I can admire the public defender who'll take a punch from a client and continue to represent the s.o.b.; I just don't think I could. I'll defer to our colleague the Bardd:
Last Friday, the Jerk did the smart thing for a change and pled guilty to punching me out in court. He was sentenced by agreement of the parties to 8 years in prison, which will run consecutive to the 39 years he already got for the Home Invasion...
I have to confess I’m relieved... (T)here’s just something wrong with the whole situation. I used to defend this man. I did it even after he hit me, because its my job and that’s what I do...
Given that, it feels like some kind of violation of my job description to turn around and testify against someone I used to defend. On the other hand, that kind of conduct is wholly unacceptable and in honor and self-respect I could not let him get away with it...
Thank you, Skelly, for the word of encouragement. I've always found, myself, that once the testimony begins, the warrior instinct kicks in and it's like a single combat between me and the prosecutor. I can hate the guy sitting next to me to hell and further, but that's irrelevant, the fight holds my entire focus.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about telling a plausible story that explains the facts in a way that makes your client seem, if not innocent or justified, at least less culpable. And at heart, that's what I love about this job; the storytelling and the persuasion.
The Bardd