Criminal defense lawyers oftentimes get a bad rap. On the surface, many people simply see criminal defense lawyers as “those guys who make money trying to put rapists and murderers back on the street,” but that’s narrow-minded, and quite frankly that’s an unfair way to judge someone’s character. The fact of the matter is that yes, some people we are asked defend are guilty, but many are also innocent, and both people need to be fairly represented in a justice system that can sometimes skew towards the views of the prosecution and law enforcement.
There are a number of reasons why attorneys defend guilty people. Here are just a few.
Why We Do It
1. Not everyone accused is guilty – As we mentioned in the intro, not every client who walks through our doors is guilty. The prevailing creed out of America’s justice system is that every person is innocent until proven guilty, and our goal is to help those people prove their innocence. Tens of thousands of people are unfairly punished for crimes they didn’t commit each year, and our goal is to fight hard to ensure they get the justice they deserve.
2. Everyone is guaranteed representation under the US Constitution – The sixth amendment to the US Constitution guarantees that each citizen has the right to counsel in all criminal prosecutions. Regardless of whether a person is guilty or innocent, it is our civic duty to provide them legal representation in a court of law.
3. It’s not our job to decide guilt – This is one of the more important points that often gets overlooked. It’s not our job to pass judgement on our clients. A doctor doesn’t run a background check on a patient before performing a life-saving surgery, and it’s not our job either. Criminal defense attorneys are simply tasked with providing the facts and getting to the truth of the matter. Ultimately, it’s the judge or jury’s decision to determine guilt, not ours.
4. Achieving a Fair Result – Whether we’re defending someone we suspect is guilty or know for a fact that they’re innocent, our goal is to achieve a fair result for our client. Even if they are guilty, it doesn’t mean that the court system should impose an overly harsh punishment on them. If guilty and innocent clients alike were forced to navigate the justice system by themselves, they’d inherently end up with worse sentences than if they had an attorney. We’re there to ensure everyone gets a fair shake.
To learn more about representation, contact us today.
