The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back

I have sat quietly in my home keeping up with the latest news stories regading District Attorney Eddie Jordan. It is now time for me to break my silence. Last Friday, I was by my parents house getting ready to dive into my week off from the office and guess what I saw on WDSU ten o'clock news. A story about an armed robber fleeing the scene of an accident and running directly to Eddie Jordan's house. My mouth dropped as I dropped whatever it was I was doing to make sure I didn't miss the story. As a prosecutor for almost five years here in Orleans Parish, I can pretty much tell when a story just doesn't sound right. And on Friday night of last week when Eddie Jordan FIRST told the media that he and his "girlfriend" didn't know the young man who came to their home nor did they know he had just committed a crime, I said to myself I bet his "girlfriend" knows that bastard. Low and behold two or three days later the media reports that Eddie Jordan says his "girlfriend" knows the suspect and his family. Then to add insult to injury, Eddie Jordan later says that his "girlfriend" spent an entire day with the suspect and another young man in Baton Rouge. What the fuck!!!!!

Let's just go over the stories Eddie Jordan has told the media. Story #1: the young man came to the house, knocked on the door and said he had just been in a car accident. Eddie Jordan asked the young man if he was ok, let him into his home to use the phone, and a few minutes later, the young man left. Two or three days later, they saw the young man on the news and immediately called the police. Eddie said he nor his "girlfriend" knew the young man.

Story #2: Eddie Jordan said he was in his bedroom when he heard a noise coming from his backyard. He looked out the window and saw his "girlfriend" talking to a young man in their backyard.

Story #3: Eddie Jordan said he was in his bedroom when he heard a noise coming from his backyard. As he exited his bedroom, he saw the young man seated in his stairwell saying he had been in an accident. Minutes later, the young man and his "girlfriend" went into the backyard where the young man used the cell phone, and then the young man left.

Eddie Jordan also said he didn't have reason to think the young man was lying or had just robbed someone because he was just a kid. NEWSFLASH MR. JORDAN: MOST OF THE CRIMINALS IN ADULT COURT YOUR OFFICE PROSECUTES ARE KIDS. NOT TO MENTION THAT DIVISION IN YOUR OFFICE YOU CALL JUVENILE COURT. This man has managed to single-handedly bring down the image of the office and lower morale in the office to an all time low. No one person can curtail criminal activity, and the public shouldn't expect it. The truth of the matter is witnesses don't like to come forward. The truth of the matter is NOPD is over-worked and they rush investigations just for the sake of closing the case on their end. The district attorney's office can only do so much when it comes to crime and our office can only do what is allowed under the law. However, it is the responsibility of the district attorney to be able to legally inform the public and the police on whether a case is suitable for prosecution. We are the lawyers for the public. Therefore, we have to give the legal advice to the public. Not the other way around. But it is embarassing to have an armed robber run to the home of the district attorney apparently seeking refuge through whatever relationship he has with the district attorney's "girlfriend." Why is she keeping this kind of company anyway? I don't give a damn if it was her birthday, she should understand she has to maintain an image just because. Not to mention this suspect is also suspected of shooting an officer and his wife shortly after the armed robbery.

Way to go Mr. Jordan. Just when I thought that things couldn't get any worst for you, they some how have. Bit of advice to you Mr. Jordan. You and your "girlfriend" should stop giving comments to the media because your words will eventually come back to haunt you.

Why I Don't Vote

Today was election day here in the state of Louisiana. While I did very little research on one candidate for governor, I decided this morning not to vote. I simply can not vote for people just for the sake of preventing another person from getting into office. All of the candidates sing the same song, but once the election is over everything goes back to hell. Nothing changes and you wait another four years to listen to people beg for your vote, and trash the city with all their paraphernalia. Unfortunately when it comes to voting, just like everything else, people are voting against a candidate because of their race. Perfect example: the mayoral race after Katrina. People voted for Nagin because they didn't want a white man (Mitch Landrieu) in office. Eventhough Landrieu was clearly the better candidate, he lost because black people didn't want to vote for someone who could move this city forward. Black people decided to vote based upon some conspiracy theory that all of the white people were trying to push all of the black people out of office and the city. And here we are almost three years after Katrina and nothing has changed for the better. I understand that people marched and died for our right to vote. But what people need to understand is that those people marched and died so that we could exercise our right to vote or not to vote. There is a difference in being told you can't vote as opposed to deciding not to vote. I am not saying that I am right in all of this because if I came across a candidate I thought was sincere in wanting to help his or her city or state, then I would vote for that person. Hell I would even campaign for the person. Pass out literature in the heat. But I don't see any sincerity in any candidate for any political seat. I guess in a perfect world elections would be about change for the better; not because of black or white.

An Extra Day Of Solitude

Today turned my three day weekend into a four day weekend. I only requested to have this past Friday off, but since court was closed today, I decided to stay home. I will tell my supervisors tomorrow when I go to work. I know some of you may be saying, "Boy I wish I had a job like that." Actually it's not all that bad to be able to come and go as I please. I guess that's one of the perks of being in that office. But today was not a day to do absolutely nothing. I decided to print out some resumes/cover letters for employment elsewhere. So far I have sent out two. One in the city and the other in DC. I have not made any decisions to make a move. I figure I will have to give myself some options before I make any decisions that important.

The poem that I posted to the right of this blog is important to me. I wrote it September 28, 2000. That is seven years ago. At the time I wrote it, I was just a law student, not an attorney who "wears the guise." Not to mention, I didn't have any particular man in mind when I wrote it. I was just up a little after midnight, and I decided to pick up my pencil and open my poetry book. The words just began to pour onto the paper. It was as if I wrote it with no effort or premeditation. Strangely, I do feel like I have to make a choice between money and family. I realize that I am more concerned with making money, but I am starting to think about what my counselor seems to think. She think in some ways I want a family; just scared of it and choose not to be in a relationship. She may be right. I still haven't figured that out. But I do know that I do not actively seek anyone to be in a relationship with. Everyone will probably agree that the best way to find a relationship is to not look for it. But even if I stumble upon one inadvertently, I will do something to distance myself. Just so the reader knows, I was this way before I was raped of course. I have always had a commitment complex. The rape has heightened if however. The idea of being raped by someone I have known since high school makes me think that I can't trust anyone new. So I guess the poem holds true to some degree; maybe I wil love someone "in another lifetime."

My Three Day Weekend

Yesterday I decided to stay home--translation; stay in my bed all day. The only time I left my apartment was to go visit my psychiatrist who thinks that I am doing better these days. I must admit that I agree with him. Ever since I have been taking Cymbalta, my mood has been so much better. Work doesn't bother me like it used to, or as much as it used to. I don't have as many scary dreams as I used to. I don't think about killing myself like I used to. The only things that haven't changed is that I am still not comfortable in my surroundings. Whenever I wake up, I still feel disoriented not knowing where I am. The smallest sound makes me feel as if someone is in my apartment standing over me waiting to attack me. And my sleep pattern is still off. Although I must say the Cymbalta has my sleep pattern at a hit or miss. At one point, I had to take sleeping pills in order to go to sleep. Now I will either fall asleep on my own or go one or two nights without sleep. The reason why I don't want to take the sleeping pills often are for two reason. One, my body will get immune to them such that they stop working, and two, the pills I am taking can cause weight gain. The last thing I want to do is gain more weight. I am in the process of changing my eating habits and what I eat. I never realized how much thought has to go into that. I haven't done too much today but watch videoes on vh1. They're playing all the music that I grew up to. Music used to sound so good......