Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Man, Baylor got dog piled yesterday even before and after a "football player" was found guilty of sexual assault.  So much is weird about this. First, he has never played a single play for Baylor after transferring from Boise State. Secondly, the real story, other than the crime, is the lack of press about this case up until now. That prompted Deadspin to write a few days ago,"The Baylor Sexual Assault Trial You've Never Heard About." That's not Baylor's fault, that's the press's fault. Note this: The police never arrested him -- they just turned the case over to the grand jury so I'll give the press a pass at first because it's hard to report about a non-arrest. However, there undoubtedly should have been some news once the indictment occurred but the Waco Tribune Herald reported nothing (odd) and Baylor kept quiet (understandable - why do they want to announce it?)  A few years back I could have sworn the publisher of the Tribune-Herald became a member of the Baylor Board of Regent's but said it would not be a conflict of interest. I think he left the board shortly thereafter but that relationship was too cozy. But my memory might be wrong. 
• That being said, it is Baylor, and not the media, which is getting destroyed this morning by the, uh, media.
• And I hope the jury was right. This is a He Said/She Said case (by what I can gather from the little coverage there is) and the victim and defendant had been friends. 
• His defense lawyer "Claimed the sex was consensual, and called his client the 'victim' and said the woman had 'buyer’s remorse.'" Buddy, you should have stopped at "consensual." 
• I just looked at the lawyer's home page. He touts that he is the son of "Senator" David Sibley (that would be a state senator.) And there is this: "If you have found our website from a letter we sent after you have been charged with a crime, we want you to know that we understand what you are dealing with. We can provide you with aggressive representation." (Emphasis added.) 
• Speaking of trials, I had a bizarre one yesterday. Jury selection followed by four witness in a blood test DWI case that ended up with a hung six person jury at 3-3. All this in one day. 
• Shout out to the pastor on the jury panel who was aware of Liberally Lean and said, "I think my wife fights with you from time to time." 
• I'm still conflicted about a prosecutor in my cases bringing up Liberally Lean during jury selection -- even in passing.  I used to make me uncomfortable, but you can learn a lot of about a potential juror just by their reaction. Whether it be a smile from a potential jury member who looks at me with a "That's you!?" expression or the guy who suddenly glares at me.  The key is: I'm learning who I'm dealing with.  And full disclosure: It's rare to have anyone on a panel who is even aware of this silly blog. 
• One thought about trying a case all by yourself: It's all on you. Every brilliant move. Every dumb move. There is no hiding. You own it. 
• I feel like I'm the only one who has no idea who Josh Duggar is. Side note: I feel sorry for any girl out there named Ashley Madison. 
• In my never ending quest of exposing news stories commercials disguised as ads, there was a great one last night on Fox 4. There was a a very newsworthy story about a missing teen who was found via a GPS device. They showed the device and said the product's name. Ok. No big deal. But later, when Clarice Tinsley was doing her inane reading of Facebook comments, she read one that said, "That a great product. I own one." Tinsley then looks at the camera and tells the price of it and says, "It's well worth the price."  Come on. 
• That could be the future of advertising. Have the sales staff preview legitimate news story and see if there are any potential clients who are part of the story.  You know, see a story that will mention a GPS device and then contact that company cutting a deal for a Clarice Tinsley plug.
• RG3 suffered a concussion last night. (You gotta have a GIF).  That's his third one in his career. This might be the beginning of the end. 
• "Investigators say the [41 year old] girlfriend of a 70-year-old retired judge has been charged with shooting him in the head while at his Corpus Christi home." Tell me more. Tell me more.