High-profile Fresno defense attorney Richard Berman got into an altercation at the security check point at the Madera County Courthouse so we're doing an informal poll here at Opinion Talk. Was Berman being reasonable, or a pain in the rear to the Madera County security agents?
Here are the issues from Thursday's Bee story. Lawyer Richard Berman refused to take off his watch at the security checkpoint because "This is a $30,000 watch." That suggests he would have taken off a cheaper one, so this may be more about the value of the watch than whether the rule is reasonable.
"The guard tried to bar Berman from entering the main hall of the courthouse by blocking his way with one of her arms," the story says. "'Take your hands off me,' he told the guard. He slipped past her outstretched arm and headed to a courtroom, where he was defending a client on a drunken-driving charge."
One other issue before you vote: "Defense attorneys have long complained that the Madera courthouse policy is unfair because prosecutors are exempt," the story says. "Because the District Attorney's Office is in the same building, prosecutors can go through a back door and avoid the screening process."
So what do you think? You can vote now. Was Berman. . . A) Being reasonable, or B) A pain in the backside?
being a pain in the ass.
I can't answer because I don't know why people have to take off a wristwatch? That in itself seems to be unreasonable....a pain in the ....
Pain in the backside
If the events occurred as Jim Boren describes, he was "B", a pain in the backside.
Oh that Rick, such a maverick.
I'll bet his Bentley plates read: BLBLHRS.
Pain in the ass and I hope he gets a good sized fine and a night in the pokey. Maybe that will change his pompous and arrogant attitude.
I'm on Attorney Berman's side. It projects the wrong impression when the prosecutors get to avoid passing through the metal detectors, while the defense attorneys get seen by the jurors having to "disrobe" before entering the courthouse.
It's always bothered me that the pilots (with their laptops?) walk around the security gate, and we lowly passengers have to remove everything but our shorts to get to the gate.
Both are ridiculous rules that have no practical crime deterrent effect. And, it's a waste of taxpayers' money to require screening; and, in this case, will be a further waste to prosecute Attorney Berman for his "crime."
He's a pain in the rump. Another Arrogant jerk. You have to take off everything with metal. It is a safety measure at all check points. If a women might have to take off an underwire bra ghe can take off his ritzy watch.
Isabell, They have to take off their watch and then step through a metal detector. With their watch on the detector will go off and they won't know if the watch set if off or if a gun in his pocket set it off. I think the guy was being a pain in the butt. No one there has any right to bypass the security procedures.
"No one there has any right to bypass the security procedures."
I agree. And in this context, what is the big deal about taking off a wrist watch for a few minutes? But neither should there be a backdoor-use for the Madera legal staff. Such a backdoor could provide ingress for trouble.
Why wasn't he subdued,cuffed and perp walked like either you or I would have been had we behaved in similar fashion?
There are certainly some rules of the security checkpoint
that border on the ridiculous, particularly regarding water
bottles, etc., but I have no problem with the metal detector
in so far as a weapon's search. But Berman's antics? I'll go
for choice B, although I regard his behavior as boorish and arrogant. His exorbitant fees make it possible to have a
$30,000 watch, while the public defenders' office continues
to be overworked and underpaid--that's where my disgust
comes in!
Give me the watch.. I will "watch" it..
Yeah he was being a pain in the ass and he didn't need to be, but Ross up there makes a good point about being in the eyes of the public. There should be a separate entrance for attorneys (prosecution and defense), court reporters, other workers in the building, etc., who come in often, where they are checked with a quick security wand.