Well it's an atypical defense strategy, I'll give it that...

After a year of lockdown I've witnessed a few vidcall tantrums (and to my shame have thrown one myself), but from the outside it's interesting to see the three visible professionals hold their reactions just about in check throughout the call. Besides the main event 5 minutes in, my award goes to the judge for her expression at the very end.

I certainly hope the defending attorney calmed down quickly and apologised hard. I'm not a fan of schadenfreude, and times is tough.

She should be disbarred. That was certainly not a zealous defense of her client.

At least she wasn't a cat.

Who are those other people on the call? Tracy and Emily sure seemed shocked.

It seems she wanted to quit the case because her client wanted a defense instead of taking the easy plea deal. It seems likely that there is a long trail of defendants that were poorly served by this lazy attorney.

Alternate title: How to ruin your career in law

https://blog.simplejustice.us/2021/01/19/shameka-oneils-hang-up/

From the linked article:

Later in the day, O’Neil joined Kaelin’s virtual courtroom again to ask the judge for clarification about the contempt order.

“Mark my words: If you take adverse action against me, you better be sure about it, because you made some mistakes here today,” O’Neil told Kaelin. “I will attempt to hold you civilly or however responsible that I can, and that’s my word.”

“As for that fine — straight cash homie, bottomline don’t disrespect me and try to humiliate me in front of my client and other professionals then think I’m going to sit there and take it whether you got on a robe or not I’m a person just like her I’m not her child nor do I work for her get respect and I give respect. Period.”

Before becoming a defense lawyer, it appears that O’Neil was a prosecutor in Jefferson County, Kentucky, where she encountered problems as well.

Take, for instance, Jefferson County prosecutor Shameka O’Neil, who last year resigned after falsely assuring a judge that no recording of a 911 call existed to be turned over to defense counsel in a stolen property case. She had spoken personally to the Louisville Metro police, she told the court, to confirm the lack of a recording. The problem being that, in fact, she had not spoken to the police, and there was a 911 call. Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Barry Willett dismissed the case, citing O’Neil’s “outrageous conduct.”

Probably some court clerks. Their reaction seem to be indicate they are familiar with the legal process and how bad of a move that was.