The Hector Heathcoat Awards

Okay, you've got to reach back into some serious nostalgia to recognize the name Hector Heathcoat. If you know the name, then you are a true cartoon addicts from the 1960s and 1970s. For those of you who don't recognize the name, Hector was the "unsung hero" of all of American history according to the cartoons. The one that sticks out in mind was him being the guy under George Washington's boat when the original G.W. was crossing the Delaware. Poor Hector was plugging a leak in the boat with his thumb, while under the boat.

But I digress.

The Hector Heathcoat Award is dedicated to the "Unsung Heroes" of the CJC. We are starting out with two categories - the unsung defense attorney and the unsung prosecutor. Sure, Rusty Hardin and Dick DeGuerin and Kelly Siegler all get a lot of attention as being great attorneys, but who are the ones the we know are also great attorneys that don't get near the recognition in the media that they deserve.

Here's the drill. I'm asking each of you to post your top three "unsung" attorneys. We are going to do DEFENSE attorneys this week, so I'm asking you to name your top three "unsung" defense attorneys. Dick and Rusty are disqualified, because they are both, um, "well-sung". I know that there are some great appellate/writ attorneys out there, but what I'm looking for here are the trial attorneys. If y'all want to suggest some other categories down the road, I'm all for it.

Nominate your peers. Nominate your adversaries. Just nominate. Every name that is listed is going to be placed in the poll on Sunday evening, and the voting will then begin. My plan is to let it run for a week (next week, we'll nominate prosecutors).

I know that there are a lot of people who post under "Anonymous", and that's cool. Nominate as much as you want to.

I'm going to throw out my three nominees (in alphabetical order):

Don Becker. Brian Coyne. Pete Justin.

Let the nominations begin . . .