Gomers -- What's going wrong

NO CONTACT RULE: Boo to attorneys of former Agriprocessors manager Sholom Rubashkin, who was convicted of fraud, money laundering and other charges stemming from the 2008 immigration raid at the former Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville. U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade scolded his attorneys for recently having private investigators and Rubashkin's daughter contact one of the jurors about helping them with a possible appeal of the verdict. That's a violation of local court rules in place since at least the mid-1980s. The court transcript shows that, at the trial's conclusion, Reade allowed jurors to decide who they did or didn't want to speak with, but she did not lift the prohibition about attorneys contacting the jurors. You would think veteran attorneys would respect and understand the difference.

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SHUT OFF? Fairfax leaders and residents are rightly concerned about a state transportation department project on Highway 151 that may replace a railroad viaduct and a smaller bridge just north of the viaduct because the work may all be done at the same time. The highway is a primary access route for businesses, emergency vehicles and residents.

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