Bills submitted to public agencies are public record, but Carr oddly chose a stream-of-consciousness approach in many invoices, even when referring to his own death-penalty-eligible clients.

"He just snuck up and blasted her in the head," he wrote of his client Larry Gary, now serving a life sentence for murdering his Phoenix girlfriend in November 2007. "I don't think she ever saw it coming. So he blows his girlfriend of five years' head off. Not good."

In a February 2009 invoice for four hours, Carr wrote: "Heavy work. We are getting down to the nitty-gritty. I think we are good, but it's dirty Basta and not-so-smart Steinle."

This would be Naranjo prosecutor Eric Basta and Judge Roland Steinle.

The following month, Carr said this about Dr. Brad Bayless, a prosecution expert witness in Naranjo: "Lots of impeachment material — he's the state's whore."

He charged the county three hours, or $375, to come up with that observation.

After interviewing a pair of Phoenix homicide cops in August 2010, Carr wrote, "Those two make me dislike cops even more. They are so full of garbage. I will destroy them on the stand."

Finally, this one from June 2009, an invoice for what Carr claimed was three hours of video-watching: "Looking at new video of our client from the past. He looks like a killer, not a retard."

The latter reference is to the fact that Naranjo is mentally handicapped.

Jim Logan said he never advised Carr to tone down his commentary on official county paperwork.

"It was very weird, but I never said a word to him about it," Logan said. "Why should I have?"


Maricopa County's lucrative criminal-defense niche began to explode in 2005, within months after Andrew Thomas became county attorney.

Death-penalty filings increased exponentially during Thomas' controversial reign, which ended when he resigned in 2010 to unsuccessfully run for Arizona attorney general.

By 2008, Maricopa County had become the nation's unofficial capital-punishment capital, with about 150 death-penalty cases pending — up by two-thirds from three years earlier. It didn't help that the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Ring v. Arizona mandated retrials for several convicted murderers (now they would be sentenced by juries, not judges).

Death-penalty cases are among the most expensive, time-consuming, and rigorous in the justice system. One reason is that most murder defendants are unable to afford lawyers, and the courts must appoint counsel to represent them — at great cost to taxpayers.

In Maricopa County, defense attorneys appointed to murder cases usually come from one of three Public Defender agencies. The country also contracts with private lawyers to take on cases with several defendants, who may be pointing fingers at each other and legally cannot have attorneys from the same agency representing them.

Jim Keppel, the county's presiding criminal judge during the height of the courthouse crisis regarding death-penalty cases, says there just weren't enough judges, prosecutors, and qualified defense attorneys to handle the load during the unprecedented blitz of capital filings under Thomas, who since has been disbarred. (Pending death-eligible cases have shrunk from the peak of about 150 to about 65 since Thomas' departure.)

Maricopa County tried at the time to lure more private attorneys into the death-penalty-defense fold by increasing the hourly rate for first-chair lawyers to $125 an hour and second-chair attorneys to $95 an hour. Mitigation specialists — who are similar to private investigators, but whose sole task it is to find reasons for jurors to possibly spare guilty clients — got bumped up to $55 an hour.

Twice-suspended attorney Stephen Johnson, still months away from getting his law license back, made his reentry in early 2007 as a death-penalty mitigation specialist.


Since then, Johnson has become the Zelig of Maricopa County's criminal-justice system.

In part, his ubiquitous presence is testament to how desperate county officials were during the Andrew Thomas era to lure practically anyone to work on the rash of capital cases that emerged.

Johnson has collected more than $1 million from Maricopa County since 2007 as either a co-counsel and mitigation specialist in a series of murder cases. That's about $200,000 a year, not bad for a fellow so down on his luck a decade ago that he moved back in with his parents.

A bear of a man, Johnson is known around the courthouse as gregarious and likable. But he long has taken on (and authorities have allowed him to take on) more clients and cases than he can handle. As a result, he inevitably has gotten in trouble with the State Bar of Arizona.

The Arizona Supreme Court suspended Johnson for the second time in May 2004, more than a year after he admitted lying to the state Court of Appeals about why he hadn't submitted legal paperwork on time for an incarcerated client.

More than a dozen people had filed complaints against Johnson before the suspension, claiming he ignored their cases after collecting fees.

"It is apparent that Mr. Johnson's only concern is to receive whatever amount of money he receives with as little or no work as possible," the parents of one of Johnson's incarcerated clients wrote in 2002.

"Mr. Johnson believes he is above and beyond the law."

Johnson's 2004 suspension was for six months and one day — the extra day signifying the formal proceedings he would have to undergo to be reinstated.

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49 comments
fairymagic13
fairymagic13

You state that the death penalty "work"s.  What, pray tell, are you talking about?  It works as punishment?  Nope, once the person is dead, there is no more punishment - I want the murderer of my first wife to remain on this mortal coil for as long as he breaths - yet confined in a 6X10 cell - it's a punishment worse than death. Death is the easy way out - I want that SOB to suffer for as long as humanely possible. Do you mean deter others from engaging in murder?  Nope - you don't teach people that killing people is wrong by killing people.  It's a stupid response to an evil act.  Allowing our State to utilize deadly  violence against one citizens will result in MORE violence not less. Check out the murder rates in Canada and then compare them with the United State murder rate.  In fact, look at the rates for all the States and Countries without the death penalty.  The rates are all less.  In fact,  If you controlled for all other factors, the death penalty would be seen as the REASON our murder rate is so high.http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/deterrence-states-without-death-penalty-have-had-consistently-lower-murder-rates http://fullfact.org/blog/death_penalty_homicide_rates-2905 Firingsquad you better provide a little better evidence than your say so - cause you ain't got squat so far that proves the death penalty "works" - there IS NO SUCH EVIDENCE!

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter

Time to end the politicized death penalty gravy train.  Premeditated murder by the state does not bring back the victims lives. The death penalty has not deterred those hell-bent on killing men, women and children.  What man / woman should determine who lives and who dies?

obamaisacorn
obamaisacorn

like to know how many paying clients carr had during this time. 

katiecoolady
katiecoolady

Thank you for this story Paul. I tried screaming this from the rooftops when the men who murdered my sister and their attorneys spent millions of taxpayer dollars over 7 plus years appealing their sentences claiming they were mentally retarded. Flying elderly retired German elementary school teacher and his wife to feebly testify about his particular memory from 40 yrs ago about one student in his classroom and other over the top expenses on taxpayers' dime. All to attempt to abolish the death penalty through the most preposterous, yet legal, arguments. If people don't care that murderous death row inmates get some of the best legal representation in our country for years and years, maybe they will care how their tax dollars are being squandered. The pathetic irony in our case was that the truly mentally retarded in our State could surely have benefitted from those millions yet it all went to conniving sociopathic premeditating first degree murderers. Kathy Monkman

Chris Long
Chris Long like.author.displayName 1 Like

Want the death penalty ?  So prosecutors can strut and posture, so the MSM can hype it as an ongoing drama, and so we can show we are "tough" on crime ?

 

Alright, then !  Pay up and SHUT UP.

tindweee
tindweee

Thats what bottom feeding, blood sucking attorneys do best lol.

 

www.Pro-Anon.tk

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter

Still in the system ..... those in the MCAO / AG's offices and courts, who were responsible for the wrongful conviction, two trials and wrongful imprisonment of an innocent Arizona man,  Ray Krone. Nothing has changed.

 

The MCSO needs a major house-cleaning rather than continue to sweep their malicious prosecution and incompetent convictions under the rug.  When will the MCAO "right the wrongs" that have been building up for years.?  Arizona's draconian mandatory minimum sentencing -- has been their weapon for "easy" convictions. Why don't the prosecutors and legislators what to reform Sentencing laws which would save taxpayers millions of $$'s?  Save innocent lives and their families and future? Why has the lid been slammed on those who are innocent silenced behind the walls of Arizona's prisons?

 

Who is going to investigate the over 200,000 felony cases since 2005 --- under the Thomas / Aubuchon / Alexander reign of terror on the people, the justice system and the Constitution -- for wrongful convictions?  Those who remain silent are complicit in the broken criminal justice system that is mass incarcerating its people, putting ALL at risk for great harm.

 

Ray Krone spoke in Phoenix, 10 years since his exoneration. So the MCAO hasn't had any other wrongful convictions and exonerations since then? Would it be they haven't made mistakes or abused their power?  Those who have new evidence and / or wrongfully convicted, who were sentenced and convicted under disbarred ex-MCAO Thomas and ex-DCA Lisa Aubuchon should have their cases opened and investigated.  That is the responsibility of the new Maricopa County Attorney. Where is the Conviction Integrity Unit in the MCAO?  The AG's office?

 

The Ray Krone story by Jim Rix:

 

Jingle Jangle The Perfect Crime Turned Inside Out (9780978806705):

Jim Rix: Books

 

http://www.amazon.com/Jingle-Jangle-Perfect-Turned-Inside/dp/0978806700

 

justice4all
justice4all like.author.displayName 1 Like

I hope they come down hard on this corruption, they are not better than the criminals.

 

Dont forget Ray Krown was on dealth row. "JINGLE JANGLE" by jim rix

on dealth row 12 years in az, and wasnt even guilty.   These corrupt individuals sound guilty to me.

Thank you for this important article, Clean up the state, expose them

TruConserv
TruConserv like.author.displayName 1 Like

Get rid of the death penalty.  It deters no one, takes too long to provide meaningful closure to the victims, and costs an arm-and-leg (not to mention the soul.)

 

Lock 'em up, don't let them out.  SAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!

Sara
Sara like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @TruConserv 

I agree that the death penalty is not the deterrent we all hoped it would be. Let's face it, if someone goes on a killing spree, they are either mentally unstable, seeking fame, or have no reason to live. Killing them does them a favor.

I say, make prison more like what our servicemen and woman have to deal with. No cushy beds, sweltering heat, no TV and crappy food.  Education, cable TV, and extra privileges should be made available only  for those trying to better themselves and being model prisoners. We need serious hard labor in our prisons and no weights to bulk up the 'bad asses'. Tough conditions deter people in the rest of the world. Whereas, people pray they get to do jail time in a US prison.

This would save all the money on mandatory appeals and PCRs, and reduce our tax burden. It costs $40k a year to house a prisoner. Over 20 years, that's $800k. For a death penalty case, there is the enormous expense of multiple trials, attorneys for both sides and the cost to house them. We pay at least 3 times as much to "put them to death", if we get around to it before they die of old age. Either way they are out of society.

tindweee
tindweee

lol, thats what bottom feeding, blood sucking attorneys do best lol.

Anon-Full.tk

TheTruth
TheTruth

@AZJaz (Johnson) and Josh (Carr), Give it a rest. You're only making it worse for yourselves. 

 

You think Mr. Rubin doesn't have more on you two? think again.  The surface has barely been scratched in deals like this.  You can attack Mr. Fox all you want but answer this: Why would Mr. Fox be "disgruntled"? He got paid $138,000 for the case - not to shabby. 

 

Fact is, you both submitted fraudulent bills and are now going to be facing a State Bar investigation as well as criminal charges.  Evey fraudulent billing you signed under oath and submitted is a count. The systematic way you defrauded the county sets up a fraud schemes charge. The aggregate amount exceeds $100,000.00 which is mandatory prison. And so, you attack Fox.  To be expected from you two - what else can you two really do to deflect from your acts?  How could Fox report your incompetence during trial? That would be a violation of his duty to the client. And do you know if Fox in fact did contact the Bar after the trial? If he did and the Bar either chose not to then act or are sitting on it waiting to act, he did his ethical duty.  That issue will soon enough be cleared up as well.  (and you better be hoping he didn't because if he did....  ) But, in your shrinking worlds, Fox is "disgruntled"?  And that's how you explain all this.... explain the 8 hour DOC phantom visit you billed $1,000 for... Hardly, you and Johnson are just desperate. Its already out on the street how you've gone around and tried to win over people with your spins. No one is buying it. And your civil lawsuit threats? Really? go for it - no 5th Amendment right for those depositions.

 

As for Mr. Logan... not his job?? Really? gets paid $164,000 a year and you think it's NOT his job to control and verify how taxpayer money is being spent?  Truth soon to come out there too - he was either well aware of you two and your fraudulent billings months in advance (which is the strong suspicion...soon to be known) or he was completely inept in running an office where millions of taxpayer dollars were being paid out annually. Either way, he's done.

 

Mr. Carr, Not sure that Naranjo does or doesn't deserve the death penalty, Admittedly, i'm not privy to the case facts and MITIGATION that should have been presented - but one thing is for sure - NO ONE facing a death penalty deserves a shttty trial with lawyers who were far more interested in bilking the county for over a million dollars than representing your "Looks more like a killer than a retard" client before the "not so bright" judge.  Your feelings and thoughts (all supposed to be confidential) in your billings clearly show just how "interested" you were in giving your client a fair trial, not to mention your understanding and appreciation of the attorney client relationship.  It was more important for you to bill for scanning....Everyone deserves a fair trial with competent attorneys.  People grip about the appeals process? Well. you two just ensured that we will be paying or a boatload of appeals thanks to your "work".  Try and blame Fox all you want..... they're coming for YOU TWO....And none to soon. You have brought disrespect and condemnation on the entire legal profession; and your pathetic spins make it even moreso. And even if Fox was "disgruntled".. so fucking what! Doesn't mitigate (you do understand that concept, don't you?) the frauds you and Johnson committed.  In fact, given how you handled this case, I can even concede that Fox was "disgruntled", but not for the reason you and Johnson are trying to spin on the streets.  And your efforts in that regard will come out.....

JoAnne
JoAnne

 @TheTruth

You state you are not privy to the case facts, yet discuss what mitigation should have been presented and how the defendant was represented. How can you possibly assume what is 'the truth' based on billings? Were you in the courtroom? Were you part of the defense or prosecution? Clearly, you are in the legal profession based on your comments. However, I believe you are grossly coming to conclusions based upon your own assumptions and not facts. I would be interested to see what investigation was done pertaining to the actual representation and what documentation was provided by the accused. We are still only privy to part of the story.

TruConserv
TruConserv

 @JoAnne He's largely correct, but I don't think he's in the legal profession, certainly not as an attorney. There are tells ...

TheTruth
TheTruth

Well, isn't it Mr. Carr, who in his billings, mentions mental "retard"ation?    That would seem to be a mitigating factor.  But that issue aside, address the fraudulent billings issue, because that's really why we're here... not because of the guilt or innocence of this Naranjo guy nor whether this Fox attorney was "disgruntled" (for some mysterious reason).

 

In fact JoAnne, let's just assume Mr. Naranjo received stellar representation (a fact that would work to the benefit of Mr.Fox as well, correct? soooo, no need for the "disgruntled" spin...) Now, justify the fraudulent acts of Carr and Johnson please.  Are you suggesting that because Naranjo, for argument's sake, may have got a good, fair trial, the fraud is acceptable?

 

Let's not get hung up on peripheral issues, let's deal with the "white elephant" in the room JoAnne.   And my job is of no consequence in this regard.  (no I certainly not anywhere near the case nor the courtroom) But even in my profession,this level or fraud would never be tolerated.

JoAnne
JoAnne

 @TheTruth 

For all we know, mental retardation may have been brought up in trial. Again, we are not privy to all case facts. I only raised the issue of inadequate representation because it was your assumption the defendant did not receive a fair trial.

I agree, this article is strictly about how much attorneys are making on death penalty trials. Other than the unexplained jail visit, I would be interested to see what else was possibly fraudulent. All 3 attorneys would not be present for all events for years' worth of investigation, prep and trial. If they were, that would be redundant and a serious over-billing if everyone charged for the same work. Clearly, one person can do an interview and then discuss findings with the team. Is that one who conducted the interview then fraudulently billing because they are the only one who shows that event? Over the course of a 4 year trial, there would be many separate events. If 1st chair and mitigation met once a month to discuss an issue, that would account for meetings that were billed without 2nd chair being present.

I'm not saying all is on the up and up. And, I certainly hope this story will lead to a closer look at what is turned in. We will all see in the end what the truth really is based upon the State's action.

edwilson
edwilson

Interesting article. It would be interesting to know how much Mr. Carr made off of being one of two advisory counsel in the case of State v. Dixon (Clarence W.).  Dixon defended himself but had two advisory counsel, a mitigation specialist, investigator, etc.  From the time of his indictment until receiving the death penalty in January of 2008, it took over 5 years.   No doubt as advisory counsel, Carr made the same rate as if he were actually doing all the legal work himself.   Now, Dixon has another taxpayer attorney representing him through the post-conviction relief process, that will drag on...followed by many years of federal appeals processs. There oughta be a law that with 3 DNA matches, you go directly to the chair!

azjazzcat
azjazzcat

The previous comments that aren't showing up will return at some point. The paper happened to undergo a systems change yesterday (see post in Valley Fever) concerning the comments section, and the "Grim Reapers" comments will be re-uploaded.

tindweee
tindweee

Sounds like one heck of a plan to me dude.

 

www.Anon-Now.tk

poos
poos

Is it just me or does it seem grossly negligent for an attorney to write comments and notes on invoices submitted to the very County who is prosecuting their clients - information that falls under "attorney/client privilege"? That, to me, seems like grounds for an immediate mistrial or retrial for those who have been convicted. Just curious, how many of their death-row clients were acquitted?

TruConserv
TruConserv

 @poos If they are on death-row.  None.  Death row is only for the convicted.  You don't go to death row until after you lose.

Josh
Josh

where did the 30+ previous comments on this piece go?

 

teknik
teknik

what? no more disscus??

 

Kaz411
Kaz411

I've been saying this for years- our system is so currupt in allowing these defense attorneys to file one extension after another-there are defendants such as Dauntorian Sanders and Susan Wilbrecht, along with all of the scum bags in the Ame Deal case, that will sit in the county jail for YEARS while defense attorneys try and delay the inevitable. We're paying for them, and alot of these defense attorneys are in private practice and doing double-duty, therefore convincing the county judges to allow them to bill us for even more, since they're 'taking time away' from their clients and their ability to make a living, so we pay even more exuberant fees. It's not just Maricopa County tax payers getting cornholed, it's all Arizona taxpayers in all of the counties. The system is being severely abused-not to mention the mountains of paperwork the investigating police department has to provide the defense-and then AHCCCS, DPS, any jurisdiction the defendant lived in, DOC, everyone gets involved and has to supply information on the defendant, thier family members, alot of which is not particularly revelant to the case but the defense attorneys are looking to blame someone for the actions of their client. Then we have the jurors- lets spend weeks trying to find unemployed, idiotic jurors to sympathize with the defendant and drag an already convoluted, emotional, distressing and expensive case out even longer. The judges are to blame for some of this-someone who has been sitting in the county jail for 3 flippin years awaiting trial,  has tax-payer funded defense attorneys at their disposal. Look at the Dauntorian Sanders case and the Ame Deal case is likely to cost us millions.

fairymagic13
fairymagic13 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @Kaz411 The answer is to eliminate the Death Penalty in the State of Arizona.  I hope you are not advocating the elimination of the United States Constitution's provisions regarding these matters. 

Or perhaps it Is more important to you to have the State of Arizona try to teach people that killing other people is wrong by killing people???

 

I have the unique unfortunate priviledge of having my first wife's killer on death row in Arizona.  Over 30 years ago, I advocated at his trial that the death penalty not be imposed for JUST THAT REASON.  The memories of that experience have been dredged up again and again by lawyers for the asshat that killed her.  I was even placed in jeapordy as a suspect by the friggin anti-death penalty lawyers from Washington that were bird-dogging the case!!!!! 

 

The Death Penalty is a failure - it costs the taxpayers too much - it drags the greiving victims of the crime back into contact the court system time and again - it is unjust (innocent people have been killed by the State - YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK) - and it's just a horrible example to set for the rest of the world's governments by the most powerful country in the world.  Please, people - see past your feelings of revenge and hatred for people's venal acts and see the damage that your support of this system of State Sponsored Death Machine wreaks on our Country. 

Firingsquad
Firingsquad

 @fairymagic13 Actually the death penalty does work.  The system to impose it does not. 

fairymagic13
fairymagic13

 @Firingsquad You state that the death penalty "work"s.  What, pray tell, are you talking about?  It works as punishment?  Nope, once the person is dead, there is no more punishment - I want the murderer of my first wife to remain on this mortal coil for as long as he breaths - yet confined in a 6X10 cell - it's a punishment worse than death. Death is the easy way out - I want that SOB to suffer for as long as humanely possible. 

Do you mean deter others from engaging in murder?  Nope - you don't teach people that killing people is wrong by killing people.  It's a stupid response to an evil act.  Allowing our State to utilize deadly  violence against one citizens will result in MORE violence not less. 

Check out the murder rates in Canada and then compare them with the United State murder rate.  In fact, look at the rates for all the States and Countries without the death penalty.  The rates are all less.  In fact,  If you controlled for all other factors, the death penalty would be seen as the REASON our murder rate is so high.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/deterrence-states-without-death-penalty-have-had-consistently-lower-murder-rates

 

http://fullfact.org/blog/death_penalty_homicide_rates-2905

 

Firingsquad you better provide a little better evidence than your say so - cause you ain't got squat so far that proves the death penalty "works" - there IS NO SUCH EVIDENCE!

Josh
Josh

If your assumption is that Taylor Fox is a good guy, simply because of his billing, you are flawed in your thinking. What makes a good lawyer is whether or not they do the work to give their client the best defense. Simply looking at dollar figures on a bill, does not indicate quality or lack thereof. What would have made this an interesting piece is if Mr. Rubin could have shown that the defendant did not receive adequate representation, but the county was billed a large sum. With 3 witnesses and a confession of guilt, something tells me all of the preparation in the world would not have yielded a verdict different from what came down. However, we cannot judge an attorney's work based on his billing alone. There would be notes, interviews, court appearances, etc., to go with them. Only if those items are lacking will Mr. Rubin sway me.

TheTruth
TheTruth

And your comment show that you know nothing about death penalty work.  Rarely is it the case that the defendant didn't do the crimes alleged. It more often is about mitigation.  And in this case, Carr unethically exposes in his billings that mental retardation might have been an issue (despite his conclusion that his client "looks more like a killer than a retard").  Further, you seem to be saying that because you conclude the evidence of guilt against this defendant was overwhelming, this somehow justifies Carr and Johnson's fraudulent billings...How would you like to go to a doctor, who conclude you're dying of cancer, and uses that fact to justify fraudulent medical billings... Your car mechanic... your home contractor...    You're either someone who is clueless about this whole subject matter... or you're either Carr of Johnson.. either way, you're desperate. 

Josh
Josh

 @TheTruth 

First off, I am neither Carr or Johnson. Period. Just because someone actually reads the story and has more questions than answers, does not make them one of the accused. I have not stated that all was done correctly either, or that the defendant was guilty anyway, so what difference does it make. I have simply stated that all facts are not present. If attorneys are billing all of these hours and there is no documentation to back it up, that would be one thing. All Mr. Rubin has is billing sheets which show minimal information. He does not hold case files, transcripts, attorney's notes or even an interview with the family. The only 'source' for his story appears to be Taylor Fox, who has clearly made more damning inferences about how the case was handled through the media and not the proper legal channels. He even states he never went to Logan. So now, he is giving the appeals team all sorts of information, unknown to be true or false at this stage.

For Carr to bill for 12 hours one day and Fox to bill for 7.2, there is no mention of what each person was doing for those hours. Did they share an office and sit side-by-side duplicating the same work? If not, there would be a discrepancy. Was one person assigned to interviews and another assigned to research? That would make sense to me, and how much or how little someone chose to work on their duty would be of importance, in my eyes. As for the notations by Carr in the billings, I do not think they are professional, and at some point in time, Mr. Logan should have told him not to write commentary on them.

And I do not believe that Mr. Fox, nor Mr. Johnson "Made a Killing" on this case. Over a 4 year stretch, Mr. Fox averaged $34,500 yr and Mr. Johnson less than $25,000 yr. The majority of their hours would have been during the actual trial itself. If someone was robbing the system, the numbers would be outrageous.

Josh
Josh

Johnson's suspension was for trying to do too much work for too many people, not fraud. He simply could not keep up with his workload at the time. Read the article Perfect Storm.

TheTruth
TheTruth

I've read the article and am going to have to side with Perfect Storm here.  State Bar gave way too many breaks here and why the Arizona Supreme Court waived the rules to allow Johnson to come near a capital case is mind-boggling.

Josh
Josh

I believe if Mr. Fox would have reported to the State Bar, they would have investigated and it would be part of this piece. The fact there is no mention makes me wonder. Also, you have stated the enormous amount of time and effort and years' worth of prep that goes into a case such as this. Who are any of us to state what is fraudulent or not? You cannot know for a fact that Mr. Carr did not prep for the interviews unless you have asked for and seen his notes. He does not state he met with the brothers either. He could have simply spent time going over what was reported to him from Mr. Fox and developing strategy from there. And let's be honest, this reporter didn't just stumble upon this information that was laying out in the open. Someone had to get him interested in this and get the ball rolling. That is how ALL news stories begin. There are a lot of personal attacks against Mr. Carr and Mr. Johnson by Rubin. However, why is there no mention of the problems Mr. Fox had in this case? Sounds to me as though Mr. Fox was disgruntled and is trying to make the others on his team look bad.

TheTruth
TheTruth

Really? This is your "take"?  You're about to be sadly disappointed in your deductive reasoning skills..... stay tuned, I sense this matter is far from over. 

Josh
Josh

Finally...someone with something intelligent to say!

TheTruth
TheTruth

And you'd be wise "Josh" (Car or Johnson) to take serious heed to the last sentence of azjaz' post.............oh, and bone up on the nuances of the 5th Amendment..... Just sayin'

Azjaz
Azjaz

It must be so easy for some of you to play armchair quarterback, but let’s face reality here. Mr. Logan has how many attorneys that he receives invoices from on a daily basis? He couldn’t possibly have enough staff to police and investigate all the invoices coming into the office. Imagine how many man hours it would take to contact jails, prisons, witnesses, courts, or look over emails and phone records to verify that what these contract attorneys are submitting are correct. Let’s put blame where it CORRECTLY belongs. Attorneys take an oath to uphold the law and should be help to a higher standard. If a contract attorney has signed their name to an invoice that they solemnly swears to be accurate and true, than that is where the blame rests. Mr. Rubin, I would also like to ask you a question? How much time did it take you to pore over, investigate, compare and talk to attorneys and witnesses regarding a few cases? Now imagine how much time you would have wrapped up doing that for hundreds of cases. Do you think you could do a better job? Something tells me probably not! I hope I have made my point. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Mr. Logan and his ability to successfully run Maricopa County’s IR offices. Stories will be written to sway people towards the author’s point of view but remember there is always way more to the story than what is printed.

TruConserv
TruConserv

I don't blame Logan too much.  If he did the kind of sleuthing the PNT did he would never get anything else done.  The PNT got a lead, acted on it, and got an interesting story.

 

Logan's a good guy, a white hat. Chasing him is a distraction.

Jimnbubba
Jimnbubba

No ,Impose it within 6 months ,no more than 1 appeal

Marcy
Marcy

Sounds good, how about we try it out on you.  Remember, only one shot at an appeal if a corrupt judge/prosecutor/cop gets you framed for capital murder.  And make it snappy because they are going to kill you within 6 months.

 

Oh, sorry, the cop was exposed as a crooked cop 2 years after your conviction and 18 months after you were put to death, too bad.

TheTruth
TheTruth

Oh, yeah, you mean like they do in Iran, North Korea and China and follow Al Qaaida and the Taliban with their Sharia Law sense of "quick justice".... yeah, let's go that way.  

Andre Leonard
Andre Leonard like.author.displayName 1 Like

Unfortunately the system is rife for and with abuse. The law states they are entitled to all these appeals at taxpayers expense. We know their families will/cannot not pay for it. These egregious cases need to prosecuted and the attorney's disbarred.

Bob Feeney
Bob Feeney like.author.displayName 1 Like

He is not making a killing. I'm absolutely certain he charges private clients more than $125/hour, so for every hour he works for the county, he's actually losing money. If the county paid any less, they would not be able to attract qualified attorneys. Don't hate. You can "make a killing" too. Just get a law degree, pass the bar and get on the county's list.

TruConserv
TruConserv

No, it doesn't work that way.  The overwhelming number of criminal defense defenses are done on a set-fee basis.  Virtually no one pays for their own murder defense. Billing hourly for a criminal case is a license to legally print money. If these allegations are correct, then why wasn't that enough for these guys?

Mari3
Mari3 like.author.displayName 1 Like

There are good attorneys and bad. Taylor Fox is a good one. Lawyers that practice with honesty and integrity should be encouraged. The more you explore this story for yourself, the more you will see that not every government lawyer is out to rob taxpayers blind. Some, like Taylor, just want to (oh my goodness, get ready for this ... ) uphold the tenets of a legal system they are wholly devoted to. This is not an easy profession. Stop berating the good guys.

Bucksteraz169
Bucksteraz169

Now I bet you don,t have this in your state . Hope you stay there becouse we find it out then go after them for this . So Itake it your home state don,t do know wrong . EAKKKK ( WRONG ).

 
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