[sinkspur]

What if the lawyer doesn't know whether the client is guilty? Most lawyers won't ask, at least not directly.

Sorry, Dog, but, in most cases, they know, no matter what their client says. That's why there are so many pleadings.

O'Reilly's got a point: OJ Simpson is guilty as hell of two murders, and the scumbag Johnny Cochran used race to prejudice a jury. And Cochran KNEW he was guilty.

Criminal defense attorneys are quickly joining their brethren in the class-action category as the bottom-feeders of society.

[Dog Gone]

There's no way I could defend a guilty client, other than in trying to plea bargain the case. I suppose that's why I didn't go into criminal defense law.

From a purely theoretical standpoint, even a guilty person is entitled under our system to force the prosecution to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecution can't do it, then the defendant is not guilty, regardless of the fact that he committed the crime.

Since that is the case, the accused is entitled to a vigorous defense, which includes attacking the credibility of prosecution witnesses. That's the way it is, and it's not completely fair to attack the lawyers who are doing the job they are hired to do.

There is one bit of consolation to all this. It is a big gamble for the guilty person to demand a trial. If he is found guilty, he will almost certainly get a much tougher sentence than if he had plea bargained.

Most ethical defense attorneys will advise their client of that fact, which is one reason that 99% of clients plead guilty without a trial.

[Canadian Outrage]

That was the case that did it for me also sinkspur. I was soooooooo disgusted with that. I cannot even look at Johnny Cochran on TV - I turn the channel immediately. He's an accomplise to slaughter and a parasite imo.

[oldironsides]

Criminal defense lawyers are pond scum until you have a little underage drinker that hits a tree and kills his best chum. People usually do not need a lawyer but when they do
they are as meek as anything. It is really interesting to listen to a parent explain how this kid is such a good kid and " I don't want him in jail" and please help him. Oh by the way, he had been smoking just one joint. He isn't too
nasty to his mother, only when she picks on him. Yadda yadda yadda.......it is all the lawyers fault....we hear it all the time. The best lawyer hater is the guy calling up the secretary and telling her he does not want an appointment, he just wants to talk to the lawyer a minute and ask him a few questions......................You should look into the world of the whacky clients. There are some real strange coo coo birds out there and the lawyers are bound by silence on client matters. The best hypocrites of all are the ones that say "my child would never.........."
Ya right.

[mel]

Speaking of class-action lawsuits, somehow I got on a list for a class action lawsuit, i think it was a credit card, my check was for 0.90 cents. no doubt lawyers got millions

[blackbart1]

And Cochran KNEW he was guilty.

You speak the truth. The thing that got me when not guilty was pronounced was the fake relief on both Cochran and OJ's faces. It was just unbelievable .