Hellobee Boards

I have a really hard time feeling sorry for KimK, but I do think she's entitled to her opinion whether I agree with her or not. She is not her father, and that is not a *fair* limitation.

I am not a big Kim K. fan but I don't think it's really fair. She has no control over what her father did, and she is entitled to her own opinion.

@MsLipGloss: Good point too, although I read that Robert Kardashian was also a close friend of O.J. Simpson and may have even hid/altered evidence for him.

That's ridiculous. I'm sure if any of us were arrested, we'd want an experienced attorney to take our case!

@pui: I don't know for sure, but I think I heard something to that effect (that they were friends/acquaintances). I just know that having been involved in some (relatively high profile) cases, that people generally assume that you are representing a client because you *believe* them . . . which is not always the case.

@mrbee: I hope so - and the sooner the better!

I do think it's unfair to throw that in her face.

I hope that if she's going to throw that out there, that she was really following all the facts of the trial, and not just basing the statement on what bits and pieces of the trial came through on the news.

@mrbee: @Mrsbells: While we can choose to never commit a crime, what we cannot choose (or control) is whether we will ever be accused of a crime.

You get into a very slippery slope when you start saying things like attorneys should morally decline cases. Attorneys are dedicated to the law, not to morals. That thought process puts our entire judicial process in jeopardy. Whether we like it or not, innocent until proven guilty. Whether we like it or not, people go free. Innocent until proven guilty means they have the right to adequate counsel of their choosing as they can afford.

ETA: I think its silly that people are saying stuff like that to Kim. I don't really like her, but she isn't her dad. Move on.

@Mrsbells: it's actually very difficult to qualify for a public defender. You have to pretty much be indigent. The PDs that I have met have been more qualified than most of the other defense attorneys I have come across. They just have huge case loads so they're generally spread pretty thin.

@Mrsbells: High profile defense attorneys are just that - defense attorneys. I guess it's a matter of perspective . . . what one person sees as holding law enforcement and the judicial system to the rules of conduct and interprets as helping someone go free another person sees that everyone is entitled to a thorough defense. A Public Defender is no less zealous for his/her clients than a private practice defense attorney . . . and because the cases don't garner much public interest, you never hear about the numerous plea bargains (and people going *free*) like you do for other cases (which are sometimes only of interest because of who the attorney is, as opposed to who the defendant is).

Its so funny how threads start out one way and take a whole different course. So, to start, I will say that I have no zero sympathy for Kim Kardashian. I don't think anyone is bashing her. They are just pointing out facts.

As for defense attorneys representing people whom they believe to be guilty... Every person is entitled to equal protection of the laws. I see criminal defense attorneys as doing just that - ensuring that the laws are properly applied to their client's case. That does not just benefit their client, but its benefits society as a whole. The importance of this will absolutely be highlighted when a person - God forbid - is wrongfully accused of a crime.

@Mrsbells: I get what you are saying, but law is a bit more complicated than just guilty or not guilty. Lots of times the defense goes in to court pleading guilty... then the court is to decide to what degree and what the punishment should be.

@Mrsbells: Well I am not an attorney, and if I was I probably wouldn't sign up to be a criminal defense attorney! But if I was, then I think I could defend a murderer... just because of my belief that the justice system needs attorneys on both sides!

I do very much believe that the adversarial system of justice that we use in the USA needs strong adversaries on both sides, or the prosecution would win every case - even cases where the accused party is innocent:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adversarial_system

Re: killing someone, most legal systems recognize that killing someone isn't a "one size fits all" crime... there's voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, first degree murder, second degree murder, etc. So I do believe that a trained advocate like an attorney can help advocate for their client to be treated as fairly as possibly by a judge or jury.

I do definitely see what you mean about how immoral it may seem for someone to advocate for an accused murderer! It does bother me, but as I've gotten older and seen more legal cases motivated by goals other than justice... I've increasingly come to see the need/right for a powerful defense as a powerful counterweight against the overwhelming power and resources given to prosecutors in this and other countries!