I ran into a friend I hadn't seen since 2004. He used to tell me interesting
and believable horse racing stories like the one about a tout telling him,
"This horse could fall down and still win the race." The Jockey was Johnny
Longden so my friend bet fifty bucks on the animal. The horse was the odds on
favorite when the gate opened but as it leaped out it stumbled badly and
finished last. Stories like that.
The story he told me this time also seemed true. My friend got married here
in Vegas and his new bride had a son in a Nevada prison doing three
consecutive life terms. The young man read of a case in Oregon similar to his where it
was ruled unfair not to commute three life terms to concurrent status. The
guy tried to act as his own attorney and gather all the facts in a brief. He
got nowhere in his own efforts. A friend of my friend said, "Call Oscar
Goodman. [not yet mayor] He can get the sentence reduced for a chance of parole
down the road." Goodman wanted fifteen grand to take the case. It was paid, the
legal brief was handed to Oscar and the young man was released to just
probation. In telephone conversations Goodman said he conferred with a judge and a
prison official to get the job done. My friend is almost positive Oscar gave
five grand each to the other two guys. I asked about how the son in law was
doing and was told he's been living an honest life for many years.
JT
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