Saturday, June 12, 2010
Over the past two days, I've had the chance to visit with two of my former students I am incredibly proud of-- Gordon Davenport and David Corbett. It's an amazing feeling for a teacher to see his students succeed, and that is what I am seeing here. Gordon is a federal prosecutor in Tucson, while David is a public defender in Kingman. While they work on opposite sides, they have both become remarkable courtroom lawyers doing justice (after all, neither side has a lock on that). I loved hearing about their cases, their offices, and how they feel about the difference they are making. It makes me feel that this project is worthwhile.
Meanwhile, I have been addressing the Arizona Public Defender Association on federal sentencing and some death penalty issues. So far, I have seen great audiences who have more to contribute than I do-- today's session on religion in the capital case got downright rowdy. I love that-- especially in a discussion with the people who actually try the cases. It's real.
It has been, and will be, a great weekend.
