I often get asked by people how I can represent “criminals”. It seems to amaze them that I would want to help people who have allegedly broken the law. I guess it has been a while since they last read the Constitution. Perhaps it is just easier to blame people and see the worst in them, than to actually think that maybe they aren’t guilty of the allegations? And, even if they are, they still need help.
We are all human and make mistakes, whether we are guilty of crimes or not. Being accused of a crime is scary, and trying to navigate the legal process can be very intimidating. It’s not about liking people or condoning their actions, it is about doing a job I’m hired to do while making sure the Constitutional rights we are all guaranteed are upheld.
I completely understand how a strong sense of right and wrong can spur on self-righteous indignation when we hear of horrible crimes committed. But, allegations are just that; an accusation of a crime that the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. The process should be methodical, factual, and substantiated by evidence, because that is the very premise of the adversarial design of our system.
I believe the adversarial system is still the best process to arrive at the truth and ensure the constitution is upheld. It is definitely not perfect, but I have seen it work.