By coincidence I have been reading “Lincoln Lawyer” between updates on the Casey Anthony trial for the death of her daughter. The fictional book has begun to feel like an overlay on the live drama on my TV.
Haller, the protagonist in the book is a defense lawyer, a jail house lawyer, if you will. He hangs around the lockup with his bail bondsman friend as those charged with crimes are brought before the judge. They have many repeat clients and it is rare to represent an innocent one. The fear Haller lives with is that he will not recognize an innocent person, cop a plea and be complicit in sending that person to prison. I won’t spoil the book, or movie, for you. Haller lives for the big money client, the “franchise”, with a case that goes to trial and generates a big income for him. He finds it.
As I switched from trial watching to reading another chapter, Haller begins to look more and more like Jose Baez, Casey Anthony’s attorney. You would think Baez would not fare well with the comparison my mind was making, but you would be wrong. I believe in our system of justice even with mistaken incarcerations coming out all too often as results of the Innocence Project, a team that works to free those wrongly convicted. Everyone in this country deserves a good defense, guilty or not. This is the heart of our justice system. Those attorneys who choose to spend their days defending the accused at the risk of burning a hole in their own souls by association with scum are doing the dirty work of our justice system. They have my gratitude.
Sure I scream at the TV when Baez puts on a client obviously slanting his testimony toward the defense, who is paying him. I cringe at some of the stretches in credulity that are presented as fact in order to create doubt in their client’s guilt. But that’s his job. As slam dunk as it looked opening day for the State, this is a circumstantial case. All Baez’s team must do is create reasonable doubt in one juror. Will they do it? And if they don’t will Baez worry that he has let an innocent woman go to jail or die? When this is over, will he be back at the lockup as another night’s suspects are paraded before a judge? Or will the Casey trial be a “franchise” in the lingo of Haller, and one that keeps on giving?
Everyone I know in the Orlando area was praying they would not end up on this jury. Everyone I know is now playing juror in their mind. It is impossible not to. But it is not up to us to decide if another person lives or dies because of the tragic death of a precious little girl. Nor do we have to hand our business card to suspect after suspect at the next bond hearing. We don’t have to live and wallow in that world because other people have chosen to. Thank God! And justice for Caylee.
I often wonder about the way the media play up these trials and in this case, Nancy Grace and the way she went on the hunt from the minute Caylee was missing. I am not saying I don’t care or I am not horrified by the whole situation. I cannot imagine harming another human being, especially a child and MOST especially not my own child. How could any mother do that?? When a child is missing, it SHOULD be all over the news, in hopes the child will be found.
What I wonder about is the way the media picks their victims. Girls and boys of other races are killed and/or missing, rarely making the news the way a cute little white girl or a blond college student does. We have had recent trials here where a parent, a step-parent, or the boyfriend/girlfriend of the parent, has killed a child and they barely make the local news, and certainly never see light of day in the national news. I kind of see Nancy Grace in the same light as the defense lawyers, looking for that “franchise.” She certainly found it with Caylee as she is everywhere on the news lately.
I know you are local and so, for you, this trial is Big News. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be on the jury of such a trial (having been lucky enough not to tackle any such issues during my numerous times at jury duty).
Well, I’m a bit off the subject. I’m going to check out this book. Sounds interesting.
I think what flagged this situation from the start was a multitude of things. A lost child not reported for 31 days! When has that ever happened? A dysfunctional, but attractive family, an unbelievable liar and of course, sex and rock and roll, or whatever the music genre is now. We in Orlando were so sick of the details after three years we held our ears and screamed to keep the sound out, but once the trial started that changed. This was real and for most people I know that made a difference. We were tired of the rumors and circus, and perhaps saw this as our way to finally get at the truth and see the end of Casey all the Time. For whatever reason, we can’t turn away from this wreck by the roadside.
If you read “Lincoln Lawyer”, persevere. I dragged myself through half the book before getting to the part I couldn’t put down. Once it starts the message becomes clearer and more important.
I loved the book. I was hooked from page one and finished it in just over twenty four hours. Excellent.
Hopefully, the system will work for Casey. They have to do more than convince one juror because if the jury is hung by one vote, the sub in an alternate, who may well see things differently. Nancy Grace. Gee. I cannot stand her. Talk about ruining the jury pool. Perhaps she should be put on trial too.
I was not hooked on “Lincoln Lawyer” until 50% through. I kept thinking where is it going. The last half was a page turner, though, and made a really big point. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for recommending.