There’s another new kid in the neighborhood.  Except he isn’t exactly new to anyone, and he’s certainly no kid.  Gerry Spence may have tried his last case, but he’s just starting out in the blawgosphere.  Welcome to Gerry Spence’s Blog.

Susan Cartier Leibel gave me the heads up, and we talked a little about what this means.  After all, this is Gerry Spence, a living legend in criminal defense.  What will he blog about?  Will he preach from on high, or will he join us in conversation?  How will the “simple country lawyer” thing play out online? 

I don’t know him personally, like Norm does, and I never went to the Trial Lawyers College at his ranch.  I never drank the cool-aid, so while I’m impressed, I’m not a sycophant.  Will this be a summary of college techniques, or closing statements, or rants against the machine?  I have no clue what to expect.

There are a bunch of questions running through my mind.  Will he do the blogging himself, or have someone else post under his name.  Will he only pontificate on grand constitutional points, or will he deal with nitty gritty daily stuff.  When he opines, will his view become the authoritative one?  If so, will it be because of the soundness of his argument or just because it came from Gerry Spence.  If nothing else, this will be fascinating to watch, to read and to follow. 

I welcome Gerry Spence to the blawgosphere, and I hope he will join in the conversation.  I hope he will do it personally, and not put some flunky to the task.  And I hope we will all welcome him as one of us, not a legend or prophet.   I truly look forward to hearing more from Gerry Spence.

Update:  A second post is up at GSB, rather typically existential and will play well to the chorus.  More interesting are the welcoming comments to his first post, ranging from predictions that he alone will change the blawgosphere to those hoping to implant their heads deeply up his rectum to the cool-aid drinkers.  On the other side, there are those telling him what to think and do. 

Also note the title image on GSB:  A profile picture of Gerry Spence.  Half a mug shot or his better side?  I don’t know what this means, but it signify that special sort of vanity that leads to effective satire.

Since comments are moderated, someone has given the Spence seal of approval on posting these comments.  Will those who pray at the alter of Spence cause Gerry’s head to swell to the size of Geeklawyer’s?  Will those who are positioning themselves to knock him off his pedestal make headway? 

To date, the best comment left at GSB belongs to the Texas Tornado himself, Mark Bennett.  It’s simply perfect.