Seminar looks at professionalism and the death penalty
A June 29 CLE focusing on professionalism in death penalty cases has personal roots for Ita Neymotin, the criminal conflict and civil regional counsel for the Second District Court of Appeal jurisdiction.
Neymotin was born in Kazakhstan, a former republic of the Soviet Union, and emigrated with her family at a young age to the United States in the late 1970s.
“My family had a very difficult time in the Soviet Union. My great grandfather was executed by the KGB for non-compliance with policy,” she recalled. “Then 20 years later, the KGB came back, declared him innocent, and ‘commuted’ his sentence.”
Once her family emigrated to the U.S after a five-year delay in leaving the Soviet Union — the problems didn’t end. Her father, who had advanced degrees in applied mathematics and physics, had trouble finding work because he spoke accented, but otherwise excellent, English and because of his Central Asian appearance.
“It’s very hard when you’re watching your parents and someone is being rude or unprofessional because of their accent or how they look. As a child you remember that and it scars you,” Neymotin said.
The lessons she drew?
“Once you execute a person, that’s it, you can’t go back and fix mistakes,” she said. “I think professionalism is key to our justice system. It helps each side present their viewpoint fairly and without prejudice….
“I hope to help people understand the importance of professionalism within our justice system. A lot of people don’t realize how lucky we are to live in this country where we have a justice system that works. I came from Kazakhstan where there was no justice system. It was all luck.”
The online seminar, sponsored by Neymotin’s office and titled, Professionalism in the Practice of Law, Death Penalty Litigation, and the Legislative Process, will feature a wide array of presenters.
The list includes Bar President Mike Tanner, President-elect Gary Lesser, and Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, who chairs the influential Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. Michelle Gavagni, executive director of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, and Rebecca Bandy, director of the Bar’s Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism, are also speaking.
Twelfth Circuit Chief Judge Kimberly Bonner will present as well as a long list of state attorneys and public defenders. They include 12th Circuit State Attorney Ed Brodsky, 10th Circuit State Attorney Brian Haas, 13th Circuit State Attorney Andrew Warren, 20th Circuit State Attorney Amira Fox, 10th Circuit Public Defender Rex Dimmig, 13th Circuit Public Defender Julianne Holt, and 20th Circuit Public Defender Kathleen Smith.
Lee County Bar Association President Blake Hampton and Henry Lee Paul, a member of the Student Education and Admissions to the Bar Committee, are also on the schedule. Neymotin, and three members from her office — Homicide Chief Byron Hileman, Homicide Training Supervisor Karen Meeks, and Homicide Division Managing Attorney Christopher Boldt — will also speak. Members of Neymotin’s staff will introduce each speaker.
The seminar grew out of an article for the Professionalism Center’s newsletter, The Professional, titled, “Professionalism: Helping to Overcome Unjust Sentencing and Discrimination in Death Penalty Litigation.” It was written by Neymotin, Haas, Dimmig, Boldt, and Hileman.
After it appeared, it was decided to expand the subject into a CLE program. When Perry agreed to participate, Neymotin said it was expanded again to include legislative issues.
“Professionalism in the death penalty is very important,” she said. “I wanted to give every side an opportunity, I didn’t want to exclude anyone. I wanted it to be a fair viewpoint from all sides.”
The seminar is tentatively set for five hours, but Neymotin said the production was continuing and it might run longer and finish on the following day. A link to the entire seminar, after its initial airing, will be posted on the Bar’s website.
