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Judge won't delay Chuck Turner's sentencing because one of his lawyers is out of the country

The federal judge who will sentence Chuck Turner for his bribery and perjury charges has denied a request to postpone sentencing until at least March.

In an order issued last week, Judge Douglas Woodlock said it's simply too late for Turner to request anything just because he disagrees with one lawyer and wants counsel from another - who just happens to be on an extended overseas stay. Turner is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 25 on his bribery and perjury convictions.

In a motion seeking a delay, Turner said he needs lawyer Barry Wilson at his side for his final plea before Woodlock imposes a sentence, because he can't agree on a strategy with his in-country lawyer, John Pavlos.

But Woodlock noted that during his trial, Turner testified against Wilson's advice and had Pavlos question him, so it's way too late for Turner to try to play the conflict card. He noted Turner had full control of his defense - and that Wilson told the judge following Turner's conviction that he'd be leaving on a jet plane (and wasn't sure when he'd be back again, but maybe March), so it's not like Wilson's leaving was a surprise.

There is no apparent reason why, having advised Mr. Turner not to testify, Mr. Wilson is somehow in a better position to conduct the sentencing hearing than Mr. Pavlos, the attorney who asked the questions the answers to which the Government contends were improper.

As to conflict and/or disagreement between Mr. Turner and his counsel regarding tactics, the choices made by Mr. Turner must be honored by his counsel. While Mr. Turner is entitled to the unvarnished advice of counsel, it is Mr. Turner, not his counsel, who will make the final tactical and strategic decisions at sentencing, just as it was at trial. That there are disagreements ultimately to be resolved by Mr. Turner is no more grounds to continue the sentencing than it would have been to continue the trial.

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Comments

I used to get 10 bucks a person to take girls up to see their guys at different prisons.I wasn't working and I owned a 73 Malibu, which could seat 6 girls at a time. Prior to taking the ride to one of our many fine correctional institutes, the girls would sit at our kitchen table, filling plastic balloons with weed, blow, H, dust,Valium, you name it. They'd then pass it to their men in the can with a nice kiss and the men would go back to their cells and drink a little shampoo to throw it up.

If the fifteen virulent supporters of ole Chuck need a ride up to wherever they finally sentence him, I offer both my car and I'll even throw in some balloons. The way this thing is going, Chuck's going to need the money and the friends inside when he finally gets to the can.

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The town, not the federal correctional institute, but it's a pleasant enough, if slightly longish drive and you get to stop at Rein's for lunch.

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An academic study is needed of the power, of the authority of Boston City Council in 2011... especially the role of the attorney acting as Council Staff Director. A lot of the bad advice given Boston City Council comes from the Council Staff Director, flaunting the JD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juris_Doctor not necessarily in itself a good indicator of preparing competent advice for municipal government. see also http://anopenbostoncitycouncil.blogspot.com

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You have a new blog about stenography. Please don't try to make every post about Chuck Turner or city government into a linkfest for it. I have a delete key and I know how to use it.

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Records and Archives of our municipal governments are a priority issue in these times, see also http://paper.li/RAINbyte/rainbyte Decision making depends on ready access and historic preservation of public records. Too easily forgotten are the previous poor and good decisions in governmental bodies for their lack in recording their actions to be readily retrievable. Better knowledge of records management, of archival studies are essential to understanding better the news and the media around us. The case of Boston is a good example of a bad example. Other cities and towns can learn from what Boston does or fails to do in the important area of media/technology and in accord with the optimal records management principles for Massachusetts http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcrmu/rmuidx.htm

Those of us following the efforts of the Massachusetts Historical Records Advisory Board http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcaac/aacidx.htm are concerned with City of Boston records management practices.

For the particular issue of the authority of the City Council the judiciary has to look at laws and decisions that good legal research requires from well preserved and accessible records and archives.

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That the zak wears a tin foil helmet so he can hear public meetings.

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