This weekend, I will be loading the family into our wood-paneled station wagon (okay fine, our ubiquitous silver Honda Civic) and driving to Newport, Oregon for the weekend to attend the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association annual Sex Crimes conference.
What the heck is a Sex Crimes conference, you ask? Exactly what it sounds like. Criminal defense attorneys like us hear from a variety of state and national experts on topics related to defending individuals charged with sex crimes. One session is called: "Dealing with the Yuck Factor." And yes, there is some yuck to this particular area of the law.
I am particularly interested in a Saturday presentation by Portland attorney Lisa Maxfield: "Witness Competency After Lawson: Laying the Foundation." Lawson was a man convicted of murder based on faulty eye witness identification. His case was overturned by the Oregon Supreme Court primarily because of the suggestive and manipulative way law enforcement obtained the "eye witness identification."
It is a fascinating topic and I will report back what I learn. In the meantime, if anyone suggestions on how to maintain a bonfire and make s'mores in the pouring rain, I'd love to hear them.
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