Justice

Today, Will and I fought a hard battle, and we won. Will attacked the testifying officers with their questionable investigation tactics, and I was there to remind him of the inconsistencies, suggestions questions, and make objections. I also made motions for continance and for directed verdict. At the end of the day, the jury came back with a verdict of "Not Guilty." Our defendant hugged me and thanked me, and she hugged and thanked Will, also. She cried tears of joy, and I was so happy to have been there to help her. Justice was done today. I had a small part to play in that, and I played it to the best of my abilities. I thank God that he blessed this jury of 6 people with the wisdom to see the holes in the State's case and act on their reasonable doubts of our defendant's guilt. We even had a lawyer on the jury, and he worked in our favor. Yes, Justice was accomplished today.

Now, I have no problems with the jury, with the judge, or anyone in that courtroom except for one person, the prosecutor. He insulted me today in a manner that I have never been insulted before as a lawyer. In his closing argument, he told the jury that defense counsel was attempting trickery by having me sit next to the defendant so that we could trick one of the officers into thinking that I was the defendant. (One of the officers identified ME as the suspect!) I looked at Will, and I had daggers in my eyes. I have never, ever been told that the only reason I was allowed to sit at counsel table was on account of my appearance. EVER! In fact, because I know that I am not a pretty girl, I have always worked twice as hard as any pretty girly lawyer to achieve the success I have accomplished. I cannot believe that DA told the jury that the only reason Will asked me to sit at counsel table was because I looked like the defendant. I don't care what attorneys have to tell me to my face or to other lawyers, but he said this TO THE JURY! While the jury was deliberating, I went back to judge's chambers and told him that I was offended by the DA's comments. The judge told me if I had objected, he would have sustained my objection, and that I was right in my feelings and should confront the DA about what he did to me. The judge was kind to me, and I appreciate his counsel. I have never been so angry at a DA, and there have been some DAs that have pissed me off. But this is the absolute worst behavior!

And then! And then! The DA was so angry that he lost the trial that he started arguing with the jury. He was arguing with the lawyer on the jury! He was almost yelling at them. The jury did their job, and this stupid DA gets mad at them. If the DA is mad, he should be mad at himself! Whenever I have lost in a jury trial, I have never blamed the jury; I have always blamed myself for not doing enough to convince the jury. I have never resented a jury for finding my client guilty, and I have never expressed any angry sentiments to them. This DA was completely immature and unprofessional. I can't believe he was attacking the lawyer on the jury. I looked up that lawyer, and that lawyer went to UT Law School and has been licensend since 1976. That was before I was born! And this punk DA was arguing with this 31-year lawyer! What a moron! This DA gives lawyers and DAs a bad name.

In the end, we won. More importantly, our client won. That's what counts. There was blatant unprofessionalism, but the jury picked up on that and set it aside. The jury followed our argument and acquitted our client. Maybe sometimes, if we fight hard enough, we can accomplish a little bit of justice in this world where everything is stacked against us.