Kendall Coffey

This is going to be a new territory, a new set of fascinating questions, and it will not be an easy thing for the Obama administration to give bankruptcy judges the power.

...The U.S. has threatened “powerful and international sanctions” against those who purchase oil from ISIS. Rather than just economic sanctions, though, consideration shall be given to criminally prosecuting the oil buyers under U.S. statutes that outlaw providing material support or resources to designated terrorist organizations such as ISIS. Some U.S. terrorism laws include exterritorial jurisdiction authorizing prosecution for entirely foreign-based conduct if there are certain U.S.-connected results.

...Violence toward a U.S. citizen - like those who have been cruelly murdered by ISIS – could potentially provide jurisdiction for U.S. prosecution. If individuals can be identified who knowingly made oil purchases funding the terrorist agenda of ISIS, those individuals might be considered for very serious federal crimes, even though there could be complicated issues of arrest and extradition.

...what’s so important about this law is, it applies to torture wherever it takes place in the world if one is perpetrated by a U.S. citizen, which happened to be the case with this defendant, but also, if somebody else steps foot in the United States who has committed torture crimes in a foreign country, that person can also be prosecuted. " Kendall Coffey on the trial of Chucky Taylor.

I would hope that as a community we are learning to ask more questions about meteoric financial rises, yet I'm uncertain if anything has really changed (after Rothstein)," said Kendall Coffey, a former U.S. attorney who represented Rothstein's law firm after the Ponzi scheme was uncovered.

If you lose that fight your whole case is thrown out," he said. "So rather than tell the defense all of their best evidence and strategies today, recognizing that the odds would still favor Zimmerman getting out on bail, they in effect took their lumps, kept their cards close to the vest, and are putting themselves in a better position to succeed in the 'Stand Your Ground' hearing," if it occurs." -on the George Zimmerman Trial

Nothing could be further from the truth. The value of his life is incalculable. The purpose of setting a bond is to validate the presumption of innocence, while assuring the defendant's presence at trial.” -On Trayvon Martin

Obviously, if this were Donald trump or Bill Gates accused of a crime, that would be grossly inadequate, but you cannot set a bond that a person could not possibly come up with.

Ten percent is a premium you pay a surety company, or bail bondsman, Coffey said. To get a bond in almost all cases you have to be able to fully collateralize that $150,000, meaning that either George Zimmerman or his parents have to come up with a $150,000 second mortgage on their house or from a bank. The bonding company is not a charity. They stand to lose the money. They have more than just fugitive hunters [to track down a defendant who flees.] They get collateral up front.

The impact on future jurors has been documented by studies confirming that negative publicity contributes to negative results.

The lead investigator, the person on the scene, the person that normally law enforcement would say is in the best position to there is prospect in arrest, he apparently was effectively overruled by people sitting back at the office. It does happen, but it certainly raises a lot of questions.”

The prosecutors went through this relying on the probable cause affidavit [which they filed with the court in charging Zimmerman.] They were prepared to accept the judge's ruling, rather than make an all out effort to defeat bond by putting their best evidence forward. Because if they had done that, the defense would have had a preview of their case and still wouldn't have had bond denied." -On the Trayvon Martin Trial

They better be darn ready to show a detailed file of all of the other steps they took before they overruled the [lead investigator’s] judgment, the person in the best position to determine whether or not there was probably cause to arrest George Zimmerman.”

This is an aggressive charge,” Kendall Coffey said. “And there are times when an aggressive charge gives more incentive for the defendant to seek a plea. The vast majority of cases don’t go to trial and end in a plea.”

This is going to be a new territory, a new set of fascinating questions, and it will not be an easy thing for the Obama administration to give bankruptcy judges the power." Kendall Coffey on new foreclosure proposals.

This is not about dueling lawyers; this is about lawyers as problem solvers." Kendall Coffey on the pending presidential election.