IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray
A Lady in Mourning
June 5, 2024
Over the decades, my professional resume has grown considerably. Of course, keep in mind that I began working at age twelve. My employer was a local dentist’s wife and she taught me more about housekeeping over one summer than many girls learn in a lifetime.
Next came carhopping at the A & W Root Beer stand on East 421. I kept a full academic schedule, often doing homework at the counter of the establishment in between customers. Funny how you remember somewhat mundane details so vividly after 60+ years. I had one customer who always ordered the same meal, so I would call the food order in when I glimpsed his spotless blue and white pickup pull into the lot. He loved a “Hurri-Burger” with cheese and onion accompanied by a made to order chocolate nut shake. God bless him. He made sure to leave a hefty tip and I appreciated his kindness.
Flash forward to a local law office where I sat taking dictation from Phillip Brown when the receptionist interrupted normal work with a terse message. “Listen, please.” The next minute is etched into my brain. President Kennedy was dead. Assassinated in Dallas while in a parade to the Dallas Trade Mart. And the dictation? It was a bad check to the then Louden Super Market on South Harrison Street. It was for $40.00 – as clear today as then.
Next, I worked for a criminal defense attorney. That was a learning experience I will never forget. Privy to the inner workings of an active defense team, I tried to take in all the details to better prepare myself for life as an adult.
When I began working for a personal injury lawyer, I was flabbergasted by his medical knowledge. Just listening to him, one would think that he was a doctor by profession.
Legal secretarial work behind me, flash to a prestigious Indianapolis law firm, Barnes, Hickam, Pantzer and Boyd. At that time, all four senior partners were there. Mr. Barnes was a sweetheart. I booked all his travel, and his trips spanned the globe. It was imperative that he knew the specific type of aircraft. Odd, really, because Mr. Hickam had a close family relationship to aircraft. Hickam Field, Hawaii, was named for his brother. If a staff member, lawyer, secretary, or accountant, traveled to Hawaii, he saw to it that they received a special tour of the base.
Flash forward again and I was in my 40s and a recent graduate of Franklin College. My eldest son and I graduated the same year – 1984. Considering law school, I began to work for a Shelby County Prosecutor James Lisher, the very best boss for whom I have ever worked. Cases ranged the gamut from petty crimes to the apex: murder. I was allowed to go into court and observe, and that I did.
For Mr. Lisher, the law was sacrosanct. His approach was level-headed, to the point, and honest. Watching him was a lesson in integrity. Given my background, the recent show trial in New York was more than a shock, it was an insult. Building on “all men are created equal,” is the absolute mantra that a defendant is assumed innocent until proven guilty.
It never occurred to me that someone serving as a prosecutor, pressing the government’s case against the accused could morph into a political vendetta with the prime goal of undercutting, smearing, and convicting a person of a yet undisclosed crime. Given the varied work experiences among a number of firms and lawyers, I had a hard time wrapping my head around how a misdemeanor with statute of limitations expired could morph into 34 felony counts. Even Houdini couldn’t escape such a morass of nonsense. Agenda driven? You bet!
Did you ever hear the actual crime named? You did not. I traveled abroad quite a bit. I recognized the respect that the United States held in foreign countries. Leaders and their people looked to the United States as what President Reagan described in his Farewell Address. President Reagan acknowledged the increased budget deficits, expressing regret, but asserted that overall, his presidency was about restoring America to her role as a “shining city on a hill.” The United States stood as the ultimate form of government for a free people and a magnet for those who wanted a better life devoid of socialism and communism.
Contrast that with the diminished stature of the US under the current administration. I purposefully avoid naming the occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My only hope is that his title is temporary.
The concept of law in the United States is based on the wisdom of The Founders, who drew upon the Bible and experience living under the tyranny of the British. The result has been stable for nearly 248 years. Overall, the system has worked well, not that there have not been errors. Humans can make mistakes. Clearly, that is not what the nation and the world have witnessed over the past weeks.
It’s time for every American to defend the bedrock issue of our time. Restoring the rule of law administered fairly and without bias to the courtrooms across the nation. Sad is not the operative term here. Disgusting and embarrassing are better terms.
And so, behind her blindfold are tears. Lady Justice is in mourning.
Reflecting on past experience, I could never understand why something termed “brief” was anything but. I remember long before the advent of copy machines that the firm cleared the conference room and hundreds of pages were meticulously assembled into as many as 100 copies to be given to those involved in a particular lawsuit.
And so I acknowledge those who practice law. I salute them for painstaking and tedious work. I challenge them to join with others to clean up the profession. All this trial did was to sully the reputations of those who practice with honor and ethics.
Think about it.