Wow, this is a thing? I’ve never worked for a large company, except in a retail setting, so color me surprised.
If only all people had access to competent legal representation when needed.
3 Likes
Ah, fine young Christians:
Suspects in Gay Couple Attack Expected to Surrender | NBC 10 Philadelphia
Sources told NBC10 the suspects were classmates at Archbishop Wood Catholic High School. Officials at the school released a statement denouncing their alleged actions.
13 Likes
NBC Philadelphia said that some of the suspects have lawyered up and told the police department they would surrender today, but they have kept the department waiting, and officers were considering going to the suspects’ homes to make the arrests.
We’re thinking about it, but, you know, no rush. They probably need some time to destroy evidence and coordinate their stories, and hey, it’s not like they’re accused of a violent crime.
9 Likes
Yes it is. It’s unusual but not rare, and I think usually optional to buy prepaid legal services. The package usually includes a will and other documents, plus a discount on more extensive things like you just assaulted a complete stranger.
The sad part is many employers will terminate you if you’re up for a felony. Really really sad,
2 Likes
I just had a synapse fire:
Is prepaid legal services the way malpractice lawsuits get handled by hospitals? I mean, as part of a hospital’s employing a doctor, does the doctor get legal representation as benefit of their employment? It would seem that this would be standard to do… I would guess that malpractice insurance would be something a doctor running their own practice would have to buy for themselves right?
My money’s on no jail time but lots and lots of civil suits, which will probably give the victims much more satisfaction anyway.
1 Like
Unless it’s actually stated as fact somewhere that this gang has legal representation through their employer(s), I would guess the more likely explanation is that their families have lawyers on retainer or at least at the ready because of other (possibly non-criminal) work. They call Daddy, Daddy calls his lawyer, his lawyer connects him up with a criminal defense attorney. It doesn’t take long if you already have at least one lawyer in your Rolodex.
3 Likes
Wait, wasn’t it bad when Reddit tried to do the same thing to catch the Boston Marathon Bombers?
1 Like
Nowadays, it seems everyone has a lawyer. If you want a lawyer, either for personal or business purposes, but can’t get a contract with a major law firm due to credit blunders, or don’t want to feel “locked in”, then prepaid legal services are the way to go. With no contract, comes no credit check.
You Own the Lawyer. Since you’re not under contract, you buy the lawyer outright, which means it’s yours.
This comes with a number of benefits in and of itself.
- Upgrade to a new lawyer whenever you want, not when you’re contractually able to.
- Sell or give the lawyer to someone who wants legal services
- Break it? Think you’re being tracked? Throw it away and replace it with a cheaper lawyer, if you have to.
While a prepaid lawyer may require the initial investment of purchasing the lawyer, you can typically get the lawyer you want with the first month of service, for cheaper than you would pay a deposit with a law firm contract. The reality is, you can get prepaid legal services from all the major law firms who offer contracts, so you’re getting the same service you would under a contract, with a greater deal of flexibility, and usually at a lower price.
Also, if there is legal time left on your lawyer, you can hand it over to someone else. It can be a little difficult, though, trying to fit together a decent case out of the leftover minutes on various prepaid contracts. YMMV.
2 Likes
IIRC, the “bad” part was doxxing (and was not even the right people). [NB: in such a situation, I’m considering “doxxing” to be the introduction of a name not given out by the police.]
I may be reading this the wrong way, but there was no doxxing involved here, and the “leads” were turned over to the Police, instead of being made public - outside of restaurant and school group.
That is still a little uncomfortable though. I’d like to hear more on the similarities/differences between the two. I can only imagine we’ll have more and more of this. Hopefully, handled better than Boston or Atlanta.
3 Likes
Catholic school basketball coach in Philly fired after alleged attack on gay couple - NY Daily News
The assistant coach, who has been identified by the Philadelphia Daily News as Fran McGlinn, was terminated Wednesday night after the attack on Sept. 11. He and a dozen other former Archbishop Wood High School students allegedly ambushed the couple while they were walking, and violently beat them.
Edit: He “resigned”…
Assistant coach at catholic high school resigns over role in bea - DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG
Update:
Katherine Knott and two men charged ‘for brutally beating gay couple in Philadelphia’ | Daily Mail Online
Police Chief’s daughter…
8 Likes
I agree that this isnt a racial issue but from the article that @anon29631895 posted above it does appear to at least tangentially concern ‘protected classes’.
The victims and their supporters argue the attack is a hate crime, but state law on hate crimes does not include sexual orientation
1 Like
I agree that it isn’t a racial thing(Ratel brought it up, Glenblank responded to him, I responded to Glenblank); but thought it important to note that it certainly is a class thing (partially in pure dollar terms, having an attorney isn’t inexpensive, and partially in class perception terms, which help shape who gets judged a flight risk and either jailed or made to post a large bond and who is permitted to remain at large while negotiations continue).
There are people of all races who enjoy access to the customer service oriented side of the criminal justice system; it’s not a strictly racial caste system; but it certainly appears that these suspects are having the red carpet rolled out for them, and it is also the case that having that red carpet rolled out is not standard practice for less desirable defendants (unless somebody wants to make an example, like the consul who got perp-walked in New York a while back).
1 Like
Please let your next link be the announcement that the adult coach is going to trial on criminal charges.
2 Likes
That is a quote from Anatole France: In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to
sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.
2 Likes
Yes. Yes it is.
it certainly is a class thing
Personally I think that their privileged class status will wind up hurting them. If they were all dirt poor, this probably wouldn’t have even been news, and for all we know they wouldn’t have even been caught. And even if they were, they probably would have gotten probation or at worst an absolutely minimal jail term. As it is, they’re going to lose everything they have, or at least an awful lot of it, and maybe do jail time too.
In other words, just because they can hire an attorney, doesn’t mean its going to help them much. And furthermore, that class advantage that you’re referring to means they have something to lose.
1 Like
Oh, barring a serious vulgar display of impunity, I Would Not Want to be them right now. High profile story, strong electronic trail, plenty of room for felony charges, and all of those things require substantial pull, or massive public support, to beat.
My point was purely that, in terms of the transition to custody, some people have their attorney negotiate and get to go in the back entrance so the media doesn’t get any good walk-of-shame shots. Some people get their faces smashed against the hoods of their cars while the cuffs get slapped on.
This group appears to have enough pull to get the good outcome in terms of entering custody; but unless their crime plays better than I would hope in that area, they’ll need some real pull to beat the rap.
Philly councilman calls on feds for charges in attack on gay couple — NewsWorks
The letter below from Councilman Jim Kenney to U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger says any charges in the case should be brought under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act because there are stronger penalties involved. "Sadly, Pennsylvania does not have a provision in its statute for gay bashing, which it clearly is, Kenney said Thursday. "Fifteen people, cowards, who jumped on two men because of who they are and what they profess is clearly a hate crime in my mind."
1 Like
They are all adults – I think that the Catholic School mentioned that most of them graduated in 2007.
1 Like
