Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Really Dumb Clients, Part II

Well, dumb client of mine who turned down the 5 years to go pro per (represent himself), only to get me back with a 12 year offer? He's back in action. Today the trial started, the DA has to fly someone in from another state to make the case, and she made it clear, if the case goes beyond today, and he doesn't take the 12, then there's no deal. I sat with him for what seemed an eternity, telling him (Rocco style and every other way I could imagine), that he had to take the deal. My co-counsel (for the co-Defendant) even said he was crazy for not taking the deal, he didn't care. "Too much time," he said. Well, I said, it's a helluva lot less than the 26 year minimum that you face if you go down at trial. He doesn't care.

We're picking the jury tomorrow, but I can assure you, he'll be begging for 12 come a day from now, and that train, too, will have left the station. If he gets convicted and gets 20 plus years, I'm going to ask that all of his time be done in county jail (that would never happen, but this is tongue in cheek for those of you unfamiliar with the system), and whenever I get a knucklehead client again, I'll have them moved to this guys cell so they can get a little lesson in reality.

Oh well, I'll let you all know what happens....as it's happening. Wish me, er, him, luck.