Comments on Advance Indiana™: State Rep. Ed DeLaney Brutally Beaten By Indianapolis Man

Paul, One of the news reports showed a picture of ...

2009-11-02T19:48:43.729-05:00

Paul, One of the news reports showed a picture of the building in question. It was not in the mall.

Gary, there used to be a porno store in one of the...

2009-11-02T18:11:22.079-05:00

Gary, there used to be a porno store in one of the free standing buildings north of 38th street, behind the mall. There are two such buildings. One is now an Ovation store and I can't recall the other one. One of them used to be a porno store.

One of the reports said the store would be in the mall. I don't think that's right. Another makes it sound like the store never opened. If it is the one I'm thinking about it was open for a year or so. I used to see it when I would take the shortcut behind the mall to Georgetown Road.

All the more reason to be wary of strangers, learn...

2009-11-02T11:22:29.805-05:00

All the more reason to be wary of strangers, learn to defend yourself, and carry a gun.

Not that that is the reason for his behavior, but ...

2009-11-02T04:48:33.723-05:00

Not that that is the reason for his behavior, but I see all the time the frustration of these new attorneys who have borrowed as much as $100,000 to get a law degree only to find out there are no jobs in the law profession and, if they do find work, associate salaries can be extremely low, as little as $30K a year with no or few benefits.

Unfortunately, these sorts of incidents are likely to become more widespread, just like K-college campus shootings. Lt. David Grossman has said it best:

"The kids who gave us Jonesboro in the middle school and Columbine in the high school are now giving us Virginia Tech in the colleges. I hope I am wrong, but I predicted that we would see these kids in the college, and now I predict that soon we will see them in the workplace. If there is a major downturn in the economy, and we lay off 20 million Americans, they will make you feel their pain."

It is very scary, given how the younger generation (I would say late 30s and younger) have been raised. Every five year generation was raised more and more lax if you ask me. Currently, we give out ribbons to everyone...there are no losers. Too much high school and college education has been pushed to "group learning" or "group products." We are destroying, in my opinion, the teaching of leaders, of winners, etc.. This is especially true when the political climate running this country is one of hate the rich, hate profits, hate success...unless it is government that is making the money, being successful, and making them and theirs personally wealthy.

The more this country gives a pass on horrible, horrible actions....there will be some individuals that have a perceived injustice are likely to strike out with violence. The future is scary if you ask me.

Oh, does anyone has contacts/time to see if this guy had a state license to carry a handgun?

Paul, I think that postal carrier guy must be the ...

2009-11-01T21:53:19.121-05:00

Paul, I think that postal carrier guy must be the same guy who provided legal advice to a woman when she was sued along with her ex-husband for something her ex-husband did. He told her to ignore it, which resulted in her getting a default judgment. Her insurance company's lawyer then had to try to get the six-figure judgment set aside, only to be turned down by one of our Marion County superior court judges.

"...the knowledge could be very useful in a n...

2009-11-01T21:43:30.713-05:00

"...the knowledge could be very useful in a number of ways throughout one's life. But if you count on making a living on it, it appears there may be another story."

Interestedparty, you are exactly right...the knowledge one get from being a lawyer is extremely useful in other fields. However, employers don't see it that way. The minute you get that law degree, you are pigenonholed as an attorney. Most employers won't consider you for any non-attorney position. They think attorneys will quit and get a six figure job any time they want so why give them a five figure job in a management position, for example? Of course that perception of attorney job prospects is not the reality.

I too hate the idea of artificially limiting the number of people entering a certain field. We can stop short of tat by simply making law schools honestly tell people what job prospects will be for graduates. The trouble is there is a great emphasis on law schools phonying up their numbers to improve their ratings. There is no audit or any way of checking the numbers.

When I asked the law school about the surveys that support their estimates, I was told that many, if not most, people don't return their surveys and for those people the law school estimates their salaries. I can assure you they are not estimating low.

I feel really bad, because law schools suck many of these people to borrow six figures to get a law degree. Then they find that their degree does not at all increase their job prospects and in fact may limit them.

For example, I know a semi truck driver who is a lawyer, and a postal carrier who is a lawyer. Both went back to their pre-law school jobs because they paid more than what they could get in the legal profession.

Unfortunately, Your observations are on point with...

2009-11-01T21:01:54.866-05:00

Unfortunately, Your observations are on point with the legal profession, interested party. It seems too many people can get into law school and get admitted to the bar despite past problems that would indicate the person is unfit to practice law. Problems in undergraduate school and past employment are often overlooked, not to mention criminal arrests.

Back when, certain career disciplines, physical th...

2009-11-01T19:44:46.900-05:00

Back when, certain career disciplines, physical therapy comes to mind, were capped in ways that had to do with available slots in professional schools. My friends in the field said that meant there would always be jobs for them and the jobs would pay well. On the one hand, limiting the numbers of people in a field may seem discriminatory, but on the other hand, it seems wise.

Law may be slightly different, as the knowledge could be very useful in a number of ways throughout one's life. But if you count on making a living on it, it appears there may be another story.

What surprises me, in cases like this and the one cited as a bank robber-lawyer, since I must be naive, is that knowing the law and being licensed to practice it, is not necessarily a path to justice, promoting law and order, or the public good.

The Star identified Mendenhall as an attorney. Th...

2009-11-01T10:03:51.670-05:00

The Star identified Mendenhall as an attorney.

That Mendenhall had a home address listed on the roll of attorneys suggests that as a relatively new attorney (he was sworn in a year ago) he might have been unemployed or working out of his home. (Almost all attorneys list their work address on the roll of attorneys.)

Not that that is the reason for his behavior, but I see all the time the frustration of these new attorneys who have borrowed as much as $100,000 to get a law degree only to find out there are no jobs in the law profession and, if they do find work, associate salaries can be extremely low, as little as $30K a year with no or few benefits.

I would be of the "buyer beware" school except for the fact law schools promote a law school education with phony average salaries and employment numbers.

FYI, few years ago, a new Indiana attorney, Bruce Davidson, went on a bank robbery spree out west.

This is bizarre and inexplicable -- and I must rem...

2009-11-01T07:49:51.443-05:00

This is bizarre and inexplicable -- and I must remind myself that the accused has not been tried in court yet.
At the St. Thomas Aquinas Sausage Fest, Ed Delaney volunteered to be the 'victim' in the Dunk Tank. And it was a cool evening. You gotta love a guy who'll do that.

If it's Mendenhall the attorney, he has a Plai...

2009-11-01T00:47:43.558-05:00

If it's Mendenhall the attorney, he has a Plainfield address on the Roll of Attorneys. It appears to be a home address that is given.