As criminal defense attorneys in Lansdale Pa we are often asked, “How can you defend criminals”. We have a form response for that but every so often a case comes along that solidifies why ALL of us, if charged with a crime by the police, are entitled and guaranteed a lawyer and a defense.
In a recent federal case Judge Anita Brody starts her opinion by stating: “James Dennis, the petitioner, was wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to die for a crime in all probability he did not commit.” As you can imagine, the case did not get any better from there for the prosecution.
You can read the whole case here:
http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/13d0705p.pdf
In the future, when you are tempted to assume someone is guilty because he or she got arrested by the police, remember James Dennis, and the fact that he got arrested, convicted and sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. If it were not for his lawyers, representing a “criminal”, Mr. Dennis may have been executed.