I have represented a lot of people who were actually innocent of the crimes of which they were accused. I have also represented a lot of people who were guilty. Many of them were acquitted and set free due to the work that I did on their behalves. People ask me all the time how it is that I can defend someone who I know, or at least think, is guilty. It is easy, because I firmly believe that everyone deserves a vigorous defense, and that our legal system and our democracy are made stronger when every cog in the wheel is working the way it is supposed to. Aggressive defense attorneys make for more thorough police officers, more attentive prosecutors and more learned judges, and vice versa. If each person does his or her job properly the system works and justice is done. If any one of these important people falls down on the job, the system is far weaker for it and the wrong result can occur.
There was an essay on NPR’s “This I Believe” a few days ago on why and how criminal defense attorneys do what they do. I would encourage everyone to listen to it or read it. It may change your perspective on this issue.
We fight every Kansas DUI case because criminal defense attorneys are the only buffer between the government and the people under their accusation. Someone has to stand up for the people who find themselves up against all of the resources of the government. We fight to make sure that the stop of our clients’ vehicles was legal, that the field balancing tests were given according to the national standards required by the federal government, and that the breath test was given according to required regulations, on a machine that is in proper working condition and being maintained in accordance with a sound quality control program. If defense attorneys did not flip over every rock and look under it, if they did not challenge the police and state agency procedures, if they did not require that the government prove their case above and beyond all reasonable doubt, our country’s constitution would cease to protect us and our system of justice would be seriously eroded. Every single Kansas DUI must be investigated and challenged where necessary, there can be no exceptions. That is why we fight.