Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 25, 2006 0:32:40 GMT -5
Lawyer's true-life crime tale a sizzler
A book about the 1991 trial of an ex-policeman and bodybuilder accused of
killing three men in the Everglades has become a must-read at the Broward
County Courthouse.
The hottest case at the Broward County Courthouse these days is the 1991
murder trial of two bodybuilders charged with the execution-style murders
of three men along a deserted road in the Everglades.
The trial of Gilbert Fernandez Jr. -- an ex-cop and former Mr. Florida
bodybuilding champion -- and Bert Christie captivated and horrified South
Floridians. Police said the pair organized a phony drug deal to lure
Walter Leahy Jr., Alfred Tringali and Richard Robertson out to the
Everglades, where Fernandez shot them in the head.
The trial was riveting, with tales of gun-toting weight lifters, a Miami
Dolphins player who hung out with the accused, and the specter of several
other unsolved murders. The media circus surrounding the yearlong trial
was exceptional, even by current standards.
Fernandez and Christie are serving life sentences in state prison, but the
case has come back to life with the publication of a new book by
Fernandez's defense attorney, John Contini.
Danger Road: A true crime story of murder and redemption tells the story
of the trial and stars attorneys, judges, bailiffs and clerks who still
work at the courthouse.
The book has become a must-read at the courthouse. Nearly everyone it
seems has a copy -- and an opinion on Contini's portrayal of courthouse
personalities.
Beth Brand, the court clerk during the trial, hasn't read the book yet --
she's saving it for an upcoming vacation -- but says co-workers are
buzzing about the depictions of every character, especially now-retired
Judge Robert Tyson, who is portrayed as a merciless adversary of the
defense.
''It's about here, so it makes it that much more interesting,'' she said.
Contini, who published the book through a small company of which he is
part owner, says the initial printing of 2,000 books has nearly run out.
He's been selling the book at restaurants like the 84 Diner and Cafe
Europa, as well as at area Christian bookstores.
Major booksellers also seem to be taking an interest. Borders recently
ordered 300 copies of the books, and Ingraham, one of the country's
largest book distributors, is also buying 500.
THE 'LUSTBUSTER'
Contini started his career as an obscenity prosecutor at the Broward State
Attorney's Office in the 1980s, where he was known as the ''Lustbuster''
for his work against illegal X-rated businesses. (He was also known as the
''Herculean Hedonist'' for his off-duty activities at local bars and
clubs.)
He moved into criminal defense in the late '80s, winning an acquittal for
Humberto Gallo, charged in the murder of a motorist in a traffic dispute
on Interstate 95.
When he took on Fernandez's case in 1990, Contini was a new father and a
lukewarm Christian.
In the book, he writes about his own family life and chides himself for
getting too close to his client's family. He also chides himself for his
wavering faith -- he later became a born-again Christian and talks openly
about his transformation.
In an interview last week, Contini said he began writing Danger Road in
2003, not long after his shift from blockbuster murder cases to less
glamorous personal-injury work.
''I wanted to dump my bucket and get a lot of this stuff out of me,'' he
said. He also wanted to reveal the truth about attorneys' motivations and
show what a trial is really like.
''It's not about justice at all,'' he said. ``It's about winning at all
costs.''
Contini wrote the book on his laptop, working at Starbucks coffee shops
around Broward. He plans to read from Danger Road at several local
Starbucks this fall.
Contini, a sociable man who would rather conduct meetings in coffee shops
than in his office, enjoys being at the center of things. Danger Road is
making him a hot topic of conversation again and brought in extra
business.
''I've been blessed,'' he said of the attorneys who have read the book and
referred work to him.
Broward Circuit Judge Cynthia Imperato was a prosecutor in the case, her
first felony trial as an attorney. Along with Judge Tyson, Imperato and
the other prosecutors are portrayed as Contini's sworn enemies, villains
eager to prevent him from catching a break.
''There was a lot of animosity all around,'' Imperato said in a telephone
interview last week. She added that she and Contini have since made peace
and went to lunch shortly after the book's publication.
FAMILIES DISMAYED
But the families of victims have been dismayed by the book's appearance,
which forces them to relive the murders of their loved ones.
''It's been really tough on them,'' said Imperato, who remains in touch
with the families. ``They didn't want the book written. They thought it
was unfair that [Contini] could profit on their grief.''
The book reads like a who's who in Broward County, circa 1991. Seemingly
everyone has some connection to the people in the book, either through the
courthouse or the gym that Fernandez and Christie frequented.
County Court Judge Jay Spechler, who has read Danger Road, remarked that
he once wrestled in high scool -- and lost -- to Tommy Felts, who was
murdered in 1985, but was thought to have been an accomplice.
''You really enjoy it if you work here,'' said Denise Hughes, Tyson's
judicial assistant at the time of the trial who now works for County Court
Judge Robert Diaz.
She merited several mentions, and jokes that people around the courthouse
have requested her autograph.
For Contini, Danger Road is only the first of several true-life trial
books he hopes to write.
Next up? Guilty as Sin, a book about his Christian identity and career in
criminal defense.
''I think everybody has a book in them,'' he said. ``It's just finding the
time to do it.''
(source: Miami Herald)
A book about the 1991 trial of an ex-policeman and bodybuilder accused of
killing three men in the Everglades has become a must-read at the Broward
County Courthouse.
The hottest case at the Broward County Courthouse these days is the 1991
murder trial of two bodybuilders charged with the execution-style murders
of three men along a deserted road in the Everglades.
The trial of Gilbert Fernandez Jr. -- an ex-cop and former Mr. Florida
bodybuilding champion -- and Bert Christie captivated and horrified South
Floridians. Police said the pair organized a phony drug deal to lure
Walter Leahy Jr., Alfred Tringali and Richard Robertson out to the
Everglades, where Fernandez shot them in the head.
The trial was riveting, with tales of gun-toting weight lifters, a Miami
Dolphins player who hung out with the accused, and the specter of several
other unsolved murders. The media circus surrounding the yearlong trial
was exceptional, even by current standards.
Fernandez and Christie are serving life sentences in state prison, but the
case has come back to life with the publication of a new book by
Fernandez's defense attorney, John Contini.
Danger Road: A true crime story of murder and redemption tells the story
of the trial and stars attorneys, judges, bailiffs and clerks who still
work at the courthouse.
The book has become a must-read at the courthouse. Nearly everyone it
seems has a copy -- and an opinion on Contini's portrayal of courthouse
personalities.
Beth Brand, the court clerk during the trial, hasn't read the book yet --
she's saving it for an upcoming vacation -- but says co-workers are
buzzing about the depictions of every character, especially now-retired
Judge Robert Tyson, who is portrayed as a merciless adversary of the
defense.
''It's about here, so it makes it that much more interesting,'' she said.
Contini, who published the book through a small company of which he is
part owner, says the initial printing of 2,000 books has nearly run out.
He's been selling the book at restaurants like the 84 Diner and Cafe
Europa, as well as at area Christian bookstores.
Major booksellers also seem to be taking an interest. Borders recently
ordered 300 copies of the books, and Ingraham, one of the country's
largest book distributors, is also buying 500.
THE 'LUSTBUSTER'
Contini started his career as an obscenity prosecutor at the Broward State
Attorney's Office in the 1980s, where he was known as the ''Lustbuster''
for his work against illegal X-rated businesses. (He was also known as the
''Herculean Hedonist'' for his off-duty activities at local bars and
clubs.)
He moved into criminal defense in the late '80s, winning an acquittal for
Humberto Gallo, charged in the murder of a motorist in a traffic dispute
on Interstate 95.
When he took on Fernandez's case in 1990, Contini was a new father and a
lukewarm Christian.
In the book, he writes about his own family life and chides himself for
getting too close to his client's family. He also chides himself for his
wavering faith -- he later became a born-again Christian and talks openly
about his transformation.
In an interview last week, Contini said he began writing Danger Road in
2003, not long after his shift from blockbuster murder cases to less
glamorous personal-injury work.
''I wanted to dump my bucket and get a lot of this stuff out of me,'' he
said. He also wanted to reveal the truth about attorneys' motivations and
show what a trial is really like.
''It's not about justice at all,'' he said. ``It's about winning at all
costs.''
Contini wrote the book on his laptop, working at Starbucks coffee shops
around Broward. He plans to read from Danger Road at several local
Starbucks this fall.
Contini, a sociable man who would rather conduct meetings in coffee shops
than in his office, enjoys being at the center of things. Danger Road is
making him a hot topic of conversation again and brought in extra
business.
''I've been blessed,'' he said of the attorneys who have read the book and
referred work to him.
Broward Circuit Judge Cynthia Imperato was a prosecutor in the case, her
first felony trial as an attorney. Along with Judge Tyson, Imperato and
the other prosecutors are portrayed as Contini's sworn enemies, villains
eager to prevent him from catching a break.
''There was a lot of animosity all around,'' Imperato said in a telephone
interview last week. She added that she and Contini have since made peace
and went to lunch shortly after the book's publication.
FAMILIES DISMAYED
But the families of victims have been dismayed by the book's appearance,
which forces them to relive the murders of their loved ones.
''It's been really tough on them,'' said Imperato, who remains in touch
with the families. ``They didn't want the book written. They thought it
was unfair that [Contini] could profit on their grief.''
The book reads like a who's who in Broward County, circa 1991. Seemingly
everyone has some connection to the people in the book, either through the
courthouse or the gym that Fernandez and Christie frequented.
County Court Judge Jay Spechler, who has read Danger Road, remarked that
he once wrestled in high scool -- and lost -- to Tommy Felts, who was
murdered in 1985, but was thought to have been an accomplice.
''You really enjoy it if you work here,'' said Denise Hughes, Tyson's
judicial assistant at the time of the trial who now works for County Court
Judge Robert Diaz.
She merited several mentions, and jokes that people around the courthouse
have requested her autograph.
For Contini, Danger Road is only the first of several true-life trial
books he hopes to write.
Next up? Guilty as Sin, a book about his Christian identity and career in
criminal defense.
''I think everybody has a book in them,'' he said. ``It's just finding the
time to do it.''
(source: Miami Herald)