Joel T. Lazarus

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Joel T. Lazarus (July 5, 1942 - June 16, 2023) [1] was a Florida prosecutor and later a circuit judge.

Lazarus received his bachelor's degree from Babson College and an MBA from Columbia Business School. However Lazarus did not like investment banking and so in 1974 started law school at Nova Law School (now a part of Nova Southeastern University). He graduated in 1977. [2]

Lazarus worked as an assistant state attorney for 15 years. During his career, he was involved in several high-profile cases. These include the prosecution of Kathy and Jeffrey Willets, who were defended by Ellis Rubin, and the prosecution of Eddie Mosley. [2] [3] [4]

Lazarus was appointed a circuit judge for Broward County, Florida in 1993 by governor Lawton Chiles. During his career as a judge, he presided over the case of Lionel Tate, who he sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for a murder he had committed aged 12. The conviction was later overturned and Tate was released on house arrest and probation. A year later Tate was charged and convicted of armed robbery of a pizza delivery man and sentenced to 30 years in prison. [2] [5] Lazarus also handled the assault case against rapper Foxy Brown, and a corruption charge against a Hollywood, Florida city commissioner Keith Wasserstrom. [2]

Lazarus retired on December 31, 2010. The retirement was timed so as to prevent the governor from being able to directly appoint his replacement. [2] He later returned to the bench for civil foreclosure cases. In 2018, he was banned from criminal court matters following a statement that crimes committed closer to his residence would result in higher bonds. [6] [7]

Sources

  1. ↑ https://www.tmralph.com/obituaries/joel-lazarus
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Nevins, Buddy (31 March 2009). "Judge Lazarus Reflects on Future After Retirement". browardbeat.com.
  3. ↑ Jordan, Mary (28 September 1991). "Sex, Lawyers And, Yes, Videotape". Washington Post.
  4. ↑ Norman, Bob (17 May 2001). "A Devilish Deal". Broward Palm Beach New Times. Archived from the original on 14 Nov 2010.
  5. ↑ "Lionel Tate Gets 30 Years In Jail". CBS News. 18 May 2006.
  6. ↑ Norman, Bob (2 February 2018). "Broward County judge: 'Closer to my house, the higher the bond'". Local 10.
  7. ↑ Olmeda, Rafael (2 February 2018). "Judge pulled from criminal cases after complaint about fairness". South Florida Sun Sentinel.

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