Judge of the Day: Ira Robinson
Compared to their colleagues in the trial court, appellate judges have a reputation for being delicate, academic creatures, with less in the way of “street smarts.” But don’t lump New Mexico Court of Appeals Judge Ira Robinson in that group.
From the Albuquerque Journal (subscription):
New Mexico Court of Appeals Judge Ira Robinson expected the worst Tuesday night when he fell to the ground as he tried to fight off a man lunging at him with a knife.“I really thought the son of a gun was gonna stab me when I was down,” he said.
So how did it all unfold?
Robinson, 65, said in an interview Wednesday that the ski-mask-wearing assailant demanded valuables from him and two cousins visiting from San Diego as they walked to their car parked near La Fonda about 10 p.m.But Robinson refused the robber’s demands:
“He said ‘Give me your money, (expletive)!’ I said, ‘I’m not gonna give you a damn thing!”’
Nice. But we do wish the judge had invoked his judicial office. Maybe he could have held his assailant in contempt?
A little more, after the jump.
Judge Robinson doesn’t sound like your typical judge, at least based on the company he keeps — noscitur a sociis. Most judges hang out with, well, other judges (or lawyers). He hangs out with Deadheads (although, to be sure, they are his relatives):
The mugging took place after Robinson had finished dinner at La Fonda’s restaurant with his cousins— Deborah Troy and writer Sandy Troy, who has written biographies of the Grateful Dead.Robinson and the Troys were walking toward the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis on East San Francisco after dinner when the robber came up from behind and showed his knife, which had a blade of at least 4 inches, the judge said.
After Robinson rejected the robber’s demands, the man lunged, swinging at Robinson with the knife, the judge said.
Robinson fought with the robber, swinging right back.
“I was trying to grab at the knife,” he said.
Another lunge caused the judge to fall to the street, landing on his shoulder.
“The only time I was really scared was when I was down,” Robinson said.
Exciting stuff! We suspect that most judges would have just forked over the valuables (which, for the record, we believe is what most public safety experts recommend).
Sadly, Judge Robinson’s valor did not prevent theft or property damage:
[T]he robber then lunged toward Deborah Troy. As Sandy Troy pushed her out of harm’s way, Deborah’s purse fell to the ground. The man grabbed the purse and ran.Aside from the purse and the credit cards and cash inside, nothing else was taken. But Robinson said that at some point during the scuffle, the man reached for Robinson’s wristwatch, shattering it to pieces in the process.
Nor was the judicial mugger apprehended:
Deputy Chief Benji Montaño said officers were unable to find the robber. But a credit card company reported to one of Robinson’s cousins that someone tried to use one of the stolen cards in Española about 45 minutes after the robbery.Robinson was unable to provide much of a description of the mugger. He appeared to be in his 20s or 30s, his complexion was “medium-olive” and he was “really feisty,” the judge said.
A “really feisty” guy? It takes one to know one, Your Honor. Maybe it’s time to pack some heat underneath that robe? What are New Mexico’s laws about concealed weapons?
Update: An ATL reader who is a New Mexico judges — yes, judges read this site, it’s very exciting! — has the answer:
In New Mexico, judges wishing to carry concealed weapons must be licensed to do so as must any NM citizen. This requires 15 hours of classroom training and qualifying with the weapon(s) to be carried.Concealed weapons are generally forbidden to be carried in courthouses, though judges who wish to do so should have both a license and the permission of the chief judge of the courthouse to do so.
Judge Fights Off Mugger [Albuquerque Journal (subscription)]
(29) Comments
Comments
first
Good for him. (eat that firsty's).
You go bouy!!!
"If you have a male secretary, you should get him some dignity as a gift. Lord knows he needs it."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
second!
you go bouy!!!
Placeholder to make you not be first.
Wow - that was really, really stupid. Way to get a thug to lunge at your cousin with a knife, dipshit.
Lat, please start publishing the IP ranges of people who post "first."
Lat - PLEASE find a way to stop these troll posters from ruining this site!!!
Staff attorneys are not third rate. Most of the staff attorneys in the larger law firms have excellent credentials including law review. It is a lifestyle choice that allows us to work on the most cutting edge of cases, albeit, not in the typical lawyer manner where we would argue in a court room. The majority of cases from the advent of the internet involve e-discovery and as lawyers we should recognize that this is an up and coming field. For precedent, I would suggest that you peruse Zubulake vs. UBS (V) to see what lawyers new responsibilites are. Staff attorneys fill a niche that simply did not exist 10 or 15 years ago. In addition to the drudge work, including research and document review, staff attorneys also interview clients and witnesses as part of their duties. Staff attorneys are trusted by the partners and associates, and are a part of a new chapter in the legal field.
First!
To bad the judge wasn't packing... would have been the last time this guy tried armed robbery.
I was totally studying this all night, brah. The answer is the judge should have swept the leg.
Why is this judge such a G?
2:17, you have just demonstrated that you are third rate by failing to post your comment in the correct thread.
When is Dewey & LeBoeuf going to get a REAL (proper) website? The current one is bothersome.
When is Dewey & LeBoeuf going to get a REAL (proper) website? The current one is bothersome.
2:35 -- THANK YOU Chuck Norris.
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed declares: all criticism of the one true and holy prophet shall CEASE IMMEDIATELY.
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed would like to give a shout out LAT! whoop!
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed
2:35 -- THANK YOU Chuck Norris.
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed declares: all criticism of the one true and holy prophet shall CEASE IMMEDIATELY.
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed would like to give a shout out LAT! whoop!
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed
2:35 -- THANK YOU Chuck Norris.
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed declares: all criticism of the one true and holy prophet shall CEASE IMMEDIATELY.
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed would like to give a shout out LAT! whoop!
Teddy Bear Named Mohammed
Zombies are actually Ewoks that chose death over dishonor (Ewoks can only die by their own hand)
Zombies are actually Ewoks that chose death over dishonor (Ewoks can only die by their own hand)
so which is it? Did it take place in San Diego or San Francisco?!
Good story -- reminiscent of the DDC's Judge Walton who once fought off a car jacker.
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What what, did somesay newsworthy? No? Ok.
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Judge Walton did not just fight off a carjacker, he tackled someone who was carjacking a cabbie and held him down till the police arrived. Now that's guts. I don't know many people who would even pick up their cell phones in this situation.
Washington Post Article:
"In the fall of 2005, the judge showed that he still had some street skills. While driving his wife and teenage daughter to the airport for a family vacation early one morning, he came across a man beating up a cabdriver at Chevy Chase Circle. The 5-foot-9-inch Walton tackled the 6-foot attacker and subdued him until police arrived.
"God bless Judge Walton," D.C. police spokesman Kenny Bryson said at the time. "I surely wouldn't want to mess with him."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR2007060401601.html
sweep the leg, or just put him in a body bag?