BonosSaint
Rock n' Roll Doggie
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2004
- Messages
- 3,566
Don't know any of you remember the photo that made national media a few years back--a sheet dangling from a prison window, the escape route of a prisoner accused of murdering several people. Five bodies were found buried on the property he lived at. (Another embarassing moment for Northeastern PA) Well his murder case is with the jury now and Hugo Selinski has become sort of a folk hero (he was accused of two of the murders, but all the victims were suspected drug dealers). The consensus is he'll be acquitted or the jury hung, even though everybody is pretty sure he did it. (The prosecution sounds like it is pretty inept--what with forensic experts contradicting each other and to be fair, a pretty circumstantial case).
This isn't really the point of the post--just our big trial of the year...
The question I wanted to put out there, is do you think all is fair in a criminal defense--with the understanding that a prosecutor has a lot of arsenal at his/her disposal? For example, how often do we hear conspiracy theories, fantastic drug cartel theories, etc.
Should the defense attorney be bound by anything (other than not suborning perjury) in his defense?
I tend to love some of the defenses the legal shows like Boston Legal, the Practice, etc. put on. While they are often farcical, I see a little bit of truth in the presentations (along with a little gratuitious political speechmaking). Do you want an attorney who makes sure you get a fair trial or one who makes sure you get acquitted? Do you want an Alan Shore to defend you?
My instincts have often been in favor of the defense, because I don't trust the prosecution, but I've found so many of the defenses over the top (okay, probably not in 95% of the criminal trials, which are probably pretty mundane affairs, but in the high profile cases).
And do you find yourself in a trial favoring the prosecution or defense in general? And do you think for the most part that either side seeks justice or just a win?
(I ramble. Sorry, the beginning of mad cow disease.)
This isn't really the point of the post--just our big trial of the year...
The question I wanted to put out there, is do you think all is fair in a criminal defense--with the understanding that a prosecutor has a lot of arsenal at his/her disposal? For example, how often do we hear conspiracy theories, fantastic drug cartel theories, etc.
Should the defense attorney be bound by anything (other than not suborning perjury) in his defense?
I tend to love some of the defenses the legal shows like Boston Legal, the Practice, etc. put on. While they are often farcical, I see a little bit of truth in the presentations (along with a little gratuitious political speechmaking). Do you want an attorney who makes sure you get a fair trial or one who makes sure you get acquitted? Do you want an Alan Shore to defend you?
My instincts have often been in favor of the defense, because I don't trust the prosecution, but I've found so many of the defenses over the top (okay, probably not in 95% of the criminal trials, which are probably pretty mundane affairs, but in the high profile cases).
And do you find yourself in a trial favoring the prosecution or defense in general? And do you think for the most part that either side seeks justice or just a win?
(I ramble. Sorry, the beginning of mad cow disease.)