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2.29 MB
Extraction Summary
7
People
4
Organizations
3
Locations
2
Events
3
Relationships
5
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Book manuscript page / legal exhibit
File Size:
2.29 MB
Summary
This document appears to be a page from a manuscript (likely by Alan Dershowitz) detailing his legal representation of Jim Bakker during an appeal of a 45-year sentence. It includes excerpts from a New York Times article describing the dynamic between Dershowitz and his Texas co-counsel, highlighting Dershowitz's media presence and courtroom performance. The text also includes Jim Bakker's positive assessment of Dershowitz contrasted with his criticism of his other attorneys regarding their legal strategy.
People (7)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Dershowitz | Attorney / Narrator |
Author of the text; hired to handle the sentencing appeal for Jim Bakker.
|
| Jim Bakker | Client / Defendant |
Wrote to Dershowitz from prison; praised Dershowitz's work on his appeal.
|
| Don Ervin | Attorney |
Houston lawyer handling Bakker's appeal; praised Dershowitz's court performance.
|
| Brian Wice | Attorney |
Houston lawyer handling Bakker's appeal; commented on Dershowitz's publicity seeking.
|
| Robert D. Potter | Judge |
Nicknamed 'Maximum Bob'; imposed the 45-year sentence on Bakker.
|
| George Steinbrenner | Public Figure |
Mentioned in a metaphorical comparison regarding management.
|
| Yogi Berra | Public Figure |
Mentioned in a metaphorical comparison regarding management.
|
Organizations (4)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| New York Times |
Source of the quoted article describing the oral argument.
|
|
| PTL Partners |
The entity Bakker was accused of defrauding/deceiving.
|
|
| House Oversight Committee |
Indicated by the document footer stamp.
|
|
| Filene's Basement |
Retail store mentioned in a description of Dershowitz's attire.
|
Timeline (2 events)
June (Year implied c. 1990/1991)
October (Year implied c. 1990/1991)
Oral argument for the Bakker appeal.
Courtroom (Appellate Court)
Locations (3)
| Location | Context |
|---|---|
|
Location of the 'Texas lawyers'.
|
|
|
Cited as a dangerous place in Wice's quote.
|
|
|
Holding cell cited as a dangerous place in Wice's quote.
|
Relationships (3)
Bakker wrote letter imploring Dershowitz to join team; Dershowitz argued sentencing issue.
Worked together on Bakker appeal; Wice commented on Dershowitz's media presence.
Dershowitz criticized Potter's sentencing habits; had tangled in a previous case.
Key Quotes (5)
"I’ve discovered that the most dangerous place to be in the criminal justice system is not the Federal Penitentiary at Marion or the holding cell at the Tombs, but between Alan Dershowitz and a television camera."Source
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Quote #1
"This is a judge who doesn't understand the difference between a year and a decade, who always adds a zero to the sentence other judges would impose."Source
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Quote #2
"You can intend to deceive but not intend to defraud."Source
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Quote #3
"He looks like a schlep, wearing suits he could have bought in Filene's Basement, woolen socks, and shoes -- I don't know if they still call them Earth shoes."Source
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Quote #4
"It is not against the law in this context to deceive."Source
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Quote #5
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (3,012 characters)
4.2.12
WC: 191694
WC: 191694
Bakker wrote me a long handwritten letter from prison imploring me to join his appellate team and save him from a lifetime of imprisonment. There was not enough time before the appellate brief had to be filed for me to take over the entire appeal, but I was particularly appalled by the length of the sentence and the religiously discriminatory reason the judge gave for imposing it. I agreed therefore to brief and argue the sentencing issue on the appeal (a team of Texas lawyer had been retained long before to argue against the conviction).
This is how a New York Times journalist characterized the oral argument:
Last June, barely a week before their brief was due, the Houston lawyers handling Mr. Bakker's appeal, Don Ervin and Brian Wice, learned that Mr. Dershowitz was joining their legal team. He was to handle only a small part of Mr. Bakker's appeal, concerning the 45-year sentence meted out by Judge Robert D. Potter. Mr. Dershowitz insisted he would remain in the background.
But that, it turned out, was a bit like George Steinbrenner's saying "Yogi Berra is my manager for the rest of the year." In October, when the Bakker appeal was argued, it was around Mr. Dershowitz that everyone clustered…
Even his co-counsel, two Texans schooled in a tradition of great oratory, were dazzled by what they saw in court. "It was kind of like watching a terrific maestro in front of an orchestra," Mr. Ervin said. Mr. Wice called the performance "mesmerizing" and added: "He looks like a schlep, wearing suits he could have bought in Filene's Basement, woolen socks, and shoes -- I don't know if they still call them Earth shoes. But the judges hung on every word he had to say and bought what he was selling."
Nonetheless, Mr. Wice couldn’t resist noting what he called Mr. Dershowitz’s predilection for publicity. "I’ve discovered that the most dangerous place to be in the criminal justice system is not the Federal Penitentiary at Marion or the holding cell at the Tombs, but between Alan Dershowitz and a television camera."
Mr. Dershowitz relished the chance to take on Judge Potter (nicknamed "Maximum Bob" for his harsh sentencing), with whom he'd tangled in a previous case. "This is a judge who doesn't understand the difference between a year and a decade, who always adds a zero to the sentence other judges would impose," Mr. Dershowitz said.
Jim Bakker did not have such nice things to say about his other lawyers:
Alan Dershowitz did an outstanding job highlighting the errors in my case and in my sentencing. That same could not be said, however, of my Texas attorneys’ attempt to contest the merits of the case. Their arguments were confusing and unconvincing. At one point they implied to the judges that I had not intended to defraud the PTL Partners, merely deceive them. "You can intend to deceive but not intend to defraud," my lawyer said. "It is not against the law in this context to deceive. Of course, I had intended to do
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