Professional Documents
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ATTORNEY AT LAW
A Professional Corporation
Admitted in NY and NJ & Fla.
115 BROADWAY - SUITE 1505 g NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10006 g Tel: 212-785-3344 g Fax: 212-577-2865 g E-Mail: FMELAW @aol.com
CHARACTER LETTER WRITING GUIDELINES
As you may know, on September 10, 2010 Kenneth Starr, entered a plea of guilty to wire
fraud and money laundering and fraud by an investment advisor. . Within the next few
months he will be sentenced before the Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin in the United States
District Court for the Southern District of New York.
A well written, detailed letter of reference which reflects positively upon an individual can
be very effective in giving the court a full picture of the person whose future is about to be
decided at sentencing. I recognize that most people have little or no experience in writing
letters of this nature to the Court. Therefore it is hoped that the following guidelines will
prove useful to you. These guidelines are not meant to be an exclusive list of things to
consider, rather they are intended to serve as a frame of reference for you.
A. Format Recommendations:
1. The letter should be typewritten on a standard 8 ½ 11 white paper.
2. Limit the letter to one or two pages in length
3. Address the letter and salutation as follows:
Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin
United States District Court
Southern District of New York
500 Pearl Street
New York, New York 10007
Re: United States v. Kenneth Starr
10- CR-520 (SAS)
Dear Judge Scheindlin:
4. Please send the letter to me at the following address:
Flora Edwards, Esq.
115 Broadway ‐ Suite 1505
New York, New York 10006
Or you can e‐mail the letter to me at FMELAW@aol.com
B. Content Guidelines:
1. Take a sentence or two to introduce yourself to the Court. Tell them about
yourself (personal background and/or professional background)
2. If you are related to Mr. Starr state what the relationship is (e.g. I am
Kenneth’s wife, brother, son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter, etc.). If
you are not related to Mr. Starr, state how long and the context in which you
have known him ( e.g. I am a friend of Kenneth Starr. I have know him for
10 years. We both serve on the Board of _________)
3. Indicate that you are aware of the offense to which Mr. Starr pled guilty.
4. List and illustrate some of the good qualities you believe Mr. Starr has. One
way to effectively illustrate them is to share a personal experience or two you
have had with him, one which demonstrates the positive character traits he
possesses.
5. Please do not make sweeping statements regarding any thoughts you may
have regarding his guilt or innocence.
6. If you know of any hardships Mr. Starr and/or his family have suffered
describe them (health concerns, etc.)
7. Make a closing statement asking for leniency and thanking the court for
considering your letter.
Please send the letter to me no later than January 17, 2011. If you have any questions
please contact me at 212‐785‐3344 or 732‐208‐1408.
Thank you for your interest and willingness to assist Mr. Starr at this critical time.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Flora Edwards
Flora Edwards
Attorney for Kenneth Starr
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