Quote:
Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14
My issue with defence lawyers is that if they simply were there for checks and balances against oppressive governments/police forces, that's completely understandable. When a defence lawyer preys upon our (in my opinion) weak judicial system and manages to drop a second degree murder charge to a manslaughter conviction, that's where I have an issue with their morality. The incident I am referring to is for a friends brother who was murdered in Calgary. I have very little respect for the type of lawyer who tries to minimize the sentence for a client who is clearly a murderer.
|
You see this is what the presumption of innocence is about. Until convicted (in a court according to law, not by the police or the media or the victim's family) you are not clearly anything but innocent according to our system.
Since my pointing out that David Milgaard was 'clearly a murderer' even when he was completely innocent seems to have no impact on many posters, try giving a read to this summary of the Royal Commission into the wrongful conviction of Donald Marshall Jr. It makes me sick to my stomach:
https://www.novascotia.ca/just/marsh...n_findings.pdf
I can't find the full report online right now, but take my word for it, the Commission found that if the defence lawyers had done even basic work that it was their duty to do, it would be hard to imagine how Marshall Jr. could have been convicted in the first place.
So there's the problem with your view. Marshall Jr. was 'clearly a murderer'. That, and the fact he was native may well have been why the defence lawyers did sweet f-all to actually defend him (and why the police, crown and basically every level of court completely failed to even remotely act just and fair).
People probably would've cheered hearing about him being beaten in jail too I imagine.
Problem was he was innocent. Not just in the presumed technical way...but factually innocent. Didn't do it. Even though everyone said he did.
Arguing to prevent a 'clear murderer' from being convicted as such IS the check and balance against oppressive government / police forces. Why is that so difficult to understand?