May 3, 2022 - Chris returned to CVRJ

[Pointless Sperg]

I don't doubt that he's locally well known. He's been practicing for like, over 40 years so he ought to be. I just don't agree with the sentiment that he's some rock star attorney who would only be appointed to Chris' case if the judge thought that this was a particularly significant matter for some reason. He has a record of doing court appointed work. There's no greater machinations going on here.

Yeah, not a rock star, just very experienced and seemingly respected. If you had no money, you definitely could do a LOT worse for a court-appointed attorney.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

You know that "Universe's Core" art Chris sent to "Praetor"? Seems Chris parroted that from the "Galaxy Cauldron" of Sailor Moon.

Also it was pointed out on another forum that the first dialog bubble in "Sonichu Prime and the Cyan Master Emerald" was "ripped straight from Sonic Adventure".

 

[A-№1]

We might sperg out about Chris on a daily basis, but to the rest of the world, he's just a guy charged with a low-level felony (or possibly a misdemeanor.)

But Chris isn't being tried in the rest of the world. He's being tried in Greene County, where he's a fairly well know nuisance.

Heilberg may not be nationally famous, but he's a pretty damn big fish for Charlottesville's little bitty pond.

So he's not Johnny Cochrane but almost nobody is that.

Cochrane is famous because of O.J., not the other way around.

nor are "semi retired", he still practices law.

But he's at the point where he can pick his own cases and isn't doing it so much for the money. He's still practicing, but he gets to set his own pace. That's what I mean by semi-retired.

For what it's worth, these are generally the best lawyers you can get, because they have the time to properly give your case the attention it deserves. Also if they take your case, it generally means they have a good idea how to best handle it.

he's the second listed "Top Rated DUI lawyer in Charlottesville", according to Super Lawyers.

Like I said, he doesn't need to advertise.

I'm not finding Heilberg having any experience with juvenile and domestic stuff, rape, sex offenses, etc..

Wasn't it kicked down to J&DR after Heilberg was already on the case? I don't see any sign of him objecting, so I assume he thinks he can handle it.

In some ways it's a better system.

Also it lets them match an attorney to a case. Most PD's get assigned because they're next in line.

You get a small flat fee just for showing up, and then hourly pay for time you spend on the case.

There's also remuneration for incurred expenses, like when Heilberg requested that first continuance to have Chris evaluated, I doubt he paid for the evaluation out of his own pocket.

That said, Heilberg is pretty old so he might not get the internet-related cases much.

I suspect it was the national news attention that made the court think of him more than the internet's attention.

Given what I've seen of their websites (especially CVRJ - what the fuck?), I'm not sure the rural Virginia courts in general are all that up to speed with this newfangled internet doodad.

They also cover a certain amount of necessary expenses, such as for expert witnesses, if they can be justified.

This.

Also if they have a particularly large Kinkos bill. Those photocopies ain't free. It's all pretty mundane.

 

[AnOminous]

It looks like had some role in John Allen Mohammad's habeas case (Mohammad was Malvo's accomplice), but he's not in the list of counsel on the decision, so I assume that it wasn't a major role. That's basically Heilberg's claim to fame.

The only lawyer on all three stages of the federal habeas was Jonathan Sheldon, up to the unsuccessful cert. petition with SCOTUS.

Cochrane is famous because of O.J., not the other way around.

O.J. wouldn't have even hired Johnny if he wasn't already well known among a wealthy clientele. It made him a household name, but he was already the guy you'd call if you were rich and in deep shit. Even if he'd never represented O.J. he would have been a prolific practitioner.

He was also objectively a formidable trial lawyer, a rare skill to have.

Wasn't it kicked down to J&DR after Heilberg was already on the case? I don't see any sign of him objecting, so I assume he thinks he can handle it.

Or it was his idea. Or both he and the prosecutor got together, couldn't quite hammer out a deal immediately, and Heilberg pointed out how embarrassing this case is for Greene County, and of course for his client too, but you know, we could keep this all sub rosa if it stays in J&DR.

While we're limited to making inferences from a nearly empty data pool, it has always struck me that the prosecution and defense appear to be cooperating to an unusual degree on this case, and maybe even the court as well, considering it was the judge who brought in Heilberg, I am assuming because he specifically wanted Heilberg, not that he drew his name from a hat, as usually happens in routine, seemingly minor cases.

 

[A-№1]

O.J. wouldn't have even hired Johnny if he wasn't already well known among a wealthy clientele.

I'm not saying the O.J. trial made his career. I'm just saying it made him a caricature on South Park.

He was also objectively a formidable trial lawyer, a rare skill to have.

He really knew how to talk to a jury.

Or it was his idea.

Also this. The point is that Heilberg might not have a lot of experience in J&DR, but he doesn't seem uncomfortable with it.

it has always struck me that the prosecution and defense appear to be cooperating to an unusual degree on this case, and maybe even the court as well,

It seems to me the only one not cooperating is Chris, but then he has a talent for making things worse for himself.

I am assuming because he specifically wanted Heilberg, not that he drew his name from a hat,

There's no way it could be that coincidental. If Chris somehow managed to get Heilberg randomly, then he's a far luckier son of a bitch than even I give him credit for.

 

[JanuaryViolet]

Hold it, hold it...
take a look at this, specifically item 7: https://sonichu.com/cwcki/Jail_Letter_-_4_June_2022

"7) It's the same as before March, 2022, but more like back in August, 2021, for I am in a cell in Medical with a Window again."

Based on my experience (court clerk in an undisclosed county) ; when someone is 'in a cell in medical with a window' that's not just protective custody. That's in a special unit where they really keep an eye on him for 'medical' reasons. Because he acts crazy. This doesn't mention anything about a suicide smock, so he hasn't been threatening to off himself (at least at the time of writing) but this kind of close observation means they are logging his behavior. Since they don't have the staff needed to do this just for fun, he has done something (more likely several somethings) to get this kind of scrutiny.

 

[Pointless Sperg]

Hold it, hold it...
take a look at this, specifically item 7: https://sonichu.com/cwcki/Jail_Letter_-_4_June_2022

"7) It's the same as before March, 2022, but more like back in August, 2021, for I am in a cell in Medical with a Window again."

Based on my experience (court clerk in an undisclosed county) ; when someone is 'in a cell in medical with a window' that's not just protective custody. That's in a special unit where they really keep an eye on him for 'medical' reasons. Because he acts crazy. This doesn't mention anything about a suicide smock, so he hasn't been threatening to off himself (at least at the time of writing) but this kind of close observation means they are logging his behavior. Since they don't have the staff needed to do this just for fun, he has done something (more likely several somethings) to get this kind of scrutiny.

It's probably the incompetence issue. He's supposed to be receiving medical care for the six month period. They probably decided that he didn't need to be in the hospital anymore, but they still need to keep him in treatment because that's what the statute requires.

 

[AnOminous]

It's probably the incompetence issue. He's supposed to be receiving medical care for the six month period. They probably decided that he didn't need to be in the hospital anymore, but they still need to keep him in treatment because that's what the statute requires.

Or at least keep him under observation because presumably they need to be available to testify as to his competence on the eve of trial (or obviously more likely the eve of plea), not just right now.

 

[Ophelia]

It’s been speculated that it’s a covid thing, but the corona has kind of petered out. On the other hand, no one wants an outbreak in a jail.

 

[Cold Root Beer]

I just don't agree with the sentiment that he's some rock star attorney who would only be appointed to Chris' case if the judge thought that this was a particularly significant matter for some reason.

I think anytime people talk up his skills, it's with the unspoken postscript of "for a free court appointed defender".

It's like going to the soup kitchen, and getting served up a top round steak dinner. You could say "top round is the worst cut of steak, I don't get why people are praising this like it's an amazing meal". Compared to all meals (including ones you have to pay lots of money for), yeah its not amazing. But on the scale of free meals it's amazing.

When most expected Chris to get appointed a gruel-tier lawyer, he instead got appointed one that's actually decent. One that can hustle a little bit more than your average public defender.

 

[Pointless Sperg]

I think anytime people talk up his skills, it's with the unspoken postscript of "for a free court appointed defender".

It's like going to the soup kitchen, and getting served up a top round steak dinner. You could say "top round is the worst cut of steak, I don't get why people are praising this like it's an amazing meal". Compared to all meals (including ones you have to pay lots of money for), yeah its not amazing. But on the scale of free meals it's amazing.

When most expected Chris to get appointed a gruel-tier lawyer, he instead got appointed one that's actually decent. One that can hustle a little bit more than your average public defender.

The best legal representation the CWCville soup hotels have to offer.

 

[Shovel Mech Pilot]

It's like going to the soup kitchen, and getting served up a top round steak dinner. You could say "top round is the worst cut of steak, I don't get why people are praising this like it's an amazing meal". Compared to all meals (including ones you have to pay lots of money for), yeah its not amazing. But on the scale of free meals it's amazing.

When most expected Chris to get appointed a gruel-tier lawyer, he instead got appointed one that's actually decent. One that can hustle a little bit more than your average public defender.

It's just not an uncommon situation. Some people are reading really far into this, like the court expects this to be the trial of the century if they appointed Heilberg. Really not the case.

Also, most PDs aren't bad. Its just that the average criminal case isn't all that complicated. Most criminals get caught in really obvious ways and there's no getting them off the hook - the only real option is a plea deal.

 

[AnOminous]

Some people are reading really far into this, like the court expects this to be the trial of the century if they appointed Heilberg. Really not the case.

It's not his job to do that. If this goes to trial he did a bad job (or the prosecutor is crazy).

 

[Pointless Sperg]

It's not his job to do that. If this goes to trial he did a bad job (or the prosecutor is crazy).

Or Chris is crazy. Which he is. It just depends on how crazy he is that day.

("To trial we go, Sonichu! Magi-chan will convince the court of my innocence!")

 

[AnOminous]

Or Chris is crazy. Which he is. It just depends on how crazy he is that day.

("To trial we go, Sonichu! Magi-chan will convince the court of my innocence!")

I'd call it a legal skill in this case to persuade Chris not to tard out completely and get to be outside of jail sometime soon.

 

[A-№1]

That's in a special unit where they really keep an eye on him for 'medical' reasons. Because he acts crazy.

And they don't want to be accountable if his bullshit causes problems. Never mind suicide, there are all sorts of ways spergs can chimp out and harm themselves or others, and the jail does NOT want to be responsible if it happens with Chris while they were looking the other way.

They probably decided that he didn't need to be in the hospital anymore, but they still need to keep him in treatment because that's what the statute requires.

Left to his own devices, Chris tends to…forget things. It would be a shame if Chris forgot his courtroom behavior lessons between now and the next hearing. He might need regular "medical" reminding.

Also Chris has a history of chimping out. He is a pain in the ass. There's only one place in most jails for inmates like that.

Some people are reading really far into this, like the court expects this to be the trial of the century if they appointed Heilberg. Really not the case.

It's more that the court is being unbelievably kind to Chris, bending over backwards for him at every turn. That doesn't make it the trial of the century. It just makes it baffling.

Also, most PDs aren't bad.

But they are very overworked.

Its just that the average criminal case isn't all that complicated.

Also the average criminal isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Most PDs don't have a lot to work with in each defendant.

If this goes to trial he did a bad job (or the prosecutor is crazy).

Or Chris, despite everyone's best efforts, forces it to trial. Because Chris is an idiot.

They can't force Chris to not be a fuckup (but I bet everyone in the court wishes they could).

 

[Barley]

He always self-sabotages. Especially when you're thinking that there's no way he'd do something that would be too dumb even for him, he does exactly that or something worse.

 

[AnOminous]

I am still cautiously optimistic as to Heilberg's tard-wrangling skills. The tard may very well already be wrangled.

 

[A-№1]

I am still cautiously optimistic as to Heilberg's tard-wrangling skills. The tard may very well already be wrangled.

Don't you have to break a horse before you can wrangle it?

 

[Pointless Sperg]

Don't you have to break a horse before you can wrangle it?

Hitch your wagon to a Sonichu.