Geoff's letter to the Judge from todays paper -- Panitz Murder Trial Forum

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Subject:

Geoff's letter to the Judge from todays paper

Author:
Chris

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Date Posted: 00:43:36 04/02/02 Tue

Published in the Sarasota-Herald Tribune today:

www.heraldtribune.com/story/apr-02-2002/fieger.pdf

If you don't have the Adobe Acrobat program here is the text:

Dear Judge Gallen:

I was recently provided with a letter which you apparently sent to the Sarasota-Herald Tribuen referencing me. You have made your facts wrong.

At no time did I ever make comments "during the Panitz Murder trial" about Jurors. I do not know why you would make such a statement since it is not true.

Subsequent to the verdict, two of the jurors made themselves available to the media and made what I considered to be derogatory statements about me and my client. I am certainly entitled to respond AFTER TRIAL to ad hominem attacks upon me by private citizens, regardless of whether they had previously served as jurors.

There is no rule of professional conduct of which I am aware which prohibits an attorney from responding to criticism by those who broadcast in the media. The 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects such speech. In short, after trial, the Jurors had a right to speak to the press, and I had an absolute right to respond to their statements by voicing my own opinions.

Finally, I do not recall ever referrencing to anyone as a "Nazi". I would certainly be interested in the source of your erroneous quote.

I would suggest that in the future, at a minimum, you verify what you claim I did or said BEFORE publishing a threatening and defamatory letter which is designed to be disseminated to the public at large. Under such circumstances, you make yourself individually liable to a claim of defamation. I hereby demand that you retract the false statements contained in your published letter.

Very truly yours,
FIEGER, FIEGER, KENNEDY & JOHNSON, P.C.

Geoffrey N. Fieger

GNF/tmk
cc: Sarasota-Herald Tribune

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
typo	Chris	00:46:28 04/02/02 Tue

Go get 'em, Fieger!	DivaFonda	01:18:49 04/02/02 Tue
Re: Go get 'em, Fieger! -- Stan, 10:51:12 04/02/02 Tue