California doctor has court hearing for traffic violation;
Logs into Zoom to appear for meeting with Judge;
Appears to be wearing operating room gear;
Appears to be in operating room;
Appears to be operating and performing surgery!
The court clerk asks, “Are you available for trial? It kind of looks like you’re in an operating room right now?”
Doctor: “I’m in an operating room. Yes, I’m available for trial. Go right ahead!”
Medical equipment, beeping in background, doc handling surgical tools…
On a court appearance Zoom call!!!
Response from the wise Judge:
“So unless I’m mistaken, I’m seeing a defendant that’s in the middle of an operating room appearing to be actively engaged in providing services to a patient,” Judge Gary Link said during the virtual hearing.
“I do not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient if you’re in the process of operating that I would put on a trial.”
Ok, Time-Out.
Ladies & Gentlemen of the Jury, I would like to present my first case:
The Doctor in Surgery –
- The Promise to show up for court is one level of keeping the promise.
- The Promise to be fully present and focused only on the task at hand – meaning: your court appearance – is the next level.
- The Promise to keep your client safe during surgery, and rescheduling your surgeries and court appearances, is another level entirely (that would seem obvious).
If I may, I’d like to present my second case:
The Judge –
- The Promise to show up for court is one level of keeping the promise.
- The Promise to be fully present and focused only on the task at hand – meaning: judging with all of your judging powers a doctor who has already missed a court appearance and is now on screen appearing distracted – is the next level.
- The Promise to stop the trial mid-court time in order to ensure the safety of the patient, who is not your responsibility, while the surgeon acts recklessly, in defiance, to appear for court, is another level entirely.
The Jury finds the defendant, Doctor Surgery While On Zoom Guy, GUILTY of every crime against Zoomanity and sentenced to having a quick, un-announced surgery to be performed on him by a blindfolded surgeon while filmed before a live studio audience.
The Jury also finds the Judge, The Honorable Gary Link, the highest level of Promise Culture Leaders in the Universe and thanks him on behalf of all Humanity, as well as on behalf of the patient, who was about to lose potentially more than was scheduled.
Ladies & Gentlemen of the Jury, and this Blog, are you the Doc or the Judge?
Keep The Promise.
(* Note: This is a REAL STORY, link HERE, as reported by CNN)
~ Jason
Promise Institute Co-Founder * Virtual Keynote Speaker * Speaker Hall of Fame
Author of “The Promise To The One”
2 Responses
Interesting, story Jason.
I quite enjoyed it as you told it.
Then I read the CNN report as they told it.
Then I thought about it.
This makes for “good press” but bad justice.
Yes, it seems that the judge apparently handled this situation well as you suggested.
He withheld judgment and held the case over until it could be fairly heard.
On the other hand, let’s think about the other fellow, the surgeon, the one your “jury” adjudged “guilty” of being a bad boy and not keeping his promise.
I don’t know what the surgeon was thinking or doing. It is apparently still under investigation. That means the facts are not in. That means the jury isn’t still “out”; the jury hasn’t even been convened.
I wonder, dear Jason, AKA Raptor Man, AKA wonderous presenter of Promise Keeping, if your “jury” is keeping the “promise of justice” if your “jury” finds the surgeon, or anyone else for that matter, guilty without a fair trial.
In my long years of Trial Advocacy and even Prison Inmate Advocacy, I’ve seen some pretty guilty looking folks who, upon fair trial and impartial and proper examination of the relevant facts, turned out not so guilty after all, in fact, quite innocent, despite the outward appearances of the apparent circumstances that brought the accusations against them.
I happen to be one of them.
How about you, Raptor Man?
Have you ever been found “guilty” without trial?
Perhaps we could focus on and keep another promise…
…a promise about judgment.
How about if we promise not to judge anyone guilty of anything (except nice things) without loving, listening, hearing, considering — then checking our facts — thoroughly — more than once — and then act gently and lovingly on our findings if we must, but still not “judge” anyone because…
I mean really…
C’mon…
We weren’t there.
And even if we were, is it our job to “judge?”
(Besides, do we really trust the media for our information?)
What do you think, dear friend?
Love it. Great perspective. It actually crossed my mind as I wrote it and I went with the media version anyway, so I appreciate you calling this perspective out. I’m with you on what you’re saying, and yes, have been guilty before fair trial far too many times in the public and in private, and it’s brutal. I think this one, in it’s over-the-top click-bait version, equally makes for a “comical” lesson on behalf of learning…and sometimes I’m ok to drive that bus, be thrown off it, and, I guess in this case, do some throwing myself. I appreciate your thoughts, it’s what makes you live your promise. Thank you for sharing.