Fastow...
In the meantime though, it's nice to be able to bring you (along with the usual yammering) this lovely post...esoteric appeal:
"Indefensible :
Anyone who has talked with me about my possible carreer paths in law has likely heard me use the phrase "public defender" and "over my dead body" in the same sentence. One of my largest objections to that was that I know I'd get someone who deserved to be locked up in jail and have the key thrown away and I'd have issues providing the best possible defense for this guy.
Thursday David Feige came to Northeastern to talk about his book, Indefensible: One Lawyer's Journey into the Inferno of American Justice. He spent 15 years as a public defender. During his presentation (which was amazing) he said that he never lost a night's sleep defending someone who was guilty, so I asked him about it during the Q+A. So he told us about George.
George was the worst person he ever defended, and he defended him twice. George would hold taxi drivers up at gun point and steal their radios. George would threaten David and David's co-workers. George would not plead down his charges. David said two things that really got to me about George. The first was that you can't feel bad getting this guy off if the DA can't prove their case. Him stealing would be nothing compared to the legal system failing in convicting a man on evidence less than a reasonable doubt. The second thing he said to me was that each and every one of these people, however sociopathic, are humans. You spend enough time with them to realize this and as soon as you don't recognize them as human you are doing yourself a great injustice, but the injustice you are doing them is much much worse.
I bought his book and will read it whenever I get the chance, I'm also going to look into a Co-op in PDs office."
Now I remember why I run around doing these lectures, and why, in the end I wrote the book.
One heart at a time.
my controversial book about a day in my life as Public Defender in the South Bronx is finally available for Kindle and Ipad.
4 comments:
Great story and congrats on having such an impact. I think you should get your publisher to offer discount bulk purchasing on your book so that every Public Defender's office in the country can get a copy. I know more than a few current PDs who share the views of this law student -- maybe reading your book would help them understand their ethical responsibilities... Maybe...
"I think you should get your publisher to offer discount bulk purchasing on your book so that every Public Defender's office in the country can get a copy."
Talk about throwing gasoline on an ego fire. Don't believe the hype. Bronx Defenders are at best average, at worst incompetent.
Don't believe the bullshit. Feige is a poser. 5 years in the Bronx and he's out of there forever.
It's funny. I can go into a trial thinking, "this case is a loser, the guy's going down, the evidence is overwhelming, what in the world am I going to say." Somewhere along the line, I pick on some small detail, something the State missed. By the time the jury's out, I am pulling for the win. I know that I put on the best defense possible, and I don't care if my client is a creep, I want the win! And I know there's at least a chance I'll get it, too!
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