Lawyer needed to protect you from prosecutorial misconduct

In the January issue of The Champion Magazine, author Shana-Tara Regon points out why it is so important to hire a lawyer and protect yourself from prosecutor misconduct. Even if you are a respected United States Senator. The article reviews an interview with Senator Stevens' lawyers. Senator Stevens was originally convicted, but the Department of Justice later asked the Court to set aside the verdict when new prosecutors discovered that evidence was manufactured and exculpatory evidence had not been disclosed to the defense.

Ms. Regon's introduction to the article brings up some great questions and statements. I will paraphrase those here.

"What is the role of the prosecutor? [T]o ensure that justice is served. Frequently, 'ensuring that justice is served' is understood to prioritize securing an indictment and then convicting the accused. Ensuring that justice is served should mean that only the guilty are appropriately accused and convicted, and that, quite importantly, the innocent are not. Prosecutorial overreaching and misconduct distort the truth-finding process and taint the credibility of the criminal justice system. Where conviction rates and win-at-all-cost attitudes eclipse this goal, the fundamental principles of our legal system are compromised. When prosecutors' fundamental obligations are ignored and individuals' rights are violated in order simply to secure a conviction, the damage is likely irreversible. For every defendant who eventually wins this battle, the unfortunate truth is that there are hundreds more who lose, and frequently, even more who have neither the means nor the appropriate circumstances to even begin to fight" Shana-Tara Regon, The Champion, January/February 2010, pg. 12.

Do not be that statistic. When you are accused of a crime, contact a lawyer immediately to protect your Rights and to make sure that relevant information establishing the lack of guilt is not hidden from you. If you have any questions about your legal situation, you are welcome to contact me at my site listed below.

www.patflanagan@patflanagandefense.com