Question about lawyers defending the bad guys?

Question

Take OJ for example. ASSUME HE KILLED NICHOLE
when he got his lawyer. did he
a) say "i killed Nicole, you better firgure out a way to lie and make up a crazy excuse as to why i did it?"

or

b) tell his lawyer "i have no idea who killed her, why would anyone kill my wife *and then start crying* "I can't believe she's gone", I did not kill her, who would have done such a thing?"

AND IF IT'S OPTION a). how can his lawyer sleep an night? what about the little kids like Polly Class and Samantha Runnyon whom they KNOW the truth but they are defending the bad guy? how saaaad!!! don't they feel any remorse?

thanks for all your thoughts on this one.

Answer 1

I have so much to say on this so here goes.
1- I actually saw OJ hit Nichole when I was in High School. I think they were only dating but the trouble started brewing long ago.
2- My dad was a lawyer in Los Angeles but retired at the time. He quit criminal law for just the reason you are talking about. You have to defend someone even if you know they are guilty and you have to do it to the best of your ability. Its kinda like the Hippocratic oath but for lawyers
3- What did he say- who knows- we know he is a liar he says he didn't beat her and I saw him do it.
4- It is smart to tell your lawyer the truth so they don't get a surprise in court but my father sometimes secretly hoped his clients would get caught in a lie
But then there were people really innocent but arrested because of their race or where they live how they lived or how they looked.
5- Some lawyers probably don't care its good money. But others like my Dad burn out and stop doing criminal law. They do see a lot of really horrible things. My mom said there were times my father came home and cried, and he is no sissy man.
6- i don't believe OJ feels remorse.
7- Unfortunately someone has to defend even the guilty because people are presumed innocent until proved guilty so the innocent don't suffer. Usually the crime is enough suffering. And I would sure want the guilty person punished not some poor innocent bloke.
8- It really is the best system out there but far from perfect, and unfortunately most lawyers are in it for the money not justice.

Answer 2

This is why there are a lot of bad lawyer jokes. I suppose people like this tell themselves that they are doing the job they are paid to do - which is true. After all, as a nurse it's a given I'm going to have to deal with some body fluids, there's no way around it. However, it's my job and I am there to help them, even bad guys. As an OB nurse I haven't taken care of many bad guys but in the ER there are lots of gang members, rapists, drug addicts and abusers who come in and they must be treated with the same compassion, professionalism and skill as their victims.

And also - even bad guys need representation in court and a shot at a fair trial. Even if they are guilty, they have to go through the court process, they must be proven guilty by a judge and/or jury trial. And they need someone to represent them and speak for them when often they cannot do so themselves.

Answer 3

When I was 16 I wanted to be a minister,I Could never defend the guilty it is why I do not like or trust lawyers.We do need lawyers for example when I got divorced custody of my daughter went to me and I raised her on my own.Even the guilty need to have a fair trial. But I could not do it,Some cleaver lawyers can get a murder or rapist off by creating doubt.Life is not fair

Answer 4

defense lawyers don't care if their clients are guilty or not, they are getting PAID to get that client off the charges. and it doesn't matter if the client is found guilty or not because they still get PAID. to lawyers, the drama in the court room is a game of strategy, like chess. they can sleep at night because they don't have to live with the consequences of the trial. the tv lawyers that show human intrest and compassion would be out of business very soon.

Answer 5

Option B. Many times the lawyer knows the client is guilty but must defend him anyway if he takes the case. Many lawyers are crooked and not just the criminal lawyers. Many probate attorneys are just as guilty of unsavory practices for personal gain and I know of one personally that family and I are trying to expose at this time. Many lawyers and judges from as early as the bible days were dishonest individuals whose sole purpose in their profession are to get gain.

Answer 6

Recently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court addressed under what circumstances defense attorneys have knowledge of prospective client perjury sufficient to trigger a counsel’s duty to act to prevent client perjury. It adopted the standard that, “absent the most extra-ordinary circumstances, criminal defense counsel, as a matter of law, cannot know that a client is going to testify falsely absent the client’s admission of the intent to do so.” ( State v. McDowell, 681 N.W.2d 500, 510 (Wis. 2004.))

Answer 7

B.

He pretended not to know what happened and his lawyer went along with it.

A lot of defense attys know they defend guilty people. But their job is not to judge them, its to defend them.

Just like a lot of prosecutors know they sometimes put innocent people in jail. But its up to the defense to PROVE their innocence.

An attorney once told me that its all a game.

Answer 8

The Goldmans in my mind are going ape crazy. They want to get the rights to O.J's image, looks and his name. How many O.J Simpsons are in this world that would be effected if Goldman gets away with this?

Answer 9

lawyers get paid for defending all their clients whether good or bad - Have you seen "The Devil's Advocate"? - very good movie about that.

Answer 10

According to one of our great country's laws everyone has the right to an attorney.