Saturday, July 4, 2009

The important role of defense counsel

“Law enforcement officers have the obligation to convict the guilty and to make sure they do not convict the innocent. They must be dedicated to making the criminal trial a procedure for the ascertainment of the true facts surrounding the commission of the crime. To this extent, our so-called adversary system is not adversary at all; nor should it be. But defense counsel has no comparable obligation to ascertain or present the truth. Our system assigns him a different mission. He must be and is interested in preventing the conviction of the innocent, but, absent a voluntary plea of guilty, we also insist that he defend his client whether he is innocent or guilty. The State has the obligation to present the evidence. Defense counsel need present nothing, even if he knows what the truth is. He need not furnish any witnesses to the police, or reveal any confidences of his client, or furnish any other information to help the prosecution’s case. If he can confuse a witness, even a truthful one, or make him appear at a disadvantage, unsure or indecisive, that will be his normal course. Our interest in not convicting the innocent permits counsel to put the State to its proof, to put the State’s case in the worst possible light, regardless of what he thinks or knows to be the truth. Undoubtedly there are some limits which defense counsel must observe but more often than not, defense counsel will cross-examine a prosecution witness, and impeach him if he can, even if he thinks the witness is telling the truth, just as he will attempt to destroy a witness who he thinks is lying. In this respect, as part of our modified adversary system and as part of the duty imposed on the most honorable defense counsel, we countenance or require conduct which in many instances has little, if any, relation to the search for truth.”
U.S. v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, at 256-258 (1967), Justice White, concurring and dissenting.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the informative..


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Jessica
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Unknown said...

That's exactly what happens too in Jacksonville. Criminal defense attorneys have the obligation to defend their client whether he or she is innocent or guilty. It's not in their hands to present evidence or witnesses, but it's their duty to stop the conviction. They can also decide to falsify the statements of the witnesses. Either way, it's established that the fulfillment of function and responsibility of Jacksonville criminal defense attorneys determines their client's fate.

Bail Agent said...

I am convinced that relying on a public defender (although many are well-intentioned) is not the advice I offer folks who bail out through us.
If you walk into our Las Vegas bail bonds office, we'll immediately recommend talking to several defense attorneys right away.

source:
A Hope Bail Bonds | 117 Gass Ave. Ste. B | Las Vegas, NV 89101 | (702) 208-9898

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