Sheriff's Lawyer Attacks Ms. O'Connell's Exhumation/Autopsy

Showing evidence of consciousness of guilt and a guilty conscience, Deputy JEREMY BANKS (and assumedly Sheriff DAVID BERNARD SHOAR) "asked" ROBERT L. McLEOD II to publish a letter falsely accusing the family of Michelle O'Connell of "fantasy and paranoia" for having an exhumation and autopsy.

What a foolish, fulminating excuse for an attorney.

Who is paying MAC McLEOD's fees for his "fantasy" lawsuit against FDLE investigator Rusty Ray Rodgers?

Why is he attacking a grieving family for seeking the truth?

In the words of Hale & Doar attorney Joseph Nye Welch to demagogic U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisc.) during the Army-McCarthy hearings on June 9, 1954:  
"Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty, or your recklessness… You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

Letter: Michelle O'Connell exhumation legally senseless, personally sad
O'Connell exhumation legally senseless, personally sad
Posted: February 20, 2016 - 4:36pm | Updated: February 21, 2016 - 6:58am
By Robert L. McLeod II
St. Augustine Record
O’Connell exhumation legally senseless, personally sad

Editor: As the attorney representing Jeremy Banks in his federal civil rights and negligence case against Rusty Rodgers, (suspended FDLE agent), and the FDLE, I have been asked to respond to the most recent media event caused by a private exhumation of the remains of Michelle O’Connell.

No law enforcement agency or official investigation requested this action. Three separate state medical examiners and three State Attorneys have concluded that Ms. O’Connell tragically took her own life. As was recently demonstrated by the sworn depositions of the two medical examiners closest to the investigation, objective evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates suicide.

Moreover, no other credible scientific or forensic evidence proves otherwise. Fortunately, in Florida we conduct investigations and arrive at conclusions in death cases via the direction of State Attorneys sworn to uphold the Constitution. They are assisted by board certified medical examiners, vetted and approved by state and local boards and then appointed by the governor. We do not assign these important tasks to The New York Times or local media whose interests are sensationalism, advertising fees and readership.

Consequently, whether or not a hired gun “expert” has or has not arrived at some conclusion about the remains of a body that has been in repose (to be tactful) for nearly six years is of no moment. Moreover, insofar as the remains are or were considered as evidence, such a status has been forever lost or forfeited by those engaging the exhumation, as our rules of evidence and standards of law were obviously not followed absent court order and official participation and monitoring of such an activity.

In this circumstance, disturbing the resting place and the remains will serve no purpose whatsoever other than to entertain more fantasy and paranoia and provoke recriminations from individuals and entities decisively ignorant of the actual evidence and truth involved in this death. Neither the volume of the protest nor its methods can change reality. When this truth is realized, perhaps then Ms. O’Connell can at last, rest in peace.

COMMENTS
attinson63 02/21/16 - 07:17 am 14Shame on you Robert McLeod
You would not be saying that if you were not being paid to do so. Michelle O'Connell's mother will not rest until the truth is found. If it was your daughter, wouldn't you want to know the truth? This is a mother's anguish, Mr. McLeod. Take your paycheck and let this mother rest.

TBone42 02/21/16 - 09:55 am 01Mr.McLeod's letter only
Mr.McLeod's letter only serves to raise more red flags in this case. What else is he trying to hide? When you seem rather defensive that this exhumation took place at the request of the family, it only makes you seem worried that something would be found. You, sir, would do the exact same thing if this was your child. Who are you that you would publicly shame a mother for wanting to understand how her child died?
Let's not play the game of ethics here, as you are not one who seemed to care about what is right when you cheated on your wife by having an affair with a married woman with three children. A woman who works with you in your practice. You broke up a good family because you didn't stop and think about others, just like you are doing here. You are paid to defend Jeremy. A better defense would've been to just keep quiet about this exhumation as if you aren't worried about new findings.

Palatka Corruption 02/21/16 - 10:39 am 22You could not pay me enough
You could not pay me enough to say such reprehensible comments.
That 'investigation' was deemed botched my many and there were unacceptable answers, leading to more unanswered questions, that the media and public were left questioning a coverup, so you'd think McLeod would welcome another chance to clear the dark cloud of a murder accusation over his client, not this tacky, seemingly paranoid attack on the grieving family - who have any and every right as legal next of kin to seek the truth. They needed to do this.
An attorney, of all people, should know when to keep their mouth shut and certainly when not to attack. McLeod's letter is what provoked recriminations and served no purpose whatsoever, except to ask what is he scared of.

Jason Hamilton 02/21/16 - 01:45 pm 75Trial by feelings, not facts
Finding after finding, report after report, and investigation after investigation yet still so many people blame Jeremy. The facts of this case do not support the accusations. Perhaps those who have persecuted based only on their own feelings are not big enough to admit they were wrong. In the past years everyone and their brother have tried their best to nail Jeremy's rump to the wall. If there was a shred of evidence believe you me they would have. Even if he did do it THERE IS NO EVIDENCE. We are all entitled to our opinions but we are not entitled to persecute and punish simply on feeling alone.

UnitedWeStand 02/22/16 - 10:18 am 36I as many others in this
I as many others in this community believe that the Michelle O'Connell case was botched from the very beginning and is nothing but a big cover-up by the sheriff's office. Do not be fooled this is not the first. last or only case where SJSO has shown its incompetence.

It is a shame that the people of St John's County do not have faith in our local law enforcement office. I do believe there are some good cops in the organization who truly care and want to do the right thing but when you are in a crate of rotten apples you too will rot.

Remember Mr Shoar just because you say the sky is green, does not make it fact.

melvinudall 02/22/16 - 12:50 pm 14Sue the state investigator?
Who is paying Robert Mcleod to go after an investigator that did not toe the line for The Saint John County Sheriffs Dept. It would be interesting to see who is really behind this lawsuit. How many people being investigated get to dismiss and sue someone for investigating them?
Why the public letter? A public smear!

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-----Original Message-----
From: easlavin
To: mmcleod
Sent: Sun, Feb 21, 2016 11:21 am
Subject: Who is paying MAC McLEOD to represent Deputies JEREMY BANKS and SCOTT O'CONNELL?

Dear Mr. McLEOD:

1. Who is paying you to represent JEREMY BANKS and SCOTT O'CONNELL?

2. Is the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office Four Star Association, Inc. involved?

3. Is Sheriff DAVID SHOAR involved?

4. How much have you charged?

5. What is your fee arrangement?

6. Thank you in advance for your full disclosures.

WIth kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

www.edslavin.com

904-377-4998

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If maladroit mouthpiece MAC McLEOD would lie about professional association membership and being a Baptist deacon, is there anything that he would NOT lie about?  http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2014/09/false-advertising-by-jeremy-banks.html

Guns-recoil-forward lawyer McLEOD allegedly threatened the editor of The St. Augustine Record at 2 AM in 2014.
Folio Weekly: Jeff Billman, "Somebody's lying -- An activist accuses the St. Augustine Record of bowing 
to pressure from Jeremy Banks' attorney. The paper accuses her of spreading misinformation" (September 17, 2014), http://folioweekly.com/SOMEBODYS-LYING-ST-AUGUSTINE-RECORD-ACTIVIST-JEREMY-BANKS,10912

http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2014/09/stay-calm-jeremy-banks-lawyer-threatens.html

Conflicted McLEOD actually wrote Governor RICHARD LYNN SCOTT a letter attacking The New York Times in 2015.  http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2015/11/guns-recoil-forward-lawyer-blasts-ny.html

This is the Florida Bar information for BANKS' attorney,  ROBERT LESTER McLEOD, II, a/k/a "MAC McLEOD."

ID Num: - 369632
Address: 1200 Plantation Island Dr S Ste 140
St Augustine, Florida 320803114
United States
Phone: 904.471.5007
Fax: 904.461.5059
E-Mail: mmcleod@themcleodfirm.com

Florida Bar complaint procedure and form is here: http://www.floridabar.org/TFB/TFBResources.nsf/0/AB230E7DCCC3B75385256B29004BD6DC/$FILE/Inquiry%20Complaint%20Form.pdf





ROBERT LESTER McLEOD, II, a/k/a "MAC McLEOD

For the facts, not Sheriff SHOAR's "paranoia and fantasy," please read and view the following:

The New York Times, "Two Gunshots on a Summer Night" by Walt Bogdanich & Glenn Silber (November 24, 2013): http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/two-gunshots/
PBS/Frontline, "A Death in St. Augustine (November 26, 2013):http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/death-in-st-augustine/ ;NBC News Dateline, "Two Shots Fired" (April 18, 2014):http://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/full-episode-two-shots-fired-n84816
Folio Weekly: Jeff Billman, "Somebody's lying -- An activist accuses the St. Augustine Record of bowing 
to pressure from Jeremy Banks' attorney. The paper accuses her of spreading misinformation" (September 17, 2014), http://folioweekly.com/SOMEBODYS-LYING-ST-AUGUSTINE-RECORD-ACTIVIST-JEREMY-BANKS,10912
Dr. Phil, "The Mystery of Michelle O'Connell" (November 3, 2014): http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/2298
Folio Weekly, "Murder, He Wrote," by Susan Cooper Eastman (November 19, 2014), http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2014/11/michelle-oconnell-shooting-read-folio.html
Folio Weekly, "The Proxy War," by Derek Kinner (March 4, 2015): http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2015/03/folio-weekly-deputy-jeremy-banks-and.html