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I am a public defender although I spent a year as a prosecutor. Over the last quarter century (even I don't believe it) I have been able to help a lot of people who had problems get help and kept a lot of people from getting run over by over zealous prosecutors and police. For the last twelve years I have been involved in mostly serious stuff. It is very rewarding work.
If you recall a few years ago the boss of a crime lab (he worked in I think West Virginia and later Texas) was falsifying lab results. He gave the police what they wanted without their having to ask. (He recently died having been acquited of criminal charges -- no doubt he had a good lawyer). His employees tried to turn him in to the FBI and the FBI ignored their complaints. This year it was reported that in Chicago a lab tech reported that a lab test that could have exonerated a defendant was "inconclusive." After the innocent man spent close to ten years in prison some one ( a public defender) dug out the old test result and found that the man was innocent and he was released. There is a double injustice in these cases because the guilty man goes free while the innocent rots. By the way all of the above has been widely reported on 60 minutes and in newspapers so it is not new and could be easily checked.
I have personal knowledge of some of the recent Chicago cases although I don't work there and there are a lot of scarry things going on whether you like what the Gov did or not. Before there was the Miranda case there was another famous case out of Chicago where the US Supreme Court said you can't beat confessions out of people. The Gov says it is still going on in Chicago. The news is full of cases where people confess to things that they didn't do. I have seen those things too. (BTW, Mr. Miranda ended up in prison just without his confession being used).
Someone has to be on the look out for these things whether the defendant turns out to be innocent or guilty in the end. I feel a lot better that people are keeping a close eye on the government. A lot of my friends (especially the really conservative ones) agree.
I don't mean to go on and on but nothing is ever black and white. Over zealous prosecutors tend to become over zealous defense lawyers when they switch. When Police are accused of a crime they always get the best lawyer they can find. You have to look at each individual and each case and decide what you think.
There is famous quote: "First thing, lets kill all the lawyers." In the play it was a statement by a tyrant who wanted to surpess the people. He knew the lawyers would stand up against him so he wanted them killed.
Have a nice weekend.
Pat
'01 9-5 LPT
'91 9000 CD
'99 9-3
posted by 204.73.5...
, Fri, 17 Jan 2003 12:39:40, Fri, 17 Jan 2003 13:24:02, Fri, 17 Jan 2003 16:52:48
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