Adam Goodman

So what I've been on the case, it's a 2019 case. The defendants had been in custody since 2019. They did go to a bond hearing, which they were denied the right to release pending their trial, even though going through the testimony, it seemed as if they probably should have been released, but a judge denied them that opportunity. And I've been on the case since I believe 22, maybe 21.

So what I've been on the case, it's a 2019 case. The defendants had been in custody since 2019. They did go to a bond hearing, which they were denied the right to release pending their trial, even though going through the testimony, it seemed as if they probably should have been released, but a judge denied them that opportunity. And I've been on the case since I believe 22, maybe 21.

Michelle just got on the case at the end of last year. We wanted to put together a good team on this case. We thought that would, you know, two minds are better than one. And so as the case progressed, we were getting ready to proceed to trial. We thought it was a very weak case to begin with, independent of, I guess, the legal term you used is f***ery. That's the official legal term.

Michelle just got on the case at the end of last year. We wanted to put together a good team on this case. We thought that would, you know, two minds are better than one. And so as the case progressed, we were getting ready to proceed to trial. We thought it was a very weak case to begin with, independent of, I guess, the legal term you used is f***ery. That's the official legal term.

Pardon my Hebrew. Yes, that's the official legal term, I think, that they teach in law school. And we were proceeding to trial as is with a co-defendant. Mr. Roll had taken a plea, I believe in 22. And as part of that plea, we were able to do our public records request. And sometimes you get exactly what you want. And sometimes you stumble upon something that you didn't intend to get.

Pardon my Hebrew. Yes, that's the official legal term, I think, that they teach in law school. And we were proceeding to trial as is with a co-defendant. Mr. Roll had taken a plea, I believe in 22. And as part of that plea, we were able to do our public records request. And sometimes you get exactly what you want. And sometimes you stumble upon something that you didn't intend to get.

And we were able to find an email from a prosecutor that basically spoke to Mr. Van Zandt, who I worked against and with when I was at the state attorney's office. And it was essentially along the lines of, We don't agree with what he's saying with his sworn statements that he's provided to us. We know he wants to resolve the case.

And we were able to find an email from a prosecutor that basically spoke to Mr. Van Zandt, who I worked against and with when I was at the state attorney's office. And it was essentially along the lines of, We don't agree with what he's saying with his sworn statements that he's provided to us. We know he wants to resolve the case.

He needs to basically change his story to fit our theory of the case. Otherwise, he's going to be facing more jail time. All of a sudden, he changes his story. Oh, how about that? Yeah, he comes to court. We do an evidentiary hearing maybe a week or two before trial, and he's now saying all of a sudden it's something totally different that was consistent with his prior sworn statements.

He needs to basically change his story to fit our theory of the case. Otherwise, he's going to be facing more jail time. All of a sudden, he changes his story. Oh, how about that? Yeah, he comes to court. We do an evidentiary hearing maybe a week or two before trial, and he's now saying all of a sudden it's something totally different that was consistent with his prior sworn statements.

And we just got—we did get lucky. Luck's often involved in some of these cases. Michelle had a request pending, and the request came in after we'd picked a jury. It came to us and we were lucky that we had good prosecutors because there are good prosecutors at the office too. Casey Hughes, Alejandra De La Fuente were on this case. They were not on it very long.

And we just got—we did get lucky. Luck's often involved in some of these cases. Michelle had a request pending, and the request came in after we'd picked a jury. It came to us and we were lucky that we had good prosecutors because there are good prosecutors at the office too. Casey Hughes, Alejandra De La Fuente were on this case. They were not on it very long.

And within a day, before we even started court the next day, she had done the right thing and decided that this isn't a case that they could proceed on in good faith, which is very tough to do on any case, but especially when there's next of kin involved. And they went through their proper channels and they dismissed the case.

And within a day, before we even started court the next day, she had done the right thing and decided that this isn't a case that they could proceed on in good faith, which is very tough to do on any case, but especially when there's next of kin involved. And they went through their proper channels and they dismissed the case.

It's an interesting thing because it's such a large office. I don't think people realize how big the Miami-Dade state attorney's offices and how many attorneys there are. Cause there's not just the criminal aspect, but there's even the child support division, which when I work there, these are people you don't even know you work with them.

It's an interesting thing because it's such a large office. I don't think people realize how big the Miami-Dade state attorney's offices and how many attorneys there are. Cause there's not just the criminal aspect, but there's even the child support division, which when I work there, these are people you don't even know you work with them.

They've been working there just as long as you, they could have been there 20 years. And I think what happens, and this is going to happen to any large office, probably in New York or any of these big cities, is that the offices are very large. So you have to delegate to a lot of people.

They've been working there just as long as you, they could have been there 20 years. And I think what happens, and this is going to happen to any large office, probably in New York or any of these big cities, is that the offices are very large. So you have to delegate to a lot of people.

And you have a lot of turnover because prosecutors, it's the same with the public defenders, are not paid a lot. Even Catherine Fernandez-Rundle, you know, doesn't make a lot of money. I think it's like low $200,000. Pobrecita. I left my violin in the car.

And you have a lot of turnover because prosecutors, it's the same with the public defenders, are not paid a lot. Even Catherine Fernandez-Rundle, you know, doesn't make a lot of money. I think it's like low $200,000. Pobrecita. I left my violin in the car.