The Right to Counsel
As a lawyer, I used to be asked often, “how can you represent guilty people?” I would reply by noting that I never weighed guilt or innocence, rather how the facts stacked up against the elements of a given offense…because if I thought they were guilty, it would make it hard for me to live up to the oath I swore to give that person full and competence representation.
I would also remind them that everyone is guaranteed a lawyer and that the system only really works if all elements are functioning to their best…police, prosecution, defense, jurors. So in essence, it was necessary that defendants have the best legal representation available…it guarantees that at least that element of our system worked.
I mention this in light of the completely inappropriate retribution being endured by those who represented former President Trump…it’s one thing to say you don’t want that firm to represent you…but it’s quite another for threats of violence to be hurled, graffiti painted, etc.
This is a very bad precedent that needs to be stopped immediately. Obviously those lawyers made the choice to represent President Trump. But in most situations, especially in serious criminal cases where the defendant does not have resources, lawyers are appointed by the court to represent the accused, at public expense.
Criticizing a lawyer for taking on a client, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is thoughtless. Think of it this way…what if you were the one guaranteed a fair trial and representation, but no lawyer would take your case because they were afraid.
