The Aaron Hernandez murders started over a spilled drink.
- Thread starter patdog
- Start date
I got a question for lawyers. How can one sleep at night defending a piece of **** like Hernandez? Seriously. How?
I get what you are saying specifically in this case as I would guess that his elite team of defense attorneys will try anything to get him off of the charges and it appears that he has done plenty, from what is described on TV. In general, however public defenders are just doing their job to give someone the representation that they deserve under the law. My experience has been that they do a good job of providing some accountability to the prosecution to at least have a real case against someone. That's pretty important, considering law enforcement and district attorneys are not perfect at what they do... http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/DNA_Exonerations_Nationwide.php
I know a guy who defends death penalty cases. He just personally does not believe the death penalty is a legitimate punishment for anything. In most of his cases, the goal isn't to get the defendant off, it's to get him a life sentence. And yeah, he's defended some people who have scared him shitless just to be in the same room with them.
I have talked to defense attorneys that basically take the position that they are requiring the prosecution to meet their constitutional requirements. They don't come out and say it but it sounds like people they think are innocent or at least deserve a break get a vigorous defense and other people get a constitutionally adequate defense.
If these allegations are true, I would be willing to bet that he has more murders under his belt than the 3 he is currently accused of. No one goes to a club, and gets their drink spilled and just decides to go commit their first murder.
They can because our laws require everyone to have access to a defense.
Without criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors would have no check. No balance. They could railroad accused after accused.
My comments aren't in response to Hernandez specifically, they are simply in response to the question of 'how can they sleep at night' in general.
It has already been mentioned in this thread, but the innocence project is very much a legitimate cause. I have met 2 people who were released from prison over a decade after being found guilty. One was accused of murder and the other of rape. Strong defense attorneys are needed in our system.