Why Criminal Defense Attorneys Hate Josh, Part I

The thong arm of the law.
by Willamette Week staff [click on link for printer friendly page]

* Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis, the most quoted prosecutor in Oregon, may also be the most despised by defense lawyers-and now there's merchandise to prove it. In November, a lawyer called a cop an "asshole" when his client was wrongfully arrested based on an expired warrant. Marquis responded by charging the lawyer with disorderly conduct. In tribute to freedom of speech, some wag dreamt up a line of merchandise including tote bags ($12.99), T-shirts (starting at $8.99) and a thong ($7.99)-all bearing the prosecutor's likeness and the words "Fuck Josh Marquis." Marquis, looking at http://www.cafepress.com/fuckmarquis after being notified of the site by Murmurs, said, "Oh, my god-a thong, too."

And from this update on 10/19:
Marquis proved on Monday that the law does indeed have a thong arm. He successfully convicted Corvallis defense lawyer John Rich of disorderly conduct for frightening people and yelling at least one obscenity at a cop in the courthouse -- thus closing the case that inspired the merchandise. The result of the six-and-a-half-hour trial: a $90 ticket for Rich (who was not the thongmonger). Marquis has no regrets, saying, "If a citizen did this, they would probably be thrown in jail."

Further reading:
Why Criminal Defense Attorneys Hate Josh
Part II
Part III
Part IV