Sarasota County

In memory of Jim Slater... I met Jim in 2005 when I came on board at the Sarasota Office on a job transfer from Hillsborough County, Fl. Jim not only was a kind, warm human being, but above and beyond everything else, he treated his coworkers with great "humility". I will never forget you Jim and I know you have left us, but you left us your "spirt" and enthusiam and that will live on in our hearts; enriching us forever. I send my deepest sympathies to not only his very close family but co-worker/friends; that will have an "empty" feeling without him.
April Strouse

When I heard the news of Jim's passing, I, like many experienced a great since of loss. While I only worked with Jim for about 5 years, I felt like I knew him a lot longer. Jim loved technology and that was my area. He always kept me on my toes when it came to his "toys". But, that was what I like most about Jim. He was always one to step out on the edge and try something new.
Jim and I once traveled to a conference in LA. It was Jim who took me to see Beverly Hills, the Hollywood sign and Malibu beach. I am truly grateful for his friendship and the challenges he always threw my way... almost daily.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of Jim's co-workers. He will truly be missed.
Kevin Billingsley

It is absolutely heartbreaking to realize we have lost Jim Slater in our lives. His was a presence never to be forgotten by anyone who knew him. He was an "up", cheerful, smiling, joking friend to us, except perhaps during a trial when he became a single-minded serious legal machine intensely determined to give his all to those who needed him so desperately.
I've known Jim since 1980 when I first began working for the Public Defender Office. He became someone I worked with often, admired greatly, respected completely, and enjoyed tremendously, absolutely one of my most favorite people in this world. My contact was lessened by my retirement in 2002, but continued from time to time, and it was only a matter of weeks ago that I last heard that cheerful voice... "Hi, Landa-Panda, how's the good life going for you?" Well, Jim, life won't be near as good without you. I will miss you dearly.
Landa Betts

I have known Jim since I came to work at the Public Defender's Office 25 years ago. He was so kind to "the new kid on the block". I was brand new there and he made me feel so welcome. No matter what you did, he never raised his voice to the staff. He treated each and every one of us with dignity, courtesy, compassion and respect. We were all the same in his eyes. The new employees were treated with the same respect as the seasoned ones. And that applies to both attorneys and support staff. It seemed that he had a keen awareness that allowed him to know when you were feeling down and he would take an extra few minutes to say hello or simply to pass the time of day. When I was going through my divorce, he was ever so kind and specially selected an attorney for me. Of course, someone he trusted. What a huge relief it was to know that he cared enough to make sure I was taken care of. When my son was applying to college, he took the time to write letters that helped open some doors for Jamie as well. Jim was a great giver of himself. That is a quality that is so rare. Not only did he dole out advice on legal issues, but he was so level-headed about life in general and you simply could not help getting caught up in his enthusiasm about anything. He cared deeply for his friends and very deeply for his clients. I can't even count the times I have seen him put his hand on a mother's arm or give a father a word of encouragement when he must have known that his client was not going to fare well in court. Not to mention the countless ties he tied for clients who didn't know how to do it themselves. I have known him to reach deep into his own pockets to see that his clients were properly attired for court. Not fancy but that they had what they needed. The biggest thing is that Jim truly cared. He cared for us all. And he would listen to us. No matter how trivial our complaints or concerns, he always took the time to listen. Even if he did not agree with you he would take the time to listen. I can remember years ago when we were still in the little house on Main Street and his secretary, Patty, was on vacation. Jim went in his office and was dictating away on his machine. A few minutes later, there he was in the midst of the secretaries, typing is own letters. No matter how small your function was in the office, he always made sure you felt important. And he was fair. As chief assistant in a busy office, the decisions he made were carefully thought out and I am sure they were not easy decisions to make.
I owe him so much. I am deeply saddened that I never go the chance to tell him. Our office has lost a great presence. It will not be the same without him. I will miss hearing the click of the keyboard "over the wall" when he was in Sarasota. He would always ask what was new and how Jamie was. I will continue to hear him call..."Louey, why can't I get my e-mail from Bradenton? I hope he will look down on us all and keep us safe. It is comforting to know that there is a very special Angel up there to help us.
Lou Barichivich, Sarasota Office



For Jimmy, on his new boat....
and for all of us who grieve his loss, he would have had this to say:

Crossing the Bar by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea.

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home!

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For though from out our bourn of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

Kate Kirwin


We've all suffered an unbelievable loss not only to us but to his clients. A dedicated man that gave everything for the cause. I've known Jim since 1981, from the Clerk's Office and then in 1987, I came to the PD'S Office and got to know him a lot better. He had a love for life, enjoyed his boat, motorcycle, his dog, loved to travel & loved all of his toys! He will be deeply missed by all.
With Deepest Sympathy, Maryanne Conlan

Jim and I didn't spend very much time together "in person" but boy-oh-boy, did we ever spend a lot of phone time! My duties here as Elliott and Tobey's secretary include a ton of phone calls ... a lot of which are not really pleasant experiences. However, every time I would answer the phone and hear Jim's voice (almost daily) I would smile. Even when he was calling to gripe about something, he was always entertaining and made me laugh. He had such a great sense of humor! I will miss him every day! My heart goes out to our Bradenton office. I can't imagine that place without Jim! God bless him! Teri Olson

Adam Tebrugge writes:
I first met Jim Slater in 1984 when I came to work for the Public Defender's Office. He was an extremely smart and hard-working attorney. Jim was lead defense counsel on a number of important cases, including Jose Del Torro and Larry Parks. In the case of Florida v. Daniel Wortham, Jim helped pioneer the use of PET scans of the brain in capital cases. For the past several years Jim has been chair of the death penalty steering committee of the Florida Public Defender Association. He was responsible for the success of the 2003 Life Over Death conference in Orlando that attracted over five hundred participants. In 2004 he kept the conference together despite two recent hurricanes and the imminent threat of a third. For once he was the calm in the eye of the storm, as opposed to the storm in the eye of the calm!
In addition to being a great lawyer, Jim was a wonderful friend to many people throughout this circuit, this state, and this country. He will be missed.

Dan Dannheisser said...
Unbelievable ! I am so sorry to hear this. Jim was a tremendous person- a class guy and a great attorney. His death is a loss to everyone. This is very sad news indeed !

I met Jim when I started working in the Misdemeanor Division at the Bradenton office in 1998. Although I had worked at the Clerk's office previously, I didn't really have a lot of experience with office work. Jim assured me that "There wasn't anything that I could mess up that couldn't be fixed." With his confidence in my ability, I set out to handle anything that came my way. I didn't realize that that would be in the form of six attorney's at once, but with his confidence in me and his undying loyalty to his staff, he made it work. He would come by my desk every afternoon to see if I was ok and to pass on some tidbit of information, which was usually in the form of a funny story that always made me laugh.
Jim always had a ready smile and kind word and although his job was demanding, he never let it show when it got to him. I feel blessed to have been lucky enough to have known such a wonderful person and he will be surely missed. My condolences to the staff at the Public Defender's office in both Sarasota and Bradenton. I know how you all loved him and will miss him.
Shannon Zielinski

To all close friends and colleagues of Jim: Please accept my heartfelt sympathy at his untimely illness and death. I know his passionate defense of those facing the ultimate penalty took years from Jim’s life. He left a profound legacy.
Susan Chapman