Entry from
July 15, 2004
“Indict a Ham Sandwich”
This famous modern legal term began in New York. It was immortalized in the Tom Wolfe novel, Bonfire of the Vanities (1987).
I spoke with Sol Wachtler, the former New York State chief judge, and he admitted that the phrase was his and was coined during a lunch interview with Marcia Kramer of the New York Daily News. Wachtler -- who is Jewish -- told me that he regrets that he didn't say "pastrami" sandwich, adding that he may (surely) have been misquoted about "ham."
From the New York Daily News, January 31, 1985, pg. 3:
New top state judge: Abolish
grand juries & let us decide
By MARCIA KRAMER
and FRANK LOMBARDI
IN A BID to make prosecutors more accountable for their actions, Chief Judge Sol Wachtler has proposed that the state scrap the grand jury system of bringing criminal indictments.
Wachtler, who became the state's top judge earlier this month, said district attorneys now have so much influence on grand juries that "by and large" they could get them to "indict a ham sandwich."
From pg. 46:
New York State's top judge speaks out
DAILY NEWS
NewsMaker
Chief Judge Sol Wachtler
Sol Wachtler, newly appointed chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, was questioned at a Daily News NewsMaker lunch this week. Following are excerpts from his discussion with senior Daily News news executives and members of the editorial board and news staff.
(...)
(Col. 4 -- ed.)
Q: And the death penalty?
A: I referred to it in a speech once as being the chicken soup of politics -- it can't hurt.
I spoke with Sol Wachtler, the former New York State chief judge, and he admitted that the phrase was his and was coined during a lunch interview with Marcia Kramer of the New York Daily News. Wachtler -- who is Jewish -- told me that he regrets that he didn't say "pastrami" sandwich, adding that he may (surely) have been misquoted about "ham."
From the New York Daily News, January 31, 1985, pg. 3:
New top state judge: Abolish
grand juries & let us decide
By MARCIA KRAMER
and FRANK LOMBARDI
IN A BID to make prosecutors more accountable for their actions, Chief Judge Sol Wachtler has proposed that the state scrap the grand jury system of bringing criminal indictments.
Wachtler, who became the state's top judge earlier this month, said district attorneys now have so much influence on grand juries that "by and large" they could get them to "indict a ham sandwich."
From pg. 46:
New York State's top judge speaks out
DAILY NEWS
NewsMaker
Chief Judge Sol Wachtler
Sol Wachtler, newly appointed chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, was questioned at a Daily News NewsMaker lunch this week. Following are excerpts from his discussion with senior Daily News news executives and members of the editorial board and news staff.
(...)
(Col. 4 -- ed.)
Q: And the death penalty?
A: I referred to it in a speech once as being the chicken soup of politics -- it can't hurt.
Posted by Barry Popik
New York City • Food and Drink • (0) Comments • Thursday, July 15, 2004 • Permalink
New York City • Food and Drink • (0) Comments • Thursday, July 15, 2004 • Permalink