How Do You Defend Guilty People?
How do I respond? I do not believe in the moral superiority of law enforcement. I see the War on Drugs as an injustice. I see DWI enforcement as a threat to liberty. How could I not defend the victims of Prohibition or Neo Prohibition?
Furthermore, it is not my job to adjudicate guilt. Judges and juries pronounce such verdicts, not criminal defense lawyers. I present my client with options and advise. If my client believes himself guilty (or the evidence overwhelmingly points to guilt) I still seek the best outcome.
What truly scares me is defending the innocent. The idea that but for my representation a defendant could be found guilty of something he/she did not do. The fear that a jury may side with law enforcement for the wrong reasons.
Defending the "guilty" is easy, defending the innocent is much harder.
Comments
DATE: 12/22/07 6:26 AM
I was recently convicted in Florida for DUI. first offense (.12). It has inspired me to write a book about the unfairness of the punishment. if there is anyone that would like to tell me their story as a first time offender I would like to hear at. Pooldaddy@earthlink.net
Posted by:
February 27, 2008 5:24 PM
DATE: 12/22/07 6:29 AM
I was recently convicted of DUI First offense .12 and it has inspired me to write a book about the unfairness of the punishment. Anyone interested in telling me their story for a first time offense my e-mail is pooldaddy@earthlink.net
Posted by:
February 27, 2008 5:24 PM
DATE: 9/12/07 5:30 AM
Nice Post.. I believe that our job in many of those situations is ensuring a fair punishment. Some crimes carry with it a punishment from 2 years of probation and no fine on the low end, to Life in prison + $10,000 on the high end! That's quite a punishment range.I believe those comments are often stacked to include the speaker's thought that your only goal is to "get the guy off."
Posted by:
February 27, 2008 5:24 PM