MUG SHOT MADNESS

 Vote for Lynn ...

(SS photo of box of campaign literature found in back of crashed BMW)

Lynn Feig-Rosenthal is creating another campaign issue, and she may not even know it.

When in jail, Feig-Rosenthal scribbled outthis request * to have her mug shot blocked from public view, citing Florida Statute 119.073(1).  It was witnessed by BSO Lt. Chris Moffat.  She cited the wrong statute, but has thus far successfully managed to keep her jailbird portrait from being released.

Here's why.

Despite pressure from major media outlets, Feig-Rosenthal does fit into an exemption of the public records laws as a former "assistant United States attorney".  That's found in Florida Statute 119.071(5)(i)1.a, as provided by BSO earlier today, specifically precluding dissemination of the following:

For purposes of this paragraph, “identification and location information” means the:

a. Home address, telephone number, and photograph of a current or former United States attorney, assistant United States attorney, judge of the United States Courts of Appeal, United States district judge, or United States magistrate ... (Emphasis Added).

Got that?

Feig-Rosenthal, a sitting judge and public figure actively distributing her own picture prominently displayed on campaign literature, objects to the less flattering mug shot being released because of a statute designed to protect the safety of current and former law enforcement officers.  It really is a stretch, putting BSO right in the middle, since they can't violate the plain language of the statute without a court order, or a waiver from Feig-Rosenthal.

So there you have it.  We've got a call in to Brian Silber, the accused's lawyer, to see if they'll agree to release the photo.  In the meantime, an interested party could move for declaratory judgment (or some other fancy civil law term), thereby guaranteeing additional ongoing publicity for the embattled judge.

Definitely a wait and see ...

(* The second page of the PDF provided by BSO has nothing to do with Feig-Rosenthal.)

AND LOOK WHAT'S WRITTEN AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FLORIDA DL:



SS: Should judges be held to a higher standard?

"(Judges) need to know their actions will be scrutinized. And if they don’t, they should be replaced."