To you. Whether you are an attorney at law, a police officer, or even a security guard. This is my letter to you. I want to start with a thank you. In the last few weeks I've encountered several of you, from VARIOUS fields, and you all seem to be interested in one thing: justice.
But here is where I must pry a little deeper with several questions. And these are not coming from a sarcastic angle or with ANY snide intention. To anyone who reads this, ask your fellow family members or friends who represent the law...these questions are coming from a genuine heart that is trying to make sense of things.
To those of you who govern: Why do you do it? How can you go home at night knowing you did something for a greater good, but someone out there is angry with you, or that maybe someone was innocent afterall? Maybe I am just too concerned with creating a world of peace that my stomach is too fragile for that type of work. (Well, it definitely is... ha.)
Before I receive comments from those on the defense, I want to explain where I'm coming from. I just spent a week and a half as a federal juror. I won't go into the details of the case, but I am the person who ALWAYS sees both sides of the story...so making up my mind is a difficult task.
So I'm at the place of coming to grips with my decision in the case. Was he guilty, yes...on some of the counts. But my mind continually reminds me, "But Erica, he really was just at the wrong place and the wrong time." And those of you in law KNOW that there are so many convicted felons in this world who were put in jail solely because they just made the terrible mistake of not telling someone of authority what was going on....(yes, they are still in the wrong and should be tried as guilty...)
While I can live with, an agree with, what our jury decided as a verdict, I am finding it hard to live with the 'what if's' of the situation...what if he really DIDN'T know what was going on around him. Did we just put a man in prison (for a very long time) who was innocent?
To those of you who govern....how do you digest the 'what if's' in your situation?
I can't seem to shake the, very real, possibility that we didn't really get the whole story....and decided someone's fate.
And to those of you who have maybe had to make a decision that effected the entire life of someone else....how did you live with NO regrets in your decisions?
This comes from a heavy heart. I would truly love any and all words that people have to say on this matter.
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Erica,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you are such a concerned juror. And let me tell you as someone working in the law, your service as a juror is MUCH appreciated!!!! As a third year law student who works for the Public Defender in San Diego often times we see jurors that don't concern themselves with the questions you are asking. I understand the fact that a defendant may have done something wrong however, it is still a life and as a juror you are determining a large part of what that life will entail for the next few+ years. So thank you for being concerned.
As for your question on "how did you live with NO regrets in your decisions?" in regards to deciding something that effects the entire life os someone else, it is definitely challenging. I'm a certified law student, meaning that I work for a supervising attorney and do essentially what a lawyer does but with supervision. I work with clients that range from the age of 18 to my oldest client was 65 and a lot of my decisions and my supervising attorney's decisions can change the entire outcome of someone's life. As someone working in the law and especially on the defense side, it is our ethical duty to do what is right for our clients. That's not to say that it isn't challenging sometimes, especially in the case where a client has a mental disease and is being sent to jail/prison for something they don't comprehend that they did when they really belong in a mental hospital getting treatment for their disease. It is definitely a struggle, but I guess to answer your question, as a defense attorney you have to try your hardest to do what is best for your client and provide them the best representation you can possibly give them. I wouldn't say that we live with NO regrets in regards to the decisions we make for our clients because there are so many factors involved such as district attorneys, judges, jurors, etc. However, if I can say at the end of the day that I fought for my client to the best of my ability and provided them the best representation I could, then I go home knowing that the decisions I made for my client were in his/her best interest. There are times when I wonder if I made the right decision, but I have to keep in mind that there are so many factors involved and some things are out of my control.
With all that being said, I hope this helped to answer your questions. Thank you for being a concerned juror, all defendants should be so lucky to get a juror like you that is willing to look at both sides and understands the gravity of being a juror.
Sincerely,
Shannon Wittstock