wasn’t going to
make up stuff to build a case. Therefore, it was tough for her to
say, “Margo, I can’t operate like this. You’re not being straight
with me. Perhaps, I should step aside and let you find a more
suitable attorney.”
“Just leave me cold? That’s not fair. Besides
I was getting to like you.”
“Yesterday you walked out the door. Your
instincts might have been right. Perhaps I shouldn’t have come
back.”
“Sandy, please help me, I need you.”
Geez, why’d she have to put it like that? The
woman was being evasive, which might mean she was guilty. Or
perhaps she was covering for her boyfriend. Or perhaps...who knows.
“Look, you deserve legal assistance regardless of whatever you’ve
done. You don’t need to convince me you’re innocent, but you do
need to convince me you’re telling me the truth.” She shrugged,
giving it up for the time being. “Do you need anything from your
place? I can bring you stuff.”
They scheduled another meeting. Sandy gave
her the standard advice not to talk to the authorities or anyone in
the jail about the situation.
“Don’t worry. I won’t talk to either the good
cop or the bad cop.”
“I don’t want you ever talking. You’re not
talking to a Grand Jury either, and I don’t think I’ll let you open
your mouth in the courtroom.”
Chapter Seven
O n her drive back
from the county jail, Sandy’s distress began to set in. Although,
Margo Larena had accepted her as defense counsel, it seemed almost
meaningless coming from a quirky woman–a woman shielding a shadowy
boyfriend. At the law office, she headed straight for Martin
reading at his desk. She let her briefcase drop hard from her hand
as she huddled down in one of the two large leather armchairs
facing him.
“You need a little solace?”
“Why don’t I feel overjoyed about getting my
first murder case?”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ve spent years preparing myself for
defending the innocent against the unjust, fighting the
overpowering prosecutors of the world. I finally get my first
homicide, and my client looks about as innocent as a kid caught
with jam all over her face.”
“Isn’t it too early for such a conclusion?
There must be other facts to come out. Maybe she is innocent.”
“Maybe I can learn French in ten days.”
“So, you intend to be a criminal defense
attorney who defends only innocent people? Nice clean ordinary
people who are just standing around and suddenly are accused of
committing a horrible bloody murder.”
“I don’t care if they’re nice and clean. If
they’re innocent and wrongfully accused, I want at it. It’s like
waving red meat in front of a lion. Saving them is why I’m here on
this planet. I’m not interested in proving a guilty client
innocent. I’ll never knowingly do that.”
“That’s why you’re upset. It’s getting
through to you that perhaps she’s not innocent, and that means you
must play a different game. Let’s say she is guilty. Can you
mitigate her suffering and give her the best defense possible?
“
“I know all that. I’m just feeling sorry for
myself.” She leaned back and sighed. “It would be nice to deal with
ordinary folks who are suffering under a mountain of seemingly
incontrovertible evidence pointing to their guilt, and a state
attorney who has it all wrong but is yelling his head off about
serving justice.”
“And Superwoman comes to save the day.”
That made her laugh. “I’m truly bad, aren’t
I?”
“So this isn’t the dream case you’ve been
fantasizing about. Might not even be a jazzy convoluted murder
case. Might be simple domestic violence. A couple argues, the wife
can’t take it anymore and whacks the husband. I know you’re dying
for a big-time case in which to unleash your energy and enthusiasm,
and run around kicking down doors. Perhaps this isn’t it. Your big
dream case will come one day. It’s still down the road. Keep
preparing yourself for it.”
“Of
make up stuff to build a case. Therefore, it was tough for her to
say, “Margo, I can’t operate like this. You’re not being straight
with me. Perhaps, I should step aside and let you find a more
suitable attorney.”
“Just leave me cold? That’s not fair. Besides
I was getting to like you.”
“Yesterday you walked out the door. Your
instincts might have been right. Perhaps I shouldn’t have come
back.”
“Sandy, please help me, I need you.”
Geez, why’d she have to put it like that? The
woman was being evasive, which might mean she was guilty. Or
perhaps she was covering for her boyfriend. Or perhaps...who knows.
“Look, you deserve legal assistance regardless of whatever you’ve
done. You don’t need to convince me you’re innocent, but you do
need to convince me you’re telling me the truth.” She shrugged,
giving it up for the time being. “Do you need anything from your
place? I can bring you stuff.”
They scheduled another meeting. Sandy gave
her the standard advice not to talk to the authorities or anyone in
the jail about the situation.
“Don’t worry. I won’t talk to either the good
cop or the bad cop.”
“I don’t want you ever talking. You’re not
talking to a Grand Jury either, and I don’t think I’ll let you open
your mouth in the courtroom.”
Chapter Seven
O n her drive back
from the county jail, Sandy’s distress began to set in. Although,
Margo Larena had accepted her as defense counsel, it seemed almost
meaningless coming from a quirky woman–a woman shielding a shadowy
boyfriend. At the law office, she headed straight for Martin
reading at his desk. She let her briefcase drop hard from her hand
as she huddled down in one of the two large leather armchairs
facing him.
“You need a little solace?”
“Why don’t I feel overjoyed about getting my
first murder case?”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ve spent years preparing myself for
defending the innocent against the unjust, fighting the
overpowering prosecutors of the world. I finally get my first
homicide, and my client looks about as innocent as a kid caught
with jam all over her face.”
“Isn’t it too early for such a conclusion?
There must be other facts to come out. Maybe she is innocent.”
“Maybe I can learn French in ten days.”
“So, you intend to be a criminal defense
attorney who defends only innocent people? Nice clean ordinary
people who are just standing around and suddenly are accused of
committing a horrible bloody murder.”
“I don’t care if they’re nice and clean. If
they’re innocent and wrongfully accused, I want at it. It’s like
waving red meat in front of a lion. Saving them is why I’m here on
this planet. I’m not interested in proving a guilty client
innocent. I’ll never knowingly do that.”
“That’s why you’re upset. It’s getting
through to you that perhaps she’s not innocent, and that means you
must play a different game. Let’s say she is guilty. Can you
mitigate her suffering and give her the best defense possible?
“
“I know all that. I’m just feeling sorry for
myself.” She leaned back and sighed. “It would be nice to deal with
ordinary folks who are suffering under a mountain of seemingly
incontrovertible evidence pointing to their guilt, and a state
attorney who has it all wrong but is yelling his head off about
serving justice.”
“And Superwoman comes to save the day.”
That made her laugh. “I’m truly bad, aren’t
I?”
“So this isn’t the dream case you’ve been
fantasizing about. Might not even be a jazzy convoluted murder
case. Might be simple domestic violence. A couple argues, the wife
can’t take it anymore and whacks the husband. I know you’re dying
for a big-time case in which to unleash your energy and enthusiasm,
and run around kicking down doors. Perhaps this isn’t it. Your big
dream case will come one day. It’s still down the road. Keep
preparing yourself for it.”
“Of
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