Apologize for calling a cop a liar? I don’t think so!

Minnesota Judge Gregory Galler clearly doesn’t understand the criminal justice system:

When criminal defense lawyers cross-examine police officers on the witness stand in court, its not unusual for the questioning to becomes aggressive and testy.But in Washington County earlier this month, District Judge Gregory Galler decided that defense attorney David McCormick went too far when his questions suggested an officer was being less than truthful.Galler ordered McCormick to write an apology to the police officer for “impugning the officers integrity,” according to court documents.

McCormick has not apologized and probably won’t, to which I say: Mr. McCormick, I salute you!

A person who doesn’t understand that cops lie, or that defense attorneys must press police officers hard in cross-examination to be sure they are not lying or to expose their lies, fundamentally misunderstands the adversarial nature of the criminal justice system. But don’t worry; the defense attorneys practicing in front of the misguided Galler clearly do understand the system:

Joe Friedberg, a criminal defense lawyer for 45 years, said, “If a judge ordered me to do that, I would tell him to go have intercourse with himself.”

Friedberg said he has often called cops liars and says Galler is “so far out of line, I can’t believe it. He should apologize for asking for an apology.

Carry on, counselors.