against the two air marshals. "Law enforcement traditionally has been supported when they use deadly force based on their belief that someone has a weapon," said Brian L. Tannebaum, president of the South Florida chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. "No charges will be filed -- you can put all your money on that."

Partner Michael Pasano and associate Paul Calli were hired to represent the marshals -- whose identities have not been publicly disclosed -- in the Miami-Dade police and Miami-Dade state attorney's office inquest. Pasano said they probably also would represent the marshals in any civil suit filed by the family of the dead man, which is considered likely.

Miami-Dade homicide investigators have interviewed witnesses to the Dec. 7 shooting, which occurred on a jetway leading to an American Airlines plane at Miami International Airport. Investigators have completed their investigation and are awaiting a final report from the Miami-Dade medical examiner's office, said police spokesman Roy Rutland. "We're just standing by," Rutland said. "We should be done in a week or two. Police then will send their report to the Miami-Dade state attorney's office, which will make a determination whether the marshals used justifiable force -- or whether to file charges against the air marshals.

I'm surprised they all ready didn't lawyer up before now, because I see a storm(lawsuit) brewing over this, from the get go, I saw that...

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news media beating this into a frenzy, or because you know the actual facts and circumstances of this event? And, if it's the latter, then how did you obtain this information?

but their were a few different stories brewing about what happened, and I figured someone was going to get in trouble, it was someones fault, and i figured lawyers would enter the fray. It doesn't take much foresight to see that lawyers eventually, would be involved...:)

1.) No one knows what happened except the participants, one of which is dead. And, the law enforcement -- U.S. Marshalls -- are their own eye witnesses to whatever extent they saw and heard. Other witnesses perhaps saw bits and pieces of what happened.

2.) I take issue w/ the so-called "news media" getting into the act attempting to be criminal investigators . . . then "informing" the public as to the alleged facts and circumstances.

3.) Again, no one knows squat until time, patience, and any civil or criminal investigation is completed and presented to a court-of-law to its conclusion.

4.) You nor I or anyone else knows squat, period. Folks, including "news media" and blogs as well as others look damn stupid speculating about this or that . . .

when they were in a bad situation, they consult their lawyers to see if anything was done wrong or if they are accountable, it happens all the time....:) I knew lawyers would be in this fray eventually, and now they are, according to the OP link/post...:)

for legal advice. Geezuz. How quaint.

Take your car next time you go for a drink:

Liquored up -> pulled up -> lawyered up -> locked up

Has a certain rhythm to it. :)

now if we could just get people to believe this line re: watergate and the pentagon papers we can restore this country to the level of flaccid complacency that we need to complete our plans!

signed,
GOP

Most people can hear a news story and figure a legal battle will likely brew over it.

I guess I don't see why you're attacking the person all over the place. Angry lawyer syndrome..?

thank God, not everyone is an attorney (not yet at least!).

If we were to apply your standard to all issues we probably wouldn't need political blogs at all! Do you think we should wait for MSM to report the outcome of the trail before commenting?

Blogs are a forum that allows (maybe even encourages?) speculation. It gets people thinking to bounce ideas off one another. I think it's OK to post based on your hunch or you sense of how a story is being presented.

Some things are pretty clear in this story. A mentally ill man is dead, shot to death by air marshals with his wife near by. Oh, and I almost forgot...there was no bomb! That's quite a bit more than "squat" don't you think?

"the problem isn't the abuse, it's the fact that the media is hyping it up."

:eyes:

are lawyering up, the bastards!!!

Did any civilian see the actual shooting?

What I thought was weird was when they reported "he said he had a bomb in his bag, but after we shot him, we reached in his bag and found there was no bomb." Note, the bomb squad had not yet arrived! Hint: they were not following policy and they knew he was not a threat (and did not have a bomb in his bag).

blew it up, for the cameras,,all to help their spin.

They blew up his luggage (and probably harmed the tarmac).

The air marshals claim he said he had "a bomb" in his carry-on bag and then the air marshals immediately checked the bag in his hand, after they killed him.

he had a bomb. He was fleeing for his life because he was sure there was a bomb aboard the aircraft. If he was the one with the bomb I doubt he would run away. he would use his bomb either for real or for intimidation. He was running. They shot him in the back....

Not one civilian witness has confirmed the story that the man uttered the word "bomb".

There better damn well be an investigation and hopefully legal inquiry.

I see no problem with hiring a lawyer and bringing the case to court. If there's nothing wrong with him getting shot, they should have no problem defending it in court.

every time a civil servant kills a civilian. In theory, it's supposed to happen every time. In practice, it unfortunately doesn't.

What shocks me is that it took so long for the legal thing to get rolling in this case. They should have been speaking with lawyers and investigators since day 1.

put more of these hired assassins on trains, subways, ferries, busses... so we'll feel real "safe."

?