Maybe the Worst Thing I have heard a juror say

From public defender blogger Woman in Black:

Today, I had occasion to talk to someone, which put me in mind of a particular lawyer, which put me in mind of a class I went to, and at the class, there were actual jurors from some of our actual pd trials (my, what sentence structure).

One of the jurors from a sex case said how much she admired the defendant’s public defender, and “Even though you could tell how much [the public defender] disliked [the client], he still fought hard for him.”

That’s the cut-off point – if the jury knows you can’t stand your client either (a) you cannot represent him or (b) you should not be public defending any more.

Read the capital jury project studies…those juries who voted for life say things like, “You could tell how much the defendant means to the lawyer!” “The lawyer was just like another witness for us, showing us how much she cared for the client and why he should not be executed.”

If the jury knows that you think your client is a scumbag, why shouldn’t it treat him like one?

Original post here