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Fieger Time!
Fieger Time!

A conversation with lawyer Geoffrey Fieger

Jan. 11, 2007

Court TV Host: Chat with Michigan attorney Geoffrey Fieger. Join him to discuss the Sommer trial, the debate over parole for Dr. Jack Kevorkian, or any other topics you like. Welcome, Mr. Fieger, thanks for being our guest today online.

Question from tara: Mr. Fieger in your own words ' FREEDOM, JUSTICE, COMPASSION-IT'S FIEGER TIME", Thanks for coming to chat with us today!!

Geoffrey Fieger: I'm impressed that you remember my slogan that I used when running for governor in 1998!

Question from kiara: Mr. Fieger...what is the status of the case of little boy who was shunned by 911 center?

Geoffrey Fieger: That case is still pending In the Wayne County Circuit Court - the city of Detroit has filed a motion for summary judgment, claiming that they are not responsible for the 911 operator's conduct.

Question from Anxious: Thanks for being here with us, Mr. Fieger. I think it is disgusting and tragic that Sherrill Turner died due to the Detroit 911 dispatcher's mishandling. I feel horrible for her son Robert. How is he doing these days?

Geoffrey Fieger: He is doing well. He is living with his sister in a suburb of Atlanta, and he's just now beginning his second semester in school there.

Question from Trisha: Has that changed the way they deal with children?

Geoffrey Fieger: I would hope so. But I can never be sure about governmental response to tragedies. But I hope that it changed the way that 911 responds.

Question from Trisha: And were those dispatchers ultimately terminated?

Geoffrey Fieger: Yes, the dispatchers were terminated, and they have also been charged with crimes. Those cases have not been resolved yet, the criminal cases.

Question from Cosmo: How is Mr. Kevorkian's health these days?

Geoffrey Fieger: Not really good. He's being released partially on the basis of his failing health He's 78 years old, and he has Hepatitis C and diabetes, and he's much more frail than he was when he entered the prison system. He should never have entered the prison system in the first place He'll be released in June.

Question from DeliaFangz: Geoff, it seems Dr Kevorkian's biggest mistake was not having you by his side at his last trial. Was that his decision, and why, or was it a schedule conflict?

Geoffrey Fieger: I agree with you, that was his biggest mistake. It was based not on a scheduling conflict, because I had been with him for more than 10 years, but he had the belief that after watching me try six murder trials that he could do it as well as I do. Obviously, he was wrong.

Question from tara: Mr. Fieger, you are representing several Columbine families, Has that been resolved?

Geoffrey Fieger: I was representing several Columbine families, but all of the cases have been dismissed. I was representing the family of Isaiah Sholes, the only African American child killed, as well as another family. There was a minor settlement from the families of Kliebold and Harris, but all the suits against the Sheriff's department were dismissed by the federal court.

Question from RachelC: Tell us about the lion motif at your website.

Geoffrey Fieger: Other than the fact that at some point I was given by one of my clients a lion statue, a small one, well, I just like cats. I like big cats.

Question from Rsh2Jugmnt: In your estimation, should Mike Nifong be prosecuted for civil rights violations of the three defendants in the Duke case?

Geoffrey Fieger: That will be difficult. Nifong will probably be immune from lawsuits - as the prosecutor, he's absolutely immune. However, ethical charges are pending against him.

Question from kiara: Mr. Fieger, what criteria do you use to decide whether or not to accept a case?

Geoffrey Fieger: Merely whether I believe in the case or whether I think it would be a worthwhile case to pursue in court. There are many cases because of time constraints or other issues that I cannot pursue. I try to be fair to my clients and spend the amount of time necessary to be successful, since an attorney's stock in trade is his or her time.

Question from Anxious: Mr. Fieger, what was the outcome of the reprimand that you faced from the MI Attorney Grievance Commission for insulting three state appellate judges on a radio talk show?

Geoffrey Fieger: It's now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, which will determine whether lawyers have first amendment rights like all other citizens.

Question from DeliaFangz: Thanks for joining us, Geoff....Do you have any insight on the Michele Young case? Are they close to arresting her husband?

Geoffrey Fieger: The only insight is the observation I had from the very beginning, and that is the husband retained an attorney before he was willing to talk to the police - that type of behavior from a totally innocent person whose wife has been brutally murdered and whose child was left alone in the house is highly suspicious. It seems to me that the police are taking their time because there is no statute of limitations on murder.

Question from tara: Mr. Fieger, Welcome, great to chat with you. What would you say is the most interesting case you've ever had?

Geoffrey Fieger: All my interesting cases are interesting. Obviously, the ones people know are Kevorkian, Jenny Jones, Nathaniel Abraham, and Edward Swans. Swans was a mentally ill African-American veteran who was suffocated in the Lansing MI lockup by six jail guards. I have photos of the murder, and yet despite a $15 million verdict against the city, the perpetrators have never been brought to justice.

Question from kiara: Mr. Fieger, I wished that you would have had a guest chat here during the Scott Peterson trial....please comment on the defense strategy used there.

Geoffrey Fieger: It's difficult to comment on Geragos defense strategy, since I don't believe there was one. I truly believe that Geragos' defense of that case was incompetent, as demonstrated by his failure to appear at the verdict and his unpreparedness during the sentencing phase of the trial. Geragos' strategy condemned Scott Peterson.

Question from Anxious: What is the current status of the Lorraine Hayes case?

Geoffrey Fieger: It's currently pending in the county circuit court. She was shot several times and became paralyzed while a 911 operator refused to believe her calls for help. That case is also pending in Wayne County.

Question from Cosmo: What's your take on Ms. Sommer's case right now on CTV live ?

Geoffrey Fieger: I haven't made a habit of consuming arsenic over an extended period of time, and I know very few people who have.

Question from Merry: Do you think we will ever know who killed Jon Benet Ramsey?

Geoffrey Fieger: Yes. I think we know who killed Jon Benet Ramsey. I don't think that person is alive anymore.

Question from greenacres: Will you run for political office again?

Geoffrey Fieger: I may. It's discouraging to see what people have to go through in terms of their personal life in order to provide public service. It seems to me that because of these new, phony moral requirements that we impose upon our elected officials that we're only going to get weirdoes running for office, rather than people with normal desires and normal foibles. I would much rather have someone like Bill Clinton as president, receiving oral sex, than a lunatic like George Bush, who has another lunatic like Karl Rove or Condoleezza Rice whispering into his ears. When we start impeaching presidents for having extramarital sex (and despite what anybody says, that's what he was impeached about, not lying), we end up with the worst presidents in our history - George W. Bush, who should be impeached for lying about weapons of mass destruction in order to start a war that is destabilizing the world.

Court TV Host: Thank you very much for being our guest today. Please come back soon!

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