Terry Trussell - Dixie County Common Law Grand Jury Foreman

[bob]

Too also: Trussell was never charged with (much less convicted of) assault.

[Maybenaut]

We told Terry Trussell on this very board what he should do and tried to help avoid this train wreck for his family.

Instead Terry depended on Rodger B. Dowdell, Jr., Inger Garcia, CEL III and other delusional and/or incompetent people.

Instead of claiming temporary insanity or bad reaction to medication that made him not able to realize which grand jury was real, Terry's brain trust said go to the mat.

I’m no fan of Inger Garcia, but do we have any reason to believe she didn’t advise Trussel to plead guilty? An attorney cannot force a client to take a plea, so I’m unwilling to assume that the fact that he went to trial on the charges necessarily means that she advised him to. I’m open to the possibility that she did tell him to duke it out in court, but do we know for sure?

Having a client who is so obviously guilty but refuses to plead guilty is a shitty position to be in as an attorney. I’ve been there. You have to play the shitty hand you’re dealt, and you end up looking like a moron in front of the jury and the public.

I’m grateful that The Fogbow wasn’t looking over my shoulder and commenting on some of the bullshit cases I’ve had to try.

[bob]

I’m grateful that The Fogbow wasn’t looking over my shoulder and commenting on some of the bullshit cases I’ve had to try.

Of course, there's a world of difference between trying a dog of a case, and being incompetent during all stages of the proceedings.

[DejaMoo]

Also, when he was arrested for "failure to appear", I don't believe he replied "Here" when his name was called. Rather, he replied with some nonsense about how he was present to handle the matter as an agent for the living man Terry Trussel.

In short, he refused to acknowledge that he was Terry Trussel, the accused. He went down the rabbit hole of the "legal fiction".

He also refused to come forward and approach the bench. For the entire conversation with the judge, he was standing in the back of the courtroom.

From listening to the audio of the courtroom appearance, sounds like his name was called four times. The first three times time, instead of acknowledging, identifying himself, and approaching the bench, he began his sovcit babble, whereupon he was cut off and his name called again. The fourth time was when the warrant for his arrest was issued.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

[Northland10]

We told Terry Trussell on this very board what he should do and tried to help avoid this train wreck for his family.

Instead Terry depended on Rodger B. Dowdell, Jr., Inger Garcia, CEL III and other delusional and/or incompetent people.

Instead of claiming temporary insanity or bad reaction to medication that made him not able to realize which grand jury was real, Terry's brain trust said go to the mat.

I’m no fan of Inger Garcia, but do we have any reason to believe she didn’t advise Trussel to plead guilty? An attorney cannot force a client to take a plea, so I’m unwilling to assume that the fact that he went to trial on the charges necessarily means that she advised him to. I’m open to the possibility that she did tell him to duke it out in court, but do we know for sure?

Having a client who is so obviously guilty but refuses to plead guilty is a shitty position to be in as an attorney. I’ve been there. You have to play the shitty hand you’re dealt, and you end up looking like a moron in front of the jury and the public.

I would not be surprised if his previous attorney may have suggested he take some sort of plea. Unfortunately for Terry, he took the advice/order of Joaquin Demoreta-Folch and his Statewide Common Law Grand Jury (i.e. Joaquin and a bunch stuffed animals) and told his attorney that he could not represent him anymore.

Had Terry kept his original attorney, he very possibly might have been free by now.

[Notorial Dissent]

Yeah, TT basically played sovcit word games until he got arrested for failure to appear, and well general stupidity. He should have figured out jail wasn't fun, HE DIDN'T. He really should have listened to his first real attorney, HE DIDN'T. He really shouldn't have listened to Ingie dingy, HE DID. As to her competency, remember, she was allegedly a condo/rental lawyer, and she had been previously reprimanded for incompetence. That was supposedly her specialty. She's basically an incompetent contract lawyer, intentionally taking a serious FELONY case, something at which she has NO familiarity or expertise, and this speaks of ethics and/or competence? I DON'T THINK SO. So I have NO problem in believing she didn't try or try very hard to get TT to plead guilty or to take a plea. To put it bluntly, if she'd had either ethics or competence she would never have taken a case she wasn't qualified to try, and it wasn't like it was dropped in her unwilling lap as an appointment.

[realist]

I’m no fan of Inger Garcia, but do we have any reason to believe she didn’t advise Trussel to plead guilty? An attorney cannot force a client to take a plea, so I’m unwilling to assume that the fact that he went to trial on the charges necessarily means that she advised him to. I’m open to the possibility that she did tell him to duke it out in court, but do we know for sure?

Of course, we don't know. And since that would be attorney/client privileged communication (as I know you know, but just sayin'), we'll never know unless Terry were to say or waive the privilege and allow someone else to say.

That said, I can tell you that (and I may have posted this way back in the day in this thread or another, and may not have), based upon the very best authority, that there was to be no reduced plea deal. That if Terry wanted to plead guilty, that was all well and good and he could certainly do so, but if he did it would be to all the charges as filed.

In those circumstances, Inger would be obligated to pass that along, if it were indeed proffered, but I would have no idea whether she (or any other attorney) would advise him to take such a plea, in his circumstances and with whatever defense they thought they could mount to any or all charges) or would not.

[Sam the Centipede]

?? Obviously pleading guilty with a good deal is the best option for a wrongdoer with no hope of getting an acquittal, but doesn't pleading guilty without a deal attract a lower sentence than pleading not guilty and being convicted?

[realist]

?? Obviously pleading guilty with a good deal is the best option for a wrongdoer with no hope of getting an acquittal, but doesn't pleading guilty without a deal attract a lower sentence than pleading not guilty and being convicted?

It certainly "could," depending.

In this case, my information was that the only "deal" that would be offered was a guilty plea to all charges and there was no reduced sentence recommendation for doing so.

[bob]

Pleading guilty means avoiding the cost of going to trial, something that might be of interest to Mrs. Trussell.

[Maybenaut]

?? Obviously pleading guilty with a good deal is the best option for a wrongdoer with no hope of getting an acquittal, but doesn't pleading guilty without a deal attract a lower sentence than pleading not guilty and being convicted?

It certainly "could," depending.

In this case, my information was that the only "deal" that would be offered was a guilty plea to all charges and there was no reduced sentence recommendation for doing so.

Now that you mention it, realist, I do recall that there wasn’t going to be any deal or any sentence recommendation. I agree with bob that it certainly would’ve been of interest to Mrs. Trussell to save the cost of a trial. But even if the state wasn’t going to make a recommendation for a reduced sentence, seems to me that pleading guilty still something the defense could have argued, and the judge presumably would have considered.

I just don’t know how much of this was Garcia and how much was Trussell.

[woodworker]

Watching TT's testimony at trial and at sentencing, there is no doubt in my mind that TT truly believed in his cause and that he was RIGHT and truly expected the jury to not only acquit him but to carry him out on their shoulders (ala "how to murder you wife").

TT's whole schtick was that the state, the prosecution, the judge, et al, were just too stupid to comprehend TT's brilliance. And I am so sick of hearing him described as a Vietnam veteran. He was a pr hound who happened to wear a uniform.

[Notorial Dissent]

Woodworker, I don't think there is any question but that you've right in your estimation of TT. He was and is an egotistical ass. I'm still not sure if it has dawned on him that he doesn't have universal approbation or that much of anyone cares. He would seem to be just that dumb. I wonder if he's figured out yet that Ingie dingie and Mossy took him for a VERY expensive ride.

[Redunzl]

Permalink Reply by Old Rooster yesterday

Looks like you were right again Mathias, any possible pardon will have to come from the Florida Governor.

Confession.
I AM Mathias.
Please do not leak my secret.
I enjoy watching these loons getting all frothy over the stoopidest of issues.
First encountered them when they had the 'thirty million patriots' gather in DC.
Then I found the Trussell case, and that lead me to the Fogbow, which is one of the best things evah!
I do, on occasion, point out some of the folly-est of their ways at PFA, but try to lurk quietly most of the time.
It seems I have possibly gotten into a spat with "AKA ANONYMOUS" who is an obvious troll, probably a Ruso-Bot stirring up the pot with obvious bullshite.
I think I'm still safe if I don't make too much trouble there at PFA.

And yes - Gov. Scott was one of the named parties in Trussell's 'bill of grievances' for taking 'bribes' for implementing Common Core programs.
So yeah - I'm sure he's anxious to help the poor beleaguered Terry.

Best to all, forgive my occasional intrusion on the good times.
"Mathias Andrewelt"

[Slim Cognito]

Permalink Reply by Old Rooster yesterday

Looks like you were right again Mathias, any possible pardon will have to come from the Florida Governor.

Confession.
I AM Mathias.
Please do not leak my secret.
I enjoy watching these loons getting all frothy over the stoopidest of issues.
First encountered them when they had the 'thirty million patriots' gather in DC.
Then I found the Trussell case, and that lead me to the Fogbow, which is one of the best things evah!
I do, on occasion, point out some of the folly-est of their ways at PFA, but try to lurk quietly most of the time.
It seems I have possibly gotten into a spat with "AKA ANONYMOUS" who is an obvious troll, probably a Ruso-Bot stirring up the pot with obvious bullshite.
I think I'm still safe if I don't make too much trouble there at PFA.

And yes - Gov. Scott was one of the named parties in Trussell's 'bill of grievances' for taking 'bribes' for implementing Common Core programs.
So yeah - I'm sure he's anxious to help the poor beleaguered Terry.

Best to all, forgive my occasional intrusion on the good times.
"Mathias Andrewelt"

Hi Redunzl, fellow kindred spirit! I also lurk there, as Rattler Hammock. There may be a few others here who do, as well. I found my way here from the OAS Failure FB page (can't remember the exact name) a few years ago, also by way of Trussell. Great to have you aboard and your secret is safe with us.

[RoadScholar]

Permalink Reply by Old Rooster yesterday
Looks like you were right again Mathias, any possible pardon will have to come from the Florida Governor.

And yes - Gov. Scott was one of the named parties in Trussell's 'bill of grievances' for taking 'bribes' for implementing Common Core programs.
So yeah - I'm sure he's anxious to help the poor beleaguered Terry.

Best to all, forgive my occasional intrusion on the good times.
"Mathias Andrewelt"

Howdy, "Man of the World!"

[Grumpy Old Guy]

The injustice of Terry's case just screams for an intervention from the Supreme Court. I am sure Roger Dowdell will be eager to prove the rightness of his cause and fund Terry's appeal.

[Patagoniagirl]

I spoke personally and in person with someone intimately familiar with the case. Said person told me that there was NEVER a plea offer and that one would NEVER be considered. They had no intention of fucking around with the nonsense.

[ZekeB]

I spoke personally and in person with someone intimately familiar with the case. Said person told me that there was NEVER a plea offer and that one would NEVER be considered. They had no intention of fucking around with the nonsense.

I know they don't drink that AC/DC liberal/conservative Starbucks coffee down south, but 30 minutes over a cup of joe at Ma's Diner would have fixed it.

[Chados]

The district court of appeal denied Trussell's appeal on August 24.

DENIED.

https://edca.1dca.org/DCADocs/2016/3763 ... 0276_i.pdf

[Orlylicious]

Vinelink sent an email about Terry:

9/7/2018


Thank you for registering for victim notification through the Florida VINE program.

The inmate for whom you registered, TERRY TRUSSELL with offender number I15405, has been transferred from the Reception and Medical Center - West Unit to the custody of Union C.I. as of 9/7/2018. Your registration has also been transferred. You will continue to receive updates about this offender.

If you need immediate assistance, call the Florida Statewide VINE Service at 1-877-846-3435 and press zero (0) to speak with a VINE operator or visit www.vinelink.com for the most current information regarding this offender's custody status.

Thank you,

The Florida Statewide Vine Service

[DejaMoo]

Vinelink sent an email about Terry:

9/7/2018

The inmate for whom you registered, TERRY TRUSSELL with offender number I15405, has been transferred from the Reception and Medical Center - West Unit to the custody of Union C.I. as of 9/7/2018.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... c3cdef21f0

...In place of the Rock, the Union Correctional Institution was built. It is a more modern prison, with mental wards, counseling staff, television sets, air conditioning, basketball courts and day rooms.

But Union Correctional remains a dangerous and deadening place, where homosexual rape and drug use are common and arguments are still settled with a homemade shiv or zip gun. There was a murder at Union on Tuesday. Another inmate was beaten recently with a weight. Correction officers say a newly arrived prisoner who seems weak is often "turned," made to serve as a stronger inmate's sexual partner.

Union Correctional Institution still houses the worst of the worst: the violent career criminals, many serving sentences of 25 years or longer.

At Union, about 1,100 of the 1,800 inmates work. Those who do not are physically or mentally ill or are in 24-hour confinement. Many who do not work are housed in Union's crisis stabilization unit, where heavily medicated inmates, some in straitjackets, are confined in barren rooms, mumbling and screaming and coddling with soft crayons, some smearing their own feces on the walls.

An additional 336 inmates -- whom Union Superintendent Dennis O'Neill dryly calls his "problem children" -- are locked up in confinement, punished for fighting, stealing, rape, assault and murder, crimes committed while in prison. Some of the inmates are also in confinement because they fear other prisoners.

[Slim Cognito]

Whoaaa! I did not expect to read that.

I just posted, in the Trussell appeal thread, that Marie Trussell had emailed Old Rooster at PFA about the transfer, including his new mailing address.

[realist]

That WAPO article is from 1994.

I suspect some changes have been made since then. At least I hope so.

If it’s still the same as the article portrays, it would not seem likely a prisoner such as Trussell would be housed there.

[DejaMoo]

Here's an excerpt from a more recent article (2015) suggesting it's pretty grim and dangerous in most of Florida's prisons.

Florida prisons chief asks for $30mn to reform ‘abuse culture’ after 346 inmate deaths

Florida’s new Department of Corrections head is asking the state for nearly $30 million to institute badly needed reforms as federal and state offices investigate Florida prisons, which began after multiple reports of torture and inmate deaths surfaced.

Julie Jones, the fourth permanent Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Secretary under Republican Gov. Rick Scott, testified in front of the state’s Senate Criminal Justice Committee just a few weeks into her tenure, which began on December 10. She answered tough questions from lawmakers regarding a systemic culture of torture and abuse, as well as crumbling infrastructure throughout the Florida prison system, the Miami Herald reported on Tuesday.

In December, the US Department of Justice notified Florida authorities that it will look into potential abuses of inmates after 346 people died behind bars in Florida during 2014 – the highest number of inmate deaths on record, WJCT reported. At the same time, there's been a doubling of incidents involving the use of force by corrections officers.

In what the Herald called “an unprecedented moment of candor,” the newly installed secretary acknowledged, in response to a question from Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, that private prisons are allowed to “cherry-pick” the least-expensive ‒ and often least-violent ‒ inmates, leaving the most difficult offenders to be handled by state-run institutions. It’s a question most DOC secretaries in the past have said “no” to, Bradley said, including her immediate predecessor, Mike Crews, WFSU reported.