Gerry and his co counsel have achieved an acquittal for G. Fieger in Detroit. Charged with ten counts of violating the election campaign laws, the jury rejected the government’s case on all counts. I was in Europe through most of the trial and could only get reports off and on through the internet. Since I wasn’t thereI’ve followed the trial only through the eyes and reporting of others. By the way, one of the most detailed reports was a blog of attorney Norm Pattis who attend the Trial College in Wyoming. It’s my impression that the outcome proves once again that trial is primarily a battle of impression and not logic. The relationships formed between witnesses, clients, lawyers and the jurors play a very significant part in the final outcome. We know from modern research that a very large percentage of our decisions and impressions are made at a level of mental processing we can’t even access with our intellect.

That’s the reason I thought Gerry had made a mistake in taking on thisclient in the city of Detroit. My impression of Fieger was that he was a very skillful lawyer who would have real problems listeningto the advice of his counsel and who would always be a ticking time bomb as a witness. I also had the impression that he had alienated enough people there would be an inherent bias that had to be overcome. A trial is stressful. At 73 the last five week trial I went through a couple of months ago was more hard work than fun. Gerry is 79 and a criminal case before a federal judge is even more stressful than my civil trial.

Yet, from the reporting I read, Gerry maintained his calm with the judge, developed a relationship with the jurors and tore huge holes in the government’s case. He also announced he this was his last trial. My hat’s off to Spence and his co counsel on the case.