Re: Finding an IC on internet

Yes, but how in the world could you ever proove they didn't believe their client was innocent. And, knowing that, if I'm a juror and the attorney does not claim he's innocent, I can then assume the lawyer is ethical and it means he either knows his client is guilty or believes he may be?

And is that then the first thing a defense attorney tells a client: Don't tell me you did it, even if you did?

Sandi wrote:
"Marsha" <mas@xxxxxxx> wrote in message news:DfqdnSJew9D9YlrfRVn-iQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandi wrote:


should heed what they are saying. It's great to be a PR person and all, but does being a PR person mean promoting your client even in the face of knowledge that they may not be all that you are claiming?


I've always wondered how an attorney can promote a client's innocence, even with the knowledge that they are guilty as hell.

Marsha/Ohio


The answer to that is that an attorney canNOT promote a client's innocence with the knowledge that they are guilty as hell. It is unethical, a breach of the rules, and can result in disbarment. Contrary to what many people believe, if I have knowledge that my client is guilty, I cannot claim he is innocent. I can only put the state to its proof so that he is prosecuted for what he did, rather than for what someone thinks he did. My job is to protect the rights guaranteed to him under the constitution, which means requiring the state to prove that he did it beyond a reasonable doubt . I can argue reasonable doubt. I can cross-examine witnesses against him to bring out the chinks in their stories. I cannot claim he is innocent if I know he is guilty. I cannot put him on the stand and knowingly allow him to lie. I cannot answer questions that he plans to answer with a lie.

If you see a lawyer claiming that his client is innocent - not saying the state has no proof, or saying that the case is weak, or whatever, but truly saying his client is innocent - then he'd damned well better actually believe that.

Sandi 


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