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: A Public Defender's Life in Alaska

So, jury selection. Obviously I am not going to talk details. It is my favorite part of a case I think. It is when I get to talk to the jurors and not have them sit in silence. I went to the National Criminal Defense College in Macon Georgia and I have been a million times better at it since then. I always start voir dire with the same question: I know being here may not be fun. I know talking about your personal lives is not fun. Speaking in public is hard for many people. What I would like to do is tell you something about myself and see if that leads to a conversation about this process. That is, I love being a criminal defense lawyer. But the hardest part of my job is when people who aren't lawyers, ask me " how do you do it? How do you represent these guilty people"? I want you to imagine you are a criminal defense lawyer and you are at a cocktail party. Someone asks you this question. How do you think you would respond? I find this question really opens the door to a discussion about the presumption of innocence, the importance of counsel, the right to remain silent and other such topics. I am really enjoying this trial so far. I am working with amazing staff and co-counsel. Besides it is a cold case murder. Anywhere else in the US, there would be cameras in the court room. I mean it is just fascinating. Jury selection continues tomorrow. Rack 'em!

P.S. I have been listening to Miranda Lambert's new single 'White Liar' a lot. I love those lines. "Hey White liar. The truth comes out a little at a time. And it spreads just like a fire. Slips off your tongue like turpentine." Beautiful. Great trial music.

Full post as published by A Public Defender's Life in Alaska on February 03, 2010 (boomark / email).