Parnell Law - September/October 2021

Parnell Law - September/October 2021

BERT’S BUZZ

®

505-268-6500 www.hurtcallbert.com

SEPT./OCT. 2021

Get to Know Bert Parnall The Man Behind the Rhyme

Hurt? Call BERT. ®

undergraduate at Rice University, I studied history and French, including a year of studies at the Sorbonne in France. I also wrote fiction, which was my primary focus for a year after I graduated. When I decided to enroll in law school, I still wasn’t convinced that I wanted to be a lawyer. I ended up taking time off to go back to France, write, and play in a blues band. After a while, I realized that I wanted to help people more directly than I could through writing — and support a family (I was not yet a great writer!) — so I returned to law school at the New Mexico University School of Law and committed myself fully to practicing law. I find tremendous satisfaction and meaning in the work I do now. I view this as a vocation, not just a job or business, and I know that’s true for our staff, too. We live by five values — Teamwork, Talent, Truth, Tenacity, and Triumph — and pride ourselves on the excellent service we provide to our clients and on the results we’re able to obtain for them. This is what brings us satisfaction and what’s allowed me to build the largest personal injury law firm in New Mexico, with employees who enjoy working here. For three years running, we’ve been named by ABQ Business First as a Best Place to Work in Albuquerque. We’re hoping to continue that tradition again, this and every year. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family. My wife Marta is an amazing woman and mother. I have four great kids who each have enormous talent. My oldest, Isabel, speaks four languages and is currently studying in Munich. My sons

Malcolm and Viktor are both accomplished musicians. My daughter Olivia is a gifted artist. I appreciate the simple things with my wife and kids, like eating meals together regularly and traveling together each summer. We also enjoy exploring the many recreational outdoor activities in New Mexico from camping and hiking to skiing. I grew up in Albuquerque, and in addition to serving my clients, I serve the community. After a number of years on the Rotary Club board, I began a term as president in 2018. I also serve on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) advisory board and do media outreach for this important organization. I value the connections I’ve made in my hometown over the years, and I want to continue making those connections personally and professionally. Many of our clients are referred to us by medical professionals and lawyers in different practice areas. If your patient or client has been hurt in an accident and needs representation, they may ask you for the name of a reputable law firm that will work hard to get them the compensation they deserve. If you give them our name, you can rest assured that they will be satisfied with our service and our results. They’ll join the ranks of countless other clients who we’ve won millions of dollars for, and who’ve shown their satisfaction with a five-star rating of our firm. To learn more about our firm, visit HurtCallBert.com or check out any of our more than 500 five-star reviews on Google or Facebook. — Bert Parnall

Does that sound familiar? If so, you’ve probably heard of Parnall Law Firm, LLC, which I opened in 2009. I’d like to take some time now to tell you more about the man behind the rhyme (that’s me, Bert) and the firm I run with the help of a tenacious and caring team. I come from a family of law and medical professionals — my grandfather was an orthopedic surgeon, my uncle is a judge, both my brothers are lawyers, and my father was a dean and law professor at UNM School of Law (now a professor emeritus) and a resident legal advisor. His advising work took our family all over the world, including to many impoverished countries like Ethiopia, Egypt, and Tunisia. I admire my father and grandfather and I have no doubt they both influenced my career — and traveling the world with my family when I was a kid had an equally strong impact. Spending time in these countries exposed me to different cultural and religious practices. I had the opportunity to live as a monk for two weeks in Laos (a traditional initiation for young Laotian men) as well as observe the Muslim tradition of fasting during Ramadan (admittedly for less time than required of Muslims). These experiences were enriching, but I also saw poverty, famine, and revolution up close. I got a real sense of how unfair things can be, and that shaped both my respect for the American justice system and my drive to pursue a law degree. There was just one challenge: I was also interested in becoming a writer. As an

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

2025 San Pedro Dr. Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87110 | www.hurtcallbert.com | 1

The Tiger King Remains Behind Bars ...

New Mexico History: Carlsbad Caverns National Park Between April and May of 1923, the General Land Office (now the Bureau of Land Management) spent two months surveying, mapping, and photographing Carlsbad Cavern before recommending it as a national monument. On Oct. 25, 1923, Carlsbad Caverns National Monument was created by President Calvin Coolidge; almost 100 years later, Carlsbad Cavern still leaves visitors with a sense of awe. Who first discovered Carlsbad Caverns is an unanswered question. Credit is commonly given to explorer Jim White, who first entered the cavern in 1898 and accompanied the General Land Office during their 1923 exploration. Further study, however, has shown that Native Americans had inscribed pictographs on the cavern walls at least a thousand years before. Known today as Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the geological marvel is estimated to have existed for about 4–6 million years. The surface of the park looks like a normal desert habitat, but below ground, there are at least 120 caves. Most famous, of course, is the namesake Carlsbad Cavern. Covered in stalagmites, stalactites, and other geological formations, Carlsbad Cavern is over 30 miles long and has been developed for public viewing. Its humongous limestone chamber — aptly called “the Big Room” — is the largest in North America, at an astounding 357,469 square feet.

Judges Deny Joe Exotic’s Appeal

Even more than a year after the release of “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” Joseph Maldonado-Passage, more popularly known as Joe Exotic, continues to make headlines. Following the fame that came with having his story at the center of a wildly popular Netflix series, Maldonado-Passage saw fit to appeal his 22-year prison sentence for plotting to murder big cat rescue activist Carole Baskin on a few different grounds. However, in July, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected his appeal. The primary reason for Maldonado-Passage’s appeal, as reported by his legal team, was that Baskin was allowed to attend the entirety of Maldonado-Passage’s trial, despite her role as a witness in the case. As a general rule, witnesses

are not permitted to attend proceedings in their entirety, as other witness testimonies might affect the objectivity of their own testimony. However, Baskin was also in attendance at the trial as a victim, since she was the target of Maldonado-Passage’s murder-for-hire scheme. Victims are allowed to attend court proceedings so long as the judge decides their testimony (if they are also a witness) will not be affected by their attendance.

SUDOKU SUDOKU SUDOKU

Maldonado-Passage’s legal team asserted that Baskin was not a victim of any sort, since the murder-for-hire plot did not result in her murder. However, U.S. Circuit Court judges ruled that she still suffered emotional and financial harm because of the incident. In addition to this, since Maldonado-Passage conspired to have Baskin murdered two different times, the judge at his trial in 2019 had incorrectly considered them as two separate plots, rather than two attempts at the same murder. The U.S. Circuit Court judges ordered the trial judge to resentence him. So, even for all that trouble, Maldonado-Passage remains behind bars. However, so long as the Tiger King’s popularity continues, it won’t be surprising if Joe Exotic and his legal team keep searching for ways to get him out of prison.

2 | 505-268-6500 | 2025 San Pedro Dr. Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87110

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

Gloom Goes Up in Smoke The Burning of Zozobra

The marionette stands 50 feet high, his sunken eyes glaring down at the crowd. His wooden frame sways gently, and his brightly-colored hair makes the stark whiteness of his face even more sinister. Soon, he will be set on fire, and the crowd will howl with delight as he burns. Zozobra is a giant paper effigy burned yearly in Santa Fe on the Monday before Labor Day. Also known as Old Man Gloom, he’s one of the largest functioning marionettes in the world. He embodies human misery and anxiety, and by burning him, the crowd exorcises their own demons. Artist William Howard Shuster created Zozobra in 1924 to entertain other artists at a private party. Zozobra has been burned every September since as a way to symbolically chase away the previous year’s worries and gloom. Those who attend his burning are encouraged to write down any excess of gloom they might be carrying with them and place it in a “worry box,” which will also go up in flames. There’s no reason to take pity on Zozobra. Myth has it that his greatest pleasure is to accumulate human woe and anxiety, which he uses to cast a spell of gloom over people’s lives. Each year, he is known to possess children and turn them into “Gloomies” who do his bidding. Torchbearers attempt to battle him, but only the Fire Spirit can defeat Zozobra — and only the collective goodwill of the residents of Santa Fe can conjure this Fire Spirit. As Zozobra burns, happiness and hope return to the city. Though Zozobra is now 97 years old, the festival makes sure to keep up with the times. Every year, the marionette’s hair is a different, vibrant color. Recognizing that 2020 had a special gloomy significance, Zozobra’s hair was decorated with red

Today, Carlsbad Cavern is open to the public with guided tours available. For adventurous travelers looking to go beyond the Big Room, ranger-guided tours of various difficulty levels go deep inside the cave through narrow passageways. If you’re squeamish, take note that the cave is home to 17 species of bats — they’re completely harmless, but some visitors might not appreciate them. The Carlsbad Caverns National Park is open year-round, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Advanced tickets are highly recommended. With summer temperatures dropping to be much more bearable, October — the month in which President Coolidge first recognized the cavern — might just be the best time to go. For more information, visit NPS.gov/cave.

Inspired by Tasty.co

Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water • 1 tbsp salt • 1 tbsp sugar • 1 packet active dry yeast • 4 1/2 cups flour

• 3 tbsp oil, divided • 2/3 cup baking soda • 2 eggs, beaten • Coarse salt, for sprinkling

triangles and orange ping pong balls, representing the coronavirus. His shirt buttons read “2020” and were complemented by “murder hornet” cufflinks. His burning provided solace to all who witnessed it. Zozobra will be burned this year on Sept. 3, but don’t worry if you can’t make it. Each year, as our failures and follies bring more gloom to the world, Zozobra will rise and be vanquished once again.

Directions 1. In a bowl, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp oil, then mix thoroughly into a dough. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat bowl with remaining oil, then return the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 450 F. 4. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll them into thin ropes, then twist ropes into pretzel shapes. 5. In a large pot, boil water. Add baking soda, then boil each pretzel for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. 6. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet. Brush them with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy!

2025 San Pedro Dr. Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87110 | www.hurtcallbert.com | 3

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

If you are a medical professional or a lawyer practicing in another area of law, we welcome you to refer your patients or clients. We know you want the best for your patients and clients, and so do we. Call us today at 505-207-0144 or visit HurtCallBert.com for more information on our services.

®

505-268-6500 www.hurtcallbert.com PO Box 8009 Albuquerque, NM 87918 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1

Get to Know Bert Parnall

The Tiger King Remains Behind Bars

2

This Month in NM History

Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels Zozobra, Santa Fe’s Own Burning Man

3

4

Remembering the Heroes of 9/11

Remembering the Heroes Amid the Tragedy The Everyday People Who Saved Countless Lives on 9/11

RICK RESCORLA A Vietnam veteran who had earned a silver star for his service, Rescorla was no stranger to stressful life and death situations. As the head of corporate security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower, he defied orders from Port Authority to stay put and instead escorted 2,700 people out of the building before it collapsed. After that, he headed back in to look for stragglers. That was the last time anyone saw him. PASSENGERS OF FLIGHT 93 While two planes hit the World Trade Center towers and one plane hit the Pentagon, another plane that headed for the White House never reached its destination. That’s because passengers aboard this flight, upon learning their plane had been hijacked, decided to rush the cockpit and overtake the terrorists. They caused the plane to crash in an empty field in Pennsylvania, saving the White House but killing everyone on board. Sad though their deaths may be, these heroic men and women continue to inspire people even 20 years later. We should never forget the tragedy of 9/11, but we should also remember these regular people who decided to take extraordinary lengths to save others.

As we approach its 20th anniversary, Sept. 11, 2001, remains one of the darkest days in American history. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives when

terrorists flew passenger airplanes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The infrastructural damage was severe, but the damage done to thousands of families across the country was even worse. While 9/11 remains a day of remembrance of these tragic events, it should also be a day to remember the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others. These are just a few of their stories. BETTY ONG AND AMY SWEENEY After five al-Qaida terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 11, Ong and Sweeney, two flight attendants, used the crew phone to call their colleagues and give them information about their attackers, including what they looked like and what seats they had been sitting in. Both attendants perished, but the information they shared helped the FBI jump-start their investigation.

4 | 505-268-6500 | 2025 San Pedro Dr. Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87110

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com