[Gluteus Maximus]

It took me ten years of mulling over the matter to realize that the right to competent counsel is not the right of the accused. It is our right. We are the ones who have the right to insist that the accused be represented by counsel. That is to protect us, the society at large, from the terrors of a Star Chamber. Like all civil liberties law, it is based on the bedrock notion that what the government does to him today, it can do to you tomorrow. And it will. Therefore we have the right to counsel representing the accused.>/>

That's exactly right. I've been a criminal defense attorney for many years, and I have had a few real scumbag clients. But I don't defend my clients. I defend the Constitution of the United States. Making sure that even the lowest of the low are represented by competent counsel is one of the things that keeps the wolf of tyranny from our door.

I should add that a large majority of my clients aren't scumbags - they're just folks who acted like idiots on a particular day. Drank too much. Lost their temper. Let a loved one talk them into something stupid. In this criminal defense game I find myself saying "there but for the grace of God" about 100 times a day.

But some are real bottom feeders. I represent them, too.

[Gluteus Maximus]

It took me ten years of mulling over the matter to realize that the right to competent counsel is not the right of the accused. It is our right. We are the ones who have the right to insist that the accused be represented by counsel. That is to protect us, the society at large, from the terrors of a Star Chamber. Like all civil liberties law, it is based on the bedrock notion that what the government does to him today, it can do to you tomorrow. And it will. Therefore we have the right to counsel representing the accused.

That's exactly right. I've been a criminal defense attorney for many years, and I have had a few real scumbag clients. But I don't defend my clients. I defend the Constitution of the United States. Making sure that even the lowest of the low are represented by competent counsel is one of the things that keeps the wolf of tyranny from our door. I should add that a large majority of my clients aren't scumbags - they're just folks who acted like idiots on a particular day. Drank too much. Lost their temper. Let a loved one talk them into something stupid. In this criminal defense game I find myself saying "there but for the grace of God" about 100 times a day. But some are real bottom feeders. I represent them, too.