I am very proud of our jury in Queens today. They were presented with a case where police lied and they stayed with the case till the very end, didn't form any opinions and watched as police officer and detectives lies unraveled before their very eyes. The pressure on our clients to plead guilty. I was not my client's first attorney. He switched because his old lawyer told him to plead guilty to something he didn't do. The lawyer told him "It will be your word against the word of an eyewitness police officer, who do you think a jury will believe?"
I blogged the facts of the case yesterday. I am so exhausted from the stress of waiting a verdict I don't have the strength to add a new blog tonight.
I just want to say to any young (or old) criminal defense lawyer, or to clients out there, next time you are about to say, "it is your word against the police, who do you think the jury will believe" ask yourself, are you doing this for the client, or are you just afraid you won't be able to do the job you need to do.
I am going to spend a little time in my next post talking about how a good cross-examiner, uses little lies and big lies to creat doubt or get out the truth.
For now, I want to thank my co counsel, John Scarpa, a brilliant cross-examiner, a ferocious advocate, and a brave fellow brother lawyer for his leadership, and friendship. I want to Thank Acting Supreme Court Justice Latella for giving my client and I a fair trial. Finally I want to thank my Clients for trusting John and me enough to take a chance with their lives on our work, and I want to thank the 12 Queens County NY Jurors for upholding the law, both its spirit and its letter. Thank you all.