Thursday, June 28, 2007

I want defend cops - I'll never lose

Maybe if I get tired of representing of losing trials at some point, I'll stop representing the poor people who did not choose to go the police academy when they were 19. It is apparent that it is close to impossible to convict a police officer.

Let this be a message to any client I represent in the future who says to me "the cops are lying, I want to go to trial!" that jurors, like the courts, and the rest of the government, tends to give blanket immunity for police misconduct.

How a jury could completely acquit Mr. Love, who shot an unarmed man who was lying on the ground and only began to get up at his specific command - and then lied about it in a police report, only to change his story when he saw the video of the incident, is beyond me. However, it's clear to me, the message to other officers is clear - shoot, kill, do whatever you want, just keep the hoard away from me. Laws, justice, the Constitution, all fine and well, as long as it is not followed in MY neighborhood by MY police men.

Oh, I really need a new job. I can work for the police union, and when I say to the opposing counsel "we'll go to trial," they will really be afraid, and I really may win the vast majority of my cases.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Try to look at the bright side: Next time one of your clients is charged with resisting arrest try claiming he had heard of this case and so didn't put his hands behind him because he was afraid that would be interpreted as lunging at the officer.

Anonymous said...

"How a jury could completely acquit Mr. Love, who shot an unarmed man who was lying on the ground and only began to get up at his specific command - and then lied about it in a police report, only to change his story when he saw the video of the incident, is beyond me..."

Really? Hmmn...perhaps, having a good lawyer who demonstrates that an element of the charge was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt? I am sure you recall that both of us have used that one successfully...at least a few times anyway...and perhaps even with just as tough of facts...

Before you get too deep on the "I cant believe this acquittal..." rant, lets recall that as defense attorneys were are not seeking "truth." Ultimately, we are not seeking "justice" either. That is supposed to be the DA's job.(though they don't give a frogs fat ass about that either).

What we are seeking is to protect constitutional rights, and to get acquittals. That's a staple at the L.A. PD's office and something that was likely drilled into you from grade level I. Unless, of course, you again beleive that this principle applies only to the indigent.

And since your previous post dealt so much with "hypocrisy," with "straight faces" to boot...I am still waiting for your explanation as to why the leak of the secret prisons isn't a leak that outrages you... or why you don't care to bring it up as you did with Plame? Ya know, since that kinda stuff bothers you so much and is a crime and all...

Anonymous said...

I was there - that was my courthouse. I watched the victim testify. He was a terrible witness. His blood alcohol level was a .12 hours after he was shot. He was really, really drunk. And yet he kept telling the defense attorney that he only drank an absurdly small amount of alcohol. He was also an SP in the air force (a cop), and he had the attitutde of an arrogant cop on the stand. He kept arguing with the defense attorney. He was rude, disrespectful, and he didn't come across as a sympathetic victim. The defense attorney picked him apart and made the defendant's actions look reasonable.

That being said, the DA overcharged the case. It should have been charged as ADW PC 245(b) w/ gun ehhancements. The DA (Lou Cope, a DDA in San Bernardino that I honestly don't know if he had his heart in the trial - his witness prep of the victim was terrible) didn't really focus on the false statements of the defendant as much as he should have. Nonetheless, brilliantly defended.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly! said...

"the cops are lying, I want to go to trial", maybe you should read my story and tell me what you think of that one. I would be interested in your opinion regarding my case.

http://lokalvbgal.blogspot.com/