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: A Public Defender's Life in Alaska

So, you know what I hate? Clients who lie to me. I have been doing this job long enough (almost 10 years already!) to know when a client is lying to me. Pisses me off. I always try to explain that we each have a job. My job is to keep my mouth SHUT. I explain that I will go to jail before I will reveal a secret. In exchange, I need to know the truth. Now don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting everyone is guilty. But I hate the conversations that go like this: "I need the truth so I can effectively represent you. I hate being surprised. Is this true? No man, no. No way. I didn't do that. No way. Ok. What if the State were to offer you a misdemeanor with another month to serve. Hell yeah man. I did that shit." I am summarizing of course. Daniel Benzali said it best in the amazing show Murder One. He told a client about how words are weapons and how when they lie to him they send him into battle one armed. Sometimes I honestly think I have done this work too long.

Full post as published by A Public Defender's Life in Alaska on August 20, 2009 (boomark / email).