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Reports
2007-08 Annual Report
Julie Loftus Nelson
I am proud to report that the Criminal Law Section has had another very productive year. I am thrilled to have been part of the Section’s following achievements.
We began the year with a focus on distributing the Crystal Meth video to high schools statewide. The Section had produced the video during the 2006-2007 term, under the outstanding leadership of Rebecca Rhoda Fisher. The goal of producing the video was to develop an effective and far-reaching method of educating teenagers on the dangers associated with meth use. The video focuses on five main areas: (1) meth ingredients (not how to make it but the toxic items that are used to make meth); (2) how addiction to meth occurs; (3) legal consequences; (4) physical, emotional and psychological effects of meth use; (5) and treatment. Information on each topic was elicited through interviews with teenagers who have been addicted to meth and have successfully completed treatment; family members of these teenagers; judges; prosecutors; defense attorneys; treatment counselors; and doctors. The final touches were put on the video over the summer, making the video ready for distribution in the fall of 2007.
Distribution efforts to high schools were spearheaded by Vice Chair Rich Ohlenberg. Rich raised interest in the video among high schools statewide and then arranged to have a Section member go to the school and present it to the students. Typically, the video would be presented to several classes throughout the day. Therefore, the members who volunteered to present the video generously donated a day out of their busy schedules to help with this project. There can be no doubt that it was time well spent, because the feedback from both students and faculty was outstanding.
The next major project to get underway was the Criminal Law Specialist Accreditation Program, which is sponsored by the MSBA. The program is intended to permit those attorneys possessing specific qualifications to be certified as Criminal Law Specialists. Such accreditation assists the public in identifying attorneys who meet objective standards in a specialty area for reliable knowledge and experience. The first-step was to form a committee that would set the criteria for eligibility. The accreditation committee is comprised of nine members, including federal and state judges, criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors. The committee met regularly for several months and established the standards that an attorney will be required to satisfy in order to be considered a Criminal Law Specialist. Development of the accreditation program will be continued in the upcoming year.
The Criminal Law Section also sponsored three CLEs. In March we hosted the “Source Code Update,” intended to give attendees a balanced view of the hotly debated issue of whether the source code for the Intoxilyzer 5000 is discoverable by the defense in criminal and implied consent matters. There were 100 defense attorneys, prosecutors, and assistant attorney generals in attendance. Attendees received three standard CLE credits.
In April we sponsored “Crystal Meth: Addiction and the Criminal Justice System,” at which we had 70 attendees. We began this CLE with a viewing of the meth video, followed by presentations from a distinguished group of panelists. First, Dr. Gavin Bart, Director of Addiction Medicine at HCMC, addressed the physical, mental, and emotional effects on the individual; the reason that meth causes such damage; whether the damage can be undone; how much damage is done from the first use versus habitual use; and his experience with different types of treatment. Then, Judges Toddrick Barnette from Hennepin County and Judge John Rodenberg from Brown County addressed the issue of whether the justice system treats meth users in a fair and impartial manner. Of specific concern was whether meth addicts receive different treatment and outcomes based on whether they are being charged in the metro area or an outer lying community; whether gender and/or age makes a difference; the factors that determine whether someone is sent to drug court, probation, or prison; and the safeguards that are in place to ensure that those decisions are even-handed. Finally, Dylan Warkentin and Geri Pruyn from Anoka County Corrections touched on some these same issues, but from the point of view of probation officers in a county that does not have a drug court.
Attendees received 2 elimination of bias credits. This CLE was so successful that the Criminal Law Institute has asked the Criminal Law Section to offer the same presentation with the same speakers at the annual CJI Conference in August.
Finally, the Criminal Law Section co-sponsored the CLE held at the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth at the annual MSBA Conference in June.
It important to state that none of the above achievements could have been possible without the outstanding effort and hard work done by the MSBA staff and the Criminal Law Section executive officers and council members. It has been a pleasure working with all of you. I would like to extend a special thank you to Meaghan Harper. Your tireless efforts made all of these accomplishments possible and my job as Section Chair thoroughly enjoyable.
Julie Loftus Nelson
Chair, Criminal Law Section, MSBA
5500 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 1450
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416
763-545-7900
julie@brunolaw.com
- Last Updated 07/29/08 -