Reuben Kramer's monumental bronze sculpture of Justice Thurgood Marshall stands outside the U.S. Courthouse in Baltimore, the Justice's hometown.  In his early years as a private lawyer in Baltimore, Justice Marshall often represented the indigent.

Three criminal cases had a profound effect upon his development as a lawyer.  In 1936, he persuaded an all-white jury in Baltimore to acquit a weak-minded youngster on the charge of murder.  He successfully represented a criminal defense attorney charged with the "ethical violation" of maintaining that his client's conviction was tainted by racial prejudice.  And in 1935, James Gross, a young man whom Justice Marshall unsuccessfully represented on a murder charge, was hanged in the Maryland Penitentiary.

     At the recent C.J.A. training program in Greenbelt Program in Greenbelt, participants were wowed by the presentation given by clinical psychologist Joette James entitled "Neuropsychology 101:  What every Defense Attorney Should Know."   By popular demand, Dr. James' Powerpoint Presentation is available for downloading and review by clicking here.  To view the presentation, you will need Microsoft Powerpoint or Powerpoint Viewer.

CJA Training Notes

This Spring's Criminal Justice Act Training Program will be  held at the federal courthouse in Baltimore (Ceremonial Courtroom) on May 11th.  The agenda will include a "client's perspective" by Wilbert Rideau, author and award-winning journalist who spent forty-four years in Angola prison, a presentation on forensics, criminal history issues, and a "lessons learned" presentation on the successful defense in U.S. v. Currie, White, and Small.  The program will conclude with the presentation of the John Adams award.