People often ask me why I started wearing bow ties. Here’s the answer: When I turned 65, I was in a funk. My life and career had reached a plateau. I was bored, and I was sinking in the doldrums. I was having a delayed “midlife crisis.” (Most men have their midlife crisis between 40-55 … Continue reading Why Bow Ties?
"Court Case Friday" A girlfriend and boyfriend loved each other and lived together for years. They were both heavy drinkers. One night, in a nearby county, they both got drunk and ended up in a fight. A witness called the police. Since the boyfriend “won” the fight, the police deemed him to be the “primary … Continue reading “He Chose Alcohol Over Love, Booze Over His Beloved”
Personal revelation comes as a gift of grace and as a reward for striving to live the gospel and hearkening to the voice of the Lord. Personal Revelation Comes in the Lord's Time and Manner, Not Ours We cannot control when or how personal revelation comes to us. Thus, we must be patient in seeking … Continue reading Personal Revelation (Pt 3/5): “Seeking and Obtaining Revelation”
One Saturday, in the late 1960’s, the Garden Grove California Stake President drove to Riverside to retrieve a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles for stake conference. The Apostle was one of my “favorites.” As they drove along Highway 91 in Corona, the Stake President pointed to the church’s large orange ranch off to … Continue reading “Stake Presidents are ‘Dime a Dozen’”
"Court Case Friday" When GPS ankle monitors were new, the companies were anxious to gain credibility with the judges. If the judges weren’t "sold," their business could fail. My first use of a GPS ankle monitor was entertaining. The defendant had a long rap sheet of misdemeanor cases. Basically, he kept driving on a suspended … Continue reading The Benefits of Ankle Monitors: Was the defendant really riding his bicycle on the freeway at 75 MPH?
My "Cage" One day felony prisoners were crowded in the “cage” in my courtroom while I conducted arraignments. Suddenly, and very loudly, one of the prisoners passed gas. The rest of the prisoners tried to move away from the prisoner who was obviously embarrassed. Several of us heard one of the lawyers mutter under his … Continue reading “Odor in the Court”
Most religions believe in the power of faith and prayer to comfort and heal the sick. For most of these sects, religious healing accompanies conventional medical care. A few of these sects rely exclusively on religious healing. They oppose medical care. They put their trust in God. To rely on human medical treatment is to … Continue reading Law and Religion: Refusing Medical Care and Vaccinations for Religious Reasons
My criminal law professor started each class by bellowing: “Criminals Are Stupid.” He then shared a dumb-criminal account from the media. This is one reason criminal defense attorneys are reluctant to put their clients on the witness stand during trial. The experienced prosecutor can’t wait to cross-examine them. As a young prosecutor, I was prepared … Continue reading Criminals Aren’t the Only “Dumb” People in Court
D&C 11:11 warns: “Therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin.” The Lord is alerting us to the dangers of being naïve, gullible, and too trusting. “There’s a sucker born every minute.” (P.R. Barnum, 19th Century American showman.) Sadly, not every enough Latter-day Saint follows this counsel. For example, Utah has the … Continue reading “Be Wise as Serpents” (D&C 111:11) “Don’t be a Victim”
My first memory comes from when I was 3-4 years old. I spotted a dead honey bee on the lawn in our back yard. I was suddenly overcome with sadness. So, I picked up the honey bee and walked over to the dirt garden. I knelt down and dug a grave with my hands. I … Continue reading My First/Oldest Memory – The Honey Bee Funeral
The London Edition 