Longest-Staying Inmate Had Drugged-Up Lawyer

The letter arrived at the judge's chambers in 2003, signed by a public defender-turned-convict named Anthony Genova. He had been busted for drunk driving, was a self-described Xanax addict, and did time for bankruptcy fraud. It was addressed to his old courthouse buddies -- judges and attorneys -- explaining he had found Jesus behind bars. His writing made prison sound like a church camp full of motivational speakers.

"I was baptized with the Holy Spirit and began speaking & praying in tongues," he wrote, according to the Herald. "Praise God!! I stopped cursing, telling jokes and I watch my tongue! I quit smoking!!! I lost 50 pounds!!! . . . I'm embarrassed to say how weak I was when I got to prison, but I left bench pressing 205 lbs."(The period key must have been broken on his typewriter.)

Genova was once the lawyer for Joseph Toomer, who has been in Miami-Dade jail for an astounding twelve years with no trial. A strong-minded 31-year-old with shoulder-length dread-locks, Toomer is the longest-staying inmate in the county. "They have trampled his constitutional rights for 11 years," says close friend Zandra Specter. "This is insane."

The lawyer, Genova, is just one reason Toomer's case was delayed -- there were also flaky witnesses and complications with cops -- but he's an interesting piece of the story.

A couple weeks ago, Toomer was mentioned briefly in a New Times article about  inmates who have been locked away the longest with no trial. His court file wasn't available, and his current lawyer, Rafael Rodriguez, would say only that his drawn-out case was due to a "unique confluence of events." (Read the full here.)

Turns out, it's partly due to his troubled former lawyer. While assigned to defend Toomer, the self-proclaimed "crazy drinking, drugging lawyer," smashed into a concrete barrier on the freeway, then fled, and was nailed with a DUI in 2001, according to police reports. He later served a year in prison for bankruptcy fraud. While working Toomer's case, he filed at least four continuances, which are supposed to be reserved for emergency situations. There were twelve total.

Genova could not be reached immediately for comment.

Toomer, the inmate, is accused of shooting a Lebanese convenience store owner. Once a construction worker with a crack-addicted mother, he now sleeps inside cell number 107 at Metro West Detention Center.

Specter says there's no excuse. "This kid didn't do the crime," she says. "And nobody cares."