MEPSTEAD, N.Y. - Did you hear the one about the two guys arrested for telling lawyer jokes?

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It happened this week to the founders of a group called Americans for Legal Reform, who were waiting in line to get into a Long Island courthouse.

“How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?” Harvey Kash reportedly asked Carl Lanzisera.

“His lips are moving,” they said in unison.

While some waiting to get into the courthouse giggled, a lawyer farther up the line Monday was not laughing.

He told them to pipe down, and when they did not, the lawyer reported the pair to court personnel, who charged them with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

“They just can’t take it,” Kash said of lawyers in general. “This violates our First Amendment rights.”

Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau County courts, said the men were “being abusive and they were causing a disturbance.” He said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained.

Americans for Legal Reform monitors the courts and uses confrontational tactics to push for greater access for the public. The pair said that for years they have stood outside courthouses on Long Island and mocked lawyers.

On Monday, however, Kash said he was due in court to answer a drunken driving charge from a year and a half ago. The men are due back in court on the disorderly conduct charge next month.


linky

I quess that means hang around and wait for that guy who reported you to say something and turn him in.

“They just can’t take it,” Kash said of lawyers in general. “This violates our First Amendment rights.” Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau County courts, said the men were “being abusive and they were causing a disturbance.” He said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained.

I have no idea what was really going on that caused this to escalate but Kash is obviously an ass.  He is not in trouble because of what he said, he is in trouble because he does not know how to behave and he doesn't even get it.  He is already in trouble for a DUI offense and then he picks a fight with a lawyer by bashing lawyers on their own turf.  They gave him the option to stop, just like he had the option of calling a cab, but he was too dumb to respect the rights of others and the law.  He obviously just likes to act out against authority.

ETA:  I'd love to hear him explain how making fun of lawyers would help the public gain greater access to anything.

I thought it was funny.

I'm sure both sides had their heads stuck up thier collective poopers.

But still funny.

Quoted: Ah Freedom of speach!  The question beomes is freedom of speach freedom to be an asshole? Tj

From the article it doesnt seem like he was being that much of an asshole, but I dont know exactly what happened.

I expect there is more then was written there though.

He is pushing for it to be a political issue almost as bad as the media is pushing a ban on the 5.7 as of late.  Question is whether he understands or is really totally ignorant of why he got in trouble.  Considering his approach to getting us all better access to the courts I'm guessing he's just totally ignorant and a media whore.  Maybe he just pissed off someone who knew about his BS tactics and was sick of him being allowed to continue.


Johnny:    Teachers don't know anything without an answer key. (Class giggles)
Teacher:  Johnny, please be quiet so I can continue the lesson.
Johnny:    Math sucks.  Why do we have to learn math anyways.  It is dumb just like teachers.
Teacher:  Johnny, please go sit in the hall.

Later Johnny goes home, complains that his teacher made him shut up and he was embarrassed by having to sit in the hall.  His parents call up the news and report the teacher to the school board for infringing upon their sons first amendment rights and publicly humiliating him.  Big media BS ensues regarding the qualifications of school teachers and whether or not their students should be allowed to question those responsible for shaping their minds.  Due to all the public attention the teacher gets fired.  Johnny learns he can hurt others by lying and twisting issues.  No one gains better access to the internal workings of the school system as a result.

an airplane full of lawyers was hi-jacked, the terrorists threatened to turn one loose every hour if their demands were not met !!

Quoted: an airplane full of lawyers was hi-jacked, the terrorists threatened to turn one loose every hour if their demands were not met !!

You go to prison!

Here's a lawyer joke I told at my last job interview (late 2001).

One day, Dr. Evil decides to make an automaton, a Frankenstein-like simulacrum.  After constructing the chassis and doing all the wiring, he goes down to the brain store to buy his new creation a brain.

Store owner:  Hi, can I help you?

Dr. Evil:  I need a brain for my new automaton

Store owner:  Ok, I have a good selection for you (points to jars on shelf).  They're sorted by the occupation of the former "owner" of the brain.  Take your pick.

Dr. Evil:  Hmm, how much for the construction worker brain?

Store owner:  $10 per pound.

Dr. Evil:  How about the engineer brain?

Store owner:   $20 per pound.

Dr. Evil:  How much for the lawyer brain?

Store owner:  $1,000 per pound.

Dr. Evil:  A thousand bucks per pound???  The other two only cost around $20 per pound ... why so much for the lawyer brain?

Store owner:   Did you know how many lawyers I had to kill to get a pound of brains???

Most lawyers I know can take a joke.

Judges and bailiffs can't.

There isn't a whole lot to disrupt in a line outside a courthouse. Unless there's a whole lot more to his behavior, he'll make enough money off this arrest (assuming he hires a lawyer) to cover the DUI fine many times over.

Quoted: Quoted: an airplane full of lawyers was hi-jacked, the terrorists threatened to turn one loose every hour if their demands were not met !! You go to prison!

Federal-Pound-Him-In-The-Ass-Prison?