- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi - June 16, 2012
Here it is folks, the second debate between Dennis Ward and Catherine Vogel, Democratic candidates for State Attorney! Enjoy! Don't forget to take the poll below the videos.
Fact Check Update: Dennis Ward's claim of an increasing conviction rate is accurate. According to trailstats.flcourts.org County conviction rates for Mark Kohl's last full year in office (See Here) was 77.5%, and for the most recent year under Ward (See Here) it was 94.1%. In terms of Circuit level, the years varied between 89-91% with a slight advantage to Ward.
Here it is folks, the second debate between Dennis Ward and Catherine Vogel, Democratic candidates for State Attorney! Enjoy! Don't forget to take the poll below the videos.
Fact Check Update: Dennis Ward's claim of an increasing conviction rate is accurate. According to trailstats.flcourts.org County conviction rates for Mark Kohl's last full year in office (See Here) was 77.5%, and for the most recent year under Ward (See Here) it was 94.1%. In terms of Circuit level, the years varied between 89-91% with a slight advantage to Ward.
If Dennis Ward is such a great administrator, why couldn't he even keep his own bar license active?
ReplyDeletediane covan, catherine vogel, mark kohl, & gregory davila are such silly girls and boys. These children are not getting their way. There desperate attempts to regain power by securing the state attorney's office is failing. They are willing to character assassinate and destroy Dennis Ward for their own selfish and greedy interests. The People of Monroe County are wise to their tactics and are not going to allow that to happen. Let the games begin...
DeleteAnonymity & Cowardice Trademark of Vogel & Kohl Supporters:::::::::
DeleteTheir toxic and vile personal attacks against State Attorney Dennis Ward are founded upon the fact that they have nothing to offer the voters, in terms of a viable alternative. They haven't any vision, accomplishments, record or ideas that they can stand on. Thus their effort to paint Dennis Ward as a monster. They hope that their mud slinging and character assassinations will win over some votes. The 'People' are aware that the orchestration of such vicious personal attacks, come from people who are deeply disturbed and filled with hate. Please let me tell you one thing that I know about Dennis Ward. Mr. Ward prevented the State of Florida from executing an Innocent Man. A poor disenfranchised Black Man, that the system wanted to be rid of. After the execution was stopped, the State decided that it was going to sentence this Innocent Man to Three Life Sentences, without the possibility of parole. The State's machinery was intent on taking this man's life one way or another. His twin boys and family were devastated. Dennis Ward squared off against the unlimited resources and power of the State. He did not bat an eye. He refused to allow a man he knew to be innocent, to be killed by the State. Mr. Ward stood by this impoverished stranger, for the sake of Justice. He did this because it was the right thing to do. Nobody was looking nor urging him to follow through with his effort. This young man's life was saved, as a direct result of Mr. Ward. This freed young man has worked to earn himself a scholarship to one of the most prestigious Trade Schools in the United States. Please take this fact into account, when considering the validity of statements made by those who are committed to destroying him...Thank you.
I stand corrected. I'm so ashamed for doubting Mr. Ward. It is so amazing that he can go petition and defend against the Florida Supreme Court. No wonder he does not have time to go into court in Monroe County. I am also amazed at Mr. Ward's humility since he never mentions this in any forum or advertising. I was so impressed I researched the case through the Innocence Project for Florida. You know, the one that tracks cases and attorneys working on cases for clients they believe innocent. Funny thing. I can't find any case that even looks similar. I did find the case of Orlando Boquete where Mark Kohl helped secure his release. Perhaps Jessie Davis can shed some light on this.
DeleteIf you believe Dennis Ward saved a poor disenfranchised Black Man from execution then I own the Brooklyn Bridge and I would like to sell it to you. The only cases he ever defended were misdemeanors, and those people would have probably been better off with no attorney at all than to have him represent them. You are either the dumbest person ever or deliberately making up false tales of heroism to support a very mean person who is known and proven to be a mediocre attorney at best.
DeleteDennis Ward should be locked up for stealing the taxpayers' money. He was paid $20,000 while he was suspended, against the rules of the Florida Bar! He thinks the rules don't apply to him.
ReplyDeleteDennis Ward's claim of over 90% conviction rate is also bogus. According to trialstats.flcourts.org his record is no better than before. In fact, his team lost almost as many jury trials as they won. His predecessor had a much better jury conviction rate. Just shows you can't "administer" a jury.
ReplyDeleteDennis Ward's Conviction Rate is 17% higher than Vogel & Kohl...
DeleteWard's Team is functioning Magnificently. From the County's website ((County Conviction Rates))Mark Kohl's conviction rate for his last full year (FY 07-08) was at 77.5%... In FY 10-11 under State Attorney Dennis Ward's administration, the conviction rate was 94.1%.
Update - Ward's claim is not so bogus. From that very website, for County Conviction Rates, Kohl's last full year, FY 07-08 was at 77.5%. In FY 10-11 under Ward's administration, it was 94.1%.
ReplyDeleteAlthough for Circuit, it was a marginal difference varying between 89-91% for both, Ward still fared better there as well.
Ward's office is, BY FAR, the worst in the State at resolving its County Court cases. Monroe County has a 70 percent clearance rate compared to a statewide average of 96 percent. The next lowest rate anywhere in the state is 86 percent.
DeleteThe following are excerpts taken directly from a Miami Herald article published on April 6, 1999. These excerpts are reiterated below in their entirety, without any changes or editorial comment. If you believe these excerpts as The Miami Herald set them out, it appears that some of the assertions being made by Catherine Vogel concerning her record as a prosecutor, are incorrect. Please draw your own conclusion.....
ReplyDeleteTaken From The Miami Herald (4-6-99) Section: Local Edition: Final Page: 1B---Staff Writers Reported that Prosecutor Catherine Vogel was: "Embroiled in an office phone-sex scandal". "An internal investigation concluded that she discussed nude photos of a hit-man-turned-government witness with her secretaries, and allowed them to get too close to him".
"Vogel will be suspended without pay for three days". "In an eight-page report, the panel wrote that Vogel "admitted to discussing Ayala's genitals with the secretaries" - a revelation that might have scuttled the murder cases had the defense attorneys learned of it".
"The report also said Vogel "did not exercise suffiecent control over the contact between her secretary and the key witness in the prosecution".
Dennis Ward was apparently up late last night drinking and posting smut on your website Gardi. 1:02 am? That's just gross.
ReplyDeleteWhile Vogel was prosecuting high-profile murder cases in Miami-Dade County, Ward was writing parking tickets.
ReplyDeleteRecently I came across a Miami Herald story about Catherine Vogel. It is an alarming and despicable portrayal of an ineffective and incompetent Officer of the Court. It appears to me that she is not suited to be in any position of authority, let alone the state attorney's office. The sordid conduct of Ms. Vogel and her staff, as it is identified in The Miami Herald article, is reprehensible.
DeleteGriselda Blanco is a prolific serial killer. As a Colombian Drug Cartel Capo, she is credited with mudering approximately 200 individuals. She was released early from prison because of Ms. Vogel's folly, incompetence and miss-conduct. Ms. Blanco is now allowed to roam the world freely, thanks to Ms. Vogel.
The case against Griselda Blanco fell apart as Ms. Vogel and her secretaries were discussing the size of a hit-man's genitals. Vogel knew that her secretaries were having phone sex with her witness. Vogel did nothing to stop it. Ms. Blanco served 4 years in prison. She was set free in 2004.
It will be a terrifying ordeal for our citizens, as they will be required to endure the nightmare that will be, if Ms. Vogel is the State Attorney.
Nice try Dennis. We just came across your reprimand for conduct unbecoming an officer. Please get current - like your suspension from the bar, and the lowest clearance (efficiency) rate in the state.
DeleteA couple of things since Dennis brought it up. Yes, she was suspended for three days for something a secretary in the office did.
ReplyDeleteDennis Ward was suspended by the Florida bar for five weeks in 2009 while he was the sitting State Prosecutor for failure to keep his license current. He was not in good standing for those five weeks and not eligible for any benefits and privileges accorded to an attorney in good standing - yet he took his pay.
Cases filed during that period could be in jeopardy. If the State Prosecutor's license is suspended, does anyone in the office have any authority? This is similar to a real estate broker. If the broker loses his / her license, no one in the office is allowed to use theirs.
The state requires anyone running for State Prosecutor to be a member of the Florida Bar for five years in good standing. Is he even eligible to run?
no probably not but since when would he think the law applied to him?
DeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing me to the state courts web site. What a treasure trove of information. Please check my logic on this. As an IT geek this should be easy.
For instance, the same report that showed his high conviction rate in the County Criminal Courts, showed the worst in state clearance rate. Over 25% below the state average. The last chart on the report show only one County Criminal Special Proceedings. I think everyone will agree there was more than one probation revocation hearing in Monroe County last year.
His numbers don't work. Either his office is not reporting losses or the office is getting backed up by over 25% per year and the office has a problem with its reports to the state.
In Circuit court, his clearance rates were even worse at 65% (last in the state). This is 34 points lower than the state average of 99%. Again the Special Proceedings reported were out of line with state numbers.
This leads me to believe that he is "cooking the books" or the office is selectively reporting.
Anon,
DeleteThe statistics in the report and from that website are provided by the Clerk of Courts. (According to the website) I am not sure if it is pulled from CCIS, (Comprehensive Case Information System) a State database that Clerk of Courts batch their data to on a nightly basis, or if it is gleaned from annual reports filed by the Clerk.
Regardless, I referenced a specific number and part of the report to verify Ward's claim in the debate of conviction rate that was questioned by Vogel, as a fact check to the debate, not analysis. Ward used that number from the State report, however, one can argue the State report is flawed, or the Clerk data is flawed. (Other State Attorneys with poor conviction rates have.) However, Ward did not pull the number out of thin air.
Nor did he cook the books, as he has no access to the Clerk's database Odyssey. The numbers you reference for clearance rates and special proceedings are disconcerting. You might have an argument as to clearance rates, however, when I see statistics so dramatically outside the range (virtually a count of 1 compared to hundreds) as with special proceedings, I would consider it a flaw of data collection, or the system providing the information. Perhaps the Clerk's system doesn't track, or users don't enter data that then correlates with the State's compilation of that data.
You will get no argument from me that the Monroe County Clerk's Office needs to improve their use of technology.
You should have accurate data to make an informed decision as to your choice for State Attorney.
I will try to rectify this as your next Clerk of Courts. My suggestion of consolidating case management systems would go a long way to ensuring consistent data collection and reporting...along with saving labor costs associated with redundant data entry.
Gardi for Clerk.
Sex scandals in the office, oh my. Let's not forget Ward hiring a prosecutor with no administrative experience (like himself) and putting her in charge of the upper keys office. Did someone say "sexting"? She was caught sexting another employ in the office. Was anyone fired? No. Was anyone suspended? No.
ReplyDeleteDennis Ward's Miami Beach Police file states that he called in and could not work as he was "taking care of a sick family member". Not true....Dennis Ward was Drunk with Jimmy Millerick and his brother. They were in an accident and it was noted...He lied about a sick family member...He was just Drunk again. He was given an official reprimand for conduct unbecoming an officer. Also, in his file, he always was late and used ALL his sick time....Drunk again and again.
ReplyDeleteDennis Ward's Miami Beach Police file states that he called in and could not work as he was "taking care of a sick family member". No true....Dennis Ward was Drunk with Jimmy Millerick and his brother. They were in an accident and it was noted...He lied about a sick family member...He was just Drunk again. He was given an official reprimand for conduct unbecoming an officer. Also, in his file, he always was late and used ALL his sick time....Drunk again and again.
ReplyDeleteGood thing Dennis is not running for Public Defender. He would not be qualified because he was not "in good standing" for five weeks. Shouldn't the State Prosecutor have the same or higher qualifications for election?
ReplyDelete27.50 Public defender; qualifications; election.—For each judicial circuit, there shall be a public defender who shall be, and shall have been for the preceding 5 years, a member in good standing of The Florida Bar. The public defender shall be elected at the general election, for a term of 4 years, by the qualified electors of the judicial circuit. The public defender shall be an elector of the state and shall reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the judicial circuit in which he or she serves.
Dennis should apologize to the Marine Corps!
ReplyDeleteSemper Fi, Marine! Always faithful is the wonderful motto for the Marine Corps. Those who served in the Marine Corps deserve our thanks. But those who use that service for political purposes should be scrutinized. Yes, I am talking about the Semper Fidelis Award for Prosecutorial Excellence that John Donnelly gives so generously of his money to advertise for Dennis. But, there is no such award. It was created for the campaign. Every campaign should have a John Donnelly. But in this case, John, Norm Higgins and Dennis Ward should apologize to the Marine Corps for coopting their motto for political purposes. Google the award. You will find only a couple of hits. One where the Dennis’ States Attorney’s Office put out a press release announcing the award and one where Norm Higgins gives the award to Dennis on behalf of the Key Largo American Legion (not the Marine Corps). Other members of the board at the American Legion did not know about the award. It really appears Norm, John Donnelly and Dennis created the award to give himself to kick start the campaign.
For more fun, Google Norm Higgins Waste Water Board and see where he was reprimanded for asking staff for personal favors. Talk about public corruption. If he were not a friend and useful to Dennis, he would be under investigation.