DC Judge Appoints Lewinsky Lawyer to Defend Palfrey! Former Lawyer Banned!

(Article says that the Judge has banned former Palfrey lawyer, Blair Sibley, from appearing in her courtroom. This is kind of weird. Why would a high profile lawyer like Preston Burton be "court appointed?") :shrug:


Judge Appoints New Lawyer for Alleged Madam
Attorney's Clients Include Lewinsky, 3 Major Spies

By Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 8, 2007; B02

The woman accused of being the D.C. madam has a new attorney, appointed yesterday by a federal judge.

Preston Burton, a partner in the Washington office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, will represent Deborah Jeane Palfrey against charges that she ran an illegal D.C. prostitution ring in Washington under the guise of an escort business.

Burton was named by Washingtonian magazine in 2004 as one of the capital's leading criminal defense attorneys. Palfrey joins a long list of notable clients who have turned to Burton to defend them. He represented White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky and spies such as CIA agent Aldrich H. Ames, former FBI agent Robert P. Hanssen and former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Ana Belen Montes.

Burton takes the reins as the case's legal strategy is becoming increasingly controversial. Critics say Palfrey has mounted a media blitz and is building her defense around the intimidation of potential prosecution witnesses -- clients who fear she will name them publicly.

"I'm taking steps to get up to speed as quickly as possible," said Burton, who will appear at a hearing May 21. "The case has certainly gotten a lot of attention. But I just don't think it's appropriate to comment at this time."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/07/AR2007050700441_pf.html

Interesting article on the subject: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pro+bono+lawyers+do+well+by+doing+good-a0140517888

Check out Chief Justice Roberts' pro bono work! Surprise, surprise, that! Or maybe not?

Not all pro bono work becomes highly politicized, as happened with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts--he came under scrutiny during his nomination process for having reviewed files for a coalition of gay rights activists while serving as an appellate lawyer at Hogan & Hartson LLP in 1996. But the reasons why lawyers pick certain causes for pro bono representation are a mix of conviction and calculation.

My cynicism filter is completely busted...I don't think these kind of appointments are done to protect the interests of the accused.

found this. But, she was criticized for reducing the fines for Big Tobacco recently, so who knows. She was born in 1938 and has been around the DC Circuit for a long time.

A Judge's Sharp Opinion

Monday, December 4, 2006; Page A17

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler issued a blunt indictment Friday of the Bush administration's legal handling of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Frustrated with the plight of prisoners held without charges for years at the base, Kessler expressed disgust with the federal government's repeated efforts to block courts from hearing detainees' complaints.

Kessler's written opinion was particularly unusual in that it came in a ruling about a technicality. The Justice Department had asked her to dismiss the complaint of an Afghan detainee, Hamid al-Razak, and to bar him from ever seeking the court's help. Below is a portion of her denial of the government's motion:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/03/AR2006120301123.html

Protect traitors and/or entire networks when this administration deliberately exposed the Plame network while going along with Chalabi? :hide:

though..