Empty Promises and Fear.

During my seven plus years of practice, I have handled a number of domestic violence cases. One of the reoccurring things that I have heard from judges is the following: “Counselor, if I let your client out, what promises or assurances do I have that your client won’t go out and do this again?”

I hate this question. There are no guarantees in life other than death. So, how can I a public defender, a man, a mere mortal promise to a judge that my client will not go and attack his girlfriend? I cannot. I do not have the ability or the authority to control my client’s every movement. I am not God. So, I argue that the Court take a leap of faith on the behalf of my client. Most of the time, the Judge won’t take that leap of faith with me, and tells me that if he lets my client out, then he will go out and kill his girlfriend; and that he (the Judge) won’t take that gamble.

Today, I was faced with the scenario that these Judges love to throw in my face.

Without going into great detail, here is the situation. The former client that I wrote about earlier that complained that I sold him out is now wanted for murder. It is alleged that he stalked his ex-girlfriend, and confronted her at her residence, after she had obtained another temporary protective order against him. The ex-girlfriend had her sister and the sister’s boyfriend there. The sister’s boyfriend attempted to protect the ex-girlfriend, but was allegedly stabbed and killed by my former client.

My former client is now on the run. I am afraid, but I press on.