Agreed. But before you put a 15 year-old away for years in an adult prison, you’d better make sure that everything is done the right way. The fact that Judge Marquis recused herself (apparently due to some sort of connection with the victim, as I understand it) says to me that you need to go back to the beginning and start over. The result may be the same, but there shouldn’t be any doubt about the fairness of the process.
What moron lawyers does this company have that they would even threaten a lawsuit after some shit like this went down, let alone actually file one? They have apparently never heard of the Streisand effect.
Terrible judgment and also cruel on a human level.
Guest
Anonymous
March 20, 2026 10:33 am
I’m tired of the government stonewalling the RJ, getting sued and then paying attorneys fees. There need to be PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES for the government officials that obstruct public records laws and waste tax dollars defending indefensible positions.
Guest
Anonymous
March 20, 2026 11:50 am
Are we not going to discuss the Afroman trial?? Big win for the 1st Amendment and all the Petty Betties out there.
I was unaware of this incident and lawsuit but good on Afroman! This country is so pussified now. You know your department is lame when you’re suing a private citizen over your botched raid. Oh and your lady cop is crying on the stand. What a joke.
the officers’ testimony is also hilarious. In one of Afroman’s songs he says he f**ked one of the officers’ wives. When asked whether he knew if Afroman had sex with his wife, the officer answered, “I don’t know.” LOL
Oh, and the officer complaining about people sending him poundcake? Dude, how I wish someone would send me unsolicited baked goods. Why are you complaining about free dessert???
As one who has visions of dirty kitchens and animals of the 4 and 2 legged varieties dirtying kitchen environments, any time someone suggests a potluck I have a strong gag reflex. The thought of eating a stranger’s baked goods is a full on yuck for me tbh
Guest
Anonymous
March 20, 2026 2:12 pm
Off topic, but OMG – I’ve been in a deposition for 6 hours that should have been less than one hour. Kill me now please. I remember 15 maybe 20 years ago there was a plaintiffs lawyer that would do all depos telephonic – he’d dial in and ask like 10 questions after I’d prepare my client for a few hours – and I’d be perplexed. Where is this hero? He is my spirit animal – he is me – I am him.
I had a depo-this was before the 7 hour rule-that started at 10 a.m. By 3 p.m. the court reporter was saying she needed to know how long this would go because she had children to pick up. The attorney said, “Oh, we will be here until midnight.” The woman replied that she had run out of paper (remember those days?) and needed to go to her car to get some. She went to the vehicle, grabbed a couple rolls of paper and threw them in the bushes in front of the law office. Upon her return, she said, “I’m so sorry we will have to shut this down because I have absolutely no paper left.”
This is true. Of course, there are exceptions, but the vast majority of depositions, in any case, can be handled in four hours or less. Also true that the people who take the longest are “rarely skilled advocates.” That’s putting it charitably.
And the people who go the longest are rarely the skilled advocates capable of creating a useful deposition transcript. So you just end up with hundreds of pages of nonsense. It does them no good.
Guest
Anonymous
March 20, 2026 7:56 pm
Anyone hear about Brad Shipley leaving John Cottons office and all the paralegals quitting?
15 year old teen sexually assaulting another boy – this is peak depravity.
Agreed. But before you put a 15 year-old away for years in an adult prison, you’d better make sure that everything is done the right way. The fact that Judge Marquis recused herself (apparently due to some sort of connection with the victim, as I understand it) says to me that you need to go back to the beginning and start over. The result may be the same, but there shouldn’t be any doubt about the fairness of the process.
That surrogate story is nuts.
What moron lawyers does this company have that they would even threaten a lawsuit after some shit like this went down, let alone actually file one? They have apparently never heard of the Streisand effect.
Terrible judgment and also cruel on a human level.
I’m tired of the government stonewalling the RJ, getting sued and then paying attorneys fees. There need to be PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES for the government officials that obstruct public records laws and waste tax dollars defending indefensible positions.
Are we not going to discuss the Afroman trial?? Big win for the 1st Amendment and all the Petty Betties out there.
I was unaware of this incident and lawsuit but good on Afroman! This country is so pussified now. You know your department is lame when you’re suing a private citizen over your botched raid. Oh and your lady cop is crying on the stand. What a joke.
His testimony was a master class in how to testify. Only wish my clients were as focused. Also – he’s hilarious.
the officers’ testimony is also hilarious. In one of Afroman’s songs he says he f**ked one of the officers’ wives. When asked whether he knew if Afroman had sex with his wife, the officer answered, “I don’t know.” LOL
Oh, and the officer complaining about people sending him poundcake? Dude, how I wish someone would send me unsolicited baked goods. Why are you complaining about free dessert???
“Are you gonna pay for my gate? Are you gonna pay for my door?”
As one who has visions of dirty kitchens and animals of the 4 and 2 legged varieties dirtying kitchen environments, any time someone suggests a potluck I have a strong gag reflex. The thought of eating a stranger’s baked goods is a full on yuck for me tbh
Off topic, but OMG – I’ve been in a deposition for 6 hours that should have been less than one hour. Kill me now please. I remember 15 maybe 20 years ago there was a plaintiffs lawyer that would do all depos telephonic – he’d dial in and ask like 10 questions after I’d prepare my client for a few hours – and I’d be perplexed. Where is this hero? He is my spirit animal – he is me – I am him.
I had a depo-this was before the 7 hour rule-that started at 10 a.m. By 3 p.m. the court reporter was saying she needed to know how long this would go because she had children to pick up. The attorney said, “Oh, we will be here until midnight.” The woman replied that she had run out of paper (remember those days?) and needed to go to her car to get some. She went to the vehicle, grabbed a couple rolls of paper and threw them in the bushes in front of the law office. Upon her return, she said, “I’m so sorry we will have to shut this down because I have absolutely no paper left.”
It rarely takes more than four hours or so to find out what you need to know.
This is true. Of course, there are exceptions, but the vast majority of depositions, in any case, can be handled in four hours or less. Also true that the people who take the longest are “rarely skilled advocates.” That’s putting it charitably.
And the people who go the longest are rarely the skilled advocates capable of creating a useful deposition transcript. So you just end up with hundreds of pages of nonsense. It does them no good.
Anyone hear about Brad Shipley leaving John Cottons office and all the paralegals quitting?
Probably poisoned their Kirkland chicken
Is this really worthy of the law blog?
Yes, it is.
Anyone know where Brad went? John is such a great guy – his practice has gone through a lot the last year – hate to see it.
He’s probably skiing in Lake Tahoe until the snow is all gone…or else at a poker table somewhere.