Statements Out of Context: Oscar the Informant

I suppose that I should be amazed that mainstream newspapers are quoting a two-sentence statement that Paul Bergrin made in a conversation to Oscar the Informant in reference to a hit when the feds have 6 months worth of tapes. I'm not amazed though and not even surprised. Conversations between Paul and Oscar transpired over a 6-month period and were not isolated to a couple of sentences in one conversation.

Obviously Paul was playing a game with a nasty informant that pursued him non-stop. How hard is that to imagine? He probably (no doubt) had a few drinks at the time he made the short and damaging statement and considered it a funny joke at the time. He probably had reached his limit on calls from Oscar the Informant. We all have a snap point - the point when we start playing back. Been there and dealt with that...

Oscar the Informant pursued Paul for 6 months on behalf of federal agents. Kemo was dead and they needed a scapegoat, otherwise the lawsuits would commence and other informants would not feel safe. The entire system they had built was collapsing and something had to be done to stop it. Paul Bergrin was chosen as scapegoat. They figured they could kill two birds with one stone: Get rid of a lawyer that actually fought for his clients and direct the blame for Kemo's murder away from their little group at the same time.

So what do they do? They have Oscar the Informant pursue Paul Bergrin for 6 entire months. They managed to get a damaging two-sentence statement taken out of context and made as a joke while Paul was celebrating his birthday. That is what this entire case rests on! The rest of it is smoke and mirrors and criminal informants desperate to please prosecutors and agents.

The real question is where are all of the other tapes? Oscar taped their conversations for 6 months, so I would expect a huge box full of tapes, wouldn't you? I expect each and every tape to be entered into evidence by prosecutors.

When ALL conversations between Paul and Oscar the Informant are examined it will be clear to anyone taking the time to listen that Paul was playing a game. He had reached his snap point with the pursuit by Oscar and the feds and had a few birthday drinks. He made a joke. That joke, that is only funny if taken in context of all conversations and somewhat impaired when listening, is what this entire 26-count indictment rests on.

The entire case is absurd. Wow. Prosecutors managed to find a couple of damaging sentences in 6 months worth of taped conversations by an impaired man on his birthday. As if any actual hitman would accept being instructed to wear a ski mask! Good grief. The worst part is that the general population is buying it hook, line, and sinker. We can only hope that the jurors are more intelligent.