To JSA and the other lawyers in the LR: How does a defense attorney prepare for a trial like this where 1) all of the evidence points to your client and his brother, 2) a young child was killed, 3) not a single citizen of that district will have a “fair” viewpoint of your client or what happened that day. Because the death penalty is on the table, is the defense attorney focusing solely on life w/o parol as a win? How do they mentally and legally prepare for such a lop-sided trial?
I believe I read that his whole focus is on avoiding death. That said, I also read that he is likely to focus all blame on the older, deceased brother.
In my criminal defense practice, i never had a case like this that was solid, but I believe I would focus on all mitigating factors, blame the older bro as an undue influence that controlled the situation. He has an uphill battle and the ability to get an unbiased jury is going to be almost impossible. Anywhere. That said, the same thing was said about Casey Anthony and George Zimmerman…granted, this case is not in Florida.
The brother was brainwashed. He didn’t know what he was doing. He only followed strict orders or he faced death. What else was he supposed to do? He’s a good boy by all other accounts. He’s just a boy who never wanted the life he was given.
Also curious, who pays the defense attny’s bill?
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Also curious, who pays the defense attny’s bill?
You do! You the taxpayer, pay the lawyers on both sides.
The goal is to avoid death. Argue he was brainwashed. Say the brother was the ring leader. Was not in his right mind. Find some expert to diagnose him as a victim of some bullshit syndrome.
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The goal is to avoid death. Argue he was brainwashed. Say the brother was the ring leader. Was not in his right mind. Find some expert to diagnose him as a victim of some bullshit syndrome.
And he’s cute. My wife said so, which led me to an immediate combo facepalm/eyeroll. So you coach him to look like a cute, lost teddy bear hour after hour. Always on the verge of tears.
The ABA standards say that a capital defense team must include (among other things) “a mitigation specialist.” Current practice is that you start working on mitigation from the beginning, even if you have a plausible defense at the guilt/ innocence phase. The mitigation specialist will usually look at the accused entire life focusing on every bad thing that has ever happened to him/ her. Sometimes the “victim” card is a bit of a stretch but often it’s all you have.
government which means Massachusetts taxpayers will pay for court-appointed attorney. I can’t recall, was he a citizen? Even if not he’s entitled to a court appointed attorney paid for by the state/county but still it’s always an interesting issue- a foreign terrorist that commits a terrorist act is entitled to an American attorney paid for by the American public that he tried to and did harm.