On Court Tv, Johnnie Cochran's comrads say he knew from the START, OJ was gulty. THIS, 2 me says Cochran was GUILTY as well. COULD U, as an attorney, defend a murderer and sleep at night? I dont care how much they paid me, I COULDNT. OPINIONS... PLEASE.

He's paased away so it doesn't matter now but I never have understood defending someone a person knows is guilty.

hmmm ...

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

i think it's a lot like an actor being paid a large sum of money to convince audiences he's a starship fighter on another planet.

Anxiety said:

Actually I think it's not like that. There are ethical and professional responsibilities, no?

Anxiety said:

You mean they're not starship fighters???

Why do you lie? Why? Why dooooo yooooo lieeeee?

2the9s said:

sure. but isn't the bottom line to get paid a huge sum for taking a position that you may or may not personally believe, and then creating an argument for a certain interpretation of reality?

Anxiety said:

The bottom line is adhering to the law.

I get my legal training from the numerous Law & Order series, so I don't know shit. But if a lawyer knows their client is guilty can they legally represent them in court?

grandebelle said:

Hearsay....and you believe it?

DexMSR said:

We're all sheep!!

2the9s said:

As far as I know they can, but they can't make any claims they know are untrue. I guess that makes sense. On the other hand it creates a situation in which many of them don't even want to know the truth.

cocofantasy said:

I guess I see the value, even the necessity, of having someone qualified who can tell someone else who is charged with a crime what their rights and options are. But I thought there were ethical guidelines about this.

I just hope this hasn't opened up the kind of can of worms that demands a response from an actual lawyer. I'd rather speculate into the wild blue yonder.







he said "cochrane" edit
[Edited 4/1/05 21:02pm]

cocofantasy said:

But I guess it depends on how you define "knows their client is guilty." If you mean "know in their heart," then there's nothing legally wrong with representing the client. I work for a couple of attorneys. It's the attorney's job to represent their client to the best of their ability and to adhere to the law. As long as he didn't withhold or suppress evidence that would have proven his guilt, he did his job within the confines of the law. For many trial attorneys, the "rush" of the trial makes it all worthwhile. It's all about playing your game and playing it to win.

2the9s said:

I think this has happened since the legal system has taken shape....Im sure there are honest lawyers err somewhat honest somewhere who would not represent someone they KNEW to be guily...Others are about the buck...Legal right or wrong be damned...

hell, i don't know what i'm talking about. i can tell you what a playwright does if anyone's interested.

2the9s said:

LOL...

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

Because we are "innocent til PROVEN guilty" and if they couldn't prove it...you must acquit!

Very nice replies. Its not the media per se, that assumed Johnnie KNEW, his comrads (more than 1), are saying he knew it bcuz he TOLD them. I know there R honest attorneys & ones out 4 the buck, but being 2 ppl were killed here, how can one live with themselves IF they KNOW 4 SURE their client is guilty & they get him off anyway. But money talks. If OJ was poor, he'd have been on death row. However, my concern here is the character & morals of Cochran. I dont care if hes dead or not. Did Nicole and that guy rest in peace? Was justice done? This worlds way of justice is getting worse all the time. BOTH WAYS. Innocent ppl get put away. Guilty ppl go free. Only God knows how 2 judge. NO man EVER will do the right thing 4 the victim(s)

grandebelle said:

Gimme a fucking break and get off this fucking OJ bullshit. I could careless about him or his slutty slain wife b/c both of them were out of control cocaine addicts. The bottoms line is that Johnnie was great attorney and did the job that he was hired to do and he has died. Why don't you sadistic racist fuckers let his ass rest in peace. R.I.P. Johnnie Cochran
[Edited 4/2/05 0:16am]

DexMSR said:

Right.

Hotlegs said:

Hotlegs said:

Wow. That's quite a leap in judgment.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Wasn't it though? Plus, I'm black.

DexMSR said:

yanno..


why did they wait until he was dead to say it?

grandebelle said:

so you're saying you believe it.

Subjective opinion about guilt isn't really relevant here - it's more (at least in the UK) about not misleading the court.

In the UK, for example, although counsel has a duty to act in his or her client's best interests, there is an overriding duty not to mislead the court.

Say i am a counsel representing a guy who is charged with murder.

If he has privately confessed his guilt to me, and he insists on going into the witness box to deny his guilt, then I should decline to act for him.

If he has privately confessed his guilt to me, and we are not going to call any defence evidence; we're just going to make the prosecution prove their case, then that's fine.

If he has not told me that he is guilty, but I just suspect that he is, using my legal mind, experience and weighing up all the evidence...then there is absolutely no reason why I should cease to act for him.

It's the jury's job - not mine - to convict or acquit.

Now i didn't see the programme the thread's author refers to, but I suspect it was (if true) Cochran forming a subjective opinion that OJ was guilty.

In which case it was perfectly proper for him to continue acting for him.




Disclaimer: broad comment above; i'm not a US lawyer, and the US ethical code may well be different to the UK code.

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

I am FARRRRR from being a racist. Black ppl get the shaft MORE than they deserve 4 sure! Take Robert Blake....come on... he gets off & as far as I'M concerned anyway, he reeks from GUILT. Hes white. OJ & COCHRAN being black has nothing 2 do with this thred. This thread was started out of moral and ethical matters regaring defending clients & IF YOU could defend a guilty person knowingly. Do I believe OJ was guilty? Doesnt matter now. Cochran was a brilliant lawyer. No denying THAT. He did great things as a lawyer 4 blacks as well. If he lived MJ prolly would have hired him. BTW, IMO, the cop who alledgedly set oj up, (I 4get hs name) makes me ill. He was racist and ppl testified 2 that. He was WHITE. I have alot of respect & high regard 4 black ppl and some of my closest friends have been black. I LOVE PRINCE. Color makes no difference 2 me!!! PPl here get all bent out of shape with this. Like I said... this thread was started bcuz Cochran just died, theres been lots of comments on his career, so it crossed my mind at THIS point & time, the question of his defending an alledgedly guilty person & IF YOU could do it. I'm interested in IF YOU could do it more than that Johnnie did it. So please stop defending Johnnie. Its not really about HIM. Alot 2 think about hey?

Rhondab said:

My point exactly. Can't that they just let the dead rest in peace.

grandebelle said:

First of all, who the fuck are you to tell me who to defend. Second of all, where the hell you all get off putting judegement on a man whose accomplishments in law outweigh many b/c he brilliantly performed the job he was hired to do which is win fucking case. Lastly, if you have any dignity, set you judgement aside and let his ass rest in peace.

I guess y'all answered my question? Would U defend a KILLER? THANK -YOU