Psychologist/Wrestler Loses Free Speech Suit Against “Help Me Howard”
BY BUDDY NEVINS
A psychologist, who is a professional wrestler in his spare time, had his free speech law suit against Public Defender Howard “Help Me Howard” Finkelstein put in a sleeper hold this week by a federal judge.
Federal Judge Donald L. Graham ordered the case by psychologist Michael Brannon, who wrestles under the stage name Dr. Red Roberts, closed and all pending motions denied.
The case pitted two courthouse figures who are perhaps better known for their after-hours work. Brannon is a 6 foot 1 inch, 242 lbs. local pro-wrestler who started his ring career in 1981. Finkelstein has had the “Help Me Howard” legal advice show on 7News in Miami for over a decade.
Red Roberts
Brannon sued Finkelstein, contending his free speech was violated when the public defender cut his lucrative consulting contract.
The psychologist’s consulting contract with the Public Defenders Office paid him $608,758 in the 2006-2007 fiscal year when Finkelstein cut back his work. By 2010, Brannon was only earning $12,500 from the PD.
The psychologist claimed the cutbacks were because he testified in support of the late Judge Cheryl Aleman at a judicial ethics trial. Finkelstein and some attorneys in his office disliked Aleman’s courtroom rulings.
Finkelstein’s staff testified the cutback was prompted by state reductions in funding and by a rotation program which distributed the work among several psychologists.
Here is the ruling:
Order in favor of Howard Finkelstein
September 3rd, 2015 at 5:01 pm
I express here no opinion about Public Defender Howard Finkelstein except state the fact he is the legally elected Public Defender and what I then take away from this, he is legally entitled to allocate his resources as long as he operates within legal limitations.He should not have had to spend a dime or minute on the preposterous idea having your services declined or reduced by the Public Defender or any public official deprives you of free speech. The lawsuit should have been thrown out the second a judge saw this garbage.
September 3rd, 2015 at 6:24 pm
Well, given the actors, the solution seems quite obvious.
Australian Midget Tossing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-sfqzFdmk
September 4th, 2015 at 11:07 am
$608,000 in one year for a psychologist. Has the PD lost his mind? How much work is required to earn that much money in taxpayer dollars?? That’s just crazy. I’m curious to know how these consultants are paid? By the hour?? Client? Number of cases? That’s a lot of money. “Crazy” money–you might say.