The End!!

Finally on March 1st my misery ended. That was the last day of the two-day NJ Bar Exam!

Misery?, you might ask. Well, I had been studying for the Bar since beginning of January, which meant many hours of reading and studying while someone else cared for Eli. I think that was the hardest part for me: knowing that she needed me or missed me and I couldn't be there for her 100% like how it had been up to that point. And even though it was not a stranger - it was DH and then my mother-in-law-, it was still hard. On top of that, Eli went through her 8 month sleep regression, teeth coming out, learning to crawl, clap and wave, all while I had to study. Needless to say, I did not spent 10-12 hours a day studying, but I did do my best. This was a very different experience compared to when I studied for the Puerto Rico Bar: 3 1/2 months of full-time studying!! That was crazy! 

And to add to the misery, I was sent to Atlantic City to take the exam. That is 2 hours away!! There was no way I would be driving 4 hours a day for 2 consecutive days of excruciating mental exercise. So we decided that I would stay there (I guess that was the upside?!).  That added a little bit more stress: should I go alone, should I take my mother-in-law and Eli, should DH go?

In the end, we all went, had a good time, I was able to remain calm during my Bar and the people I needed most were there to cheer me on! However, I have to add, that I am grateful for all the other people in my life that prayer for me during that time. I am deeply grateful for the amazing group of moms I have met here, for the amazing group of May 2011 mommies that have seen me go through this ordeal, for my wonderful family back home, and for all the friends, here in NJ and in Puerto Rico, that took the time to pray for me. I know that God was with me during those 2 days!

¹"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23 (KJV)

My strength during the Exam

Excited that I was ALL DONE!!!!

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1,011 and not even December?!

That is the number of violent deaths in Puerto Rico at the time I'm writing this: record breaking statistics.  Like the slogan of a campaign a few years ago stated, all I can think is: Qué nos pasa Puerto Rico? (What is happening to us Puerto Rico?)

The current situation is out of control. Twelve homicides just over the weekend, which are not really surprising, but the fact that those twelve elevated the statistics to more than one thousand.  And what makes it worse is the increasing trend of homicides during the day, or like we say a plena luz del día. I remember the time where most homicides were committed during the night hours and when criminals used to hide in order to commit whatever crime. Now it is a different story and they have no respect for innocent lives.

It is truly sad the stories I hear or see on the news. A few weeks ago, I was appalled when reading on Facebook how one of my friends and colleagues witnessed first hand what I just mentioned. She was driving during the day in a highway when out of nowhere she heard strange sounds. When she looked over the rear-view mirror, she realized the sounds were gun shots from one car to another right then and there. She reacted quickly by going as far right as possible and ducking in her car until everything was over. That story was all over the news: an innocent little girl was rushed to the hospital because she had received a gun shot wound. In the car, there was also a four month old baby. What evil or wrong had they done? But the criminals, that were probably after someone else, did not care.

News like this is why I strongly believe in the rehabilitation of criminals. Many of these criminals are recidivists, committing crime after crime. Why? Because the prison system did not do its job, i.e., prisons were created in the 19th Century to reform the old punishment system of torture and physical punishment and turn it into a rehabilitative system. Michel Focault  Professor James Gilligan suggests, and I concur, that the government and society need to understand where does violent behavior come from and treated it as a mental health problem in order to prevent violence. If we did this, less people would become violent over time, thus reducing violent crimes. I wouldn't be surprised if we asked all these criminals in Puerto Rico about their past and conclude that they themselves were victims of violence, abuse or other similar behavior, which is why they in turn react the same way. 

The fact is that something needs to be done. It is clear that there is a problem and until it is not addressed, it will go on. I just will continue to pray everyday for my family and loved ones. God bless you all!

One year enough for placing baby in oven?

Someone posted about the recent sentencing of a man in California accused of putting his infant son inside an oven causing him second and third-degree burns. When I clicked on the link to read more about the news, I was in shock at the sentencing - just one year in jail including time served, which leaves him with a few more months in jail! My next thought was: is that really fair?

The accused was convicted of one felony count of child endangerment and one felony count of cruelty to a child, still only sentenced to one year. The incredible thing about the whole story: allegedly the man put the baby inside the hot oven to teach him a lesson about hot surfaces!!! The nerve of some people; yes, he does not deserve to be even called a parent.

Things like this are what make me doubt the whole justice system sometimes. I know that as an attorney you have to defend the Constitution, which includes the Bill of Rights, and you have to give adequate representation to the client, but even to this extent? I don't have all the details of the conviction, but my best guess is that the guy pleaded guilty and made a deal with the Prosecutor for a lower sentence. In federal court, plea agreements are not binding to the Court, but I don't know about California courts.

I remember last Fall in my Criminal Procedure course (during my LL.M.) discussing the topic of plea agreements: should we keep them? Do they have more advantages or disadvantages for the criminal system? There were people in favor, including the professor,  and people against them. Fact is that around 90% of criminal cases are solved through plea agreements, so they are good for judicial economy. But do they help towards achieving justice? What do you think?

If you want to read the article, click here.