Mark Karr's defender

[MJB]

So I kinda had a feeling like so many others that Mark Karr was not really the one who killed JonBenet. He seemed so ill as to actually be distressed that he is not the one who did it as to make himself believe that he did.

Still, the public defender is criticizing the DA for dragging Mr. Karr back from Thailand without good evidence. For goodness sakes, he said he did it--seems like decent enough preliminary evidence for me. Seems like good enough reason for some form of extradition. The runaway bride got prosecuted (which I though was dumb), why not this guy for false reporting? In any case, the defender needs to just cool his jets--his man is freed on the charges for which he is responsible but now goes to CA to face misdemeanor child porn charges.

Anyhow, this story is so overplayed. The whole JonBenet thing is so messed up on so many levels.

 

[fuerein]

When things get as messed up as they are in cases like this and the Duke Lacrosse case I tend to start ignoring the case and if I'm later interested in what the current status is I'll do an internet news search on the case. When gets to this level there is too much speculation, anticipation, and downright lying going on to get even the semblance of a accurate depiction of what is going on.

 

[ada8356]

I think one of the criticisms is that they footed the bill for his trip to the states when it seems like they could have easily done the DNA test while he was still in Thailand and saved everyone the trouble.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

i believe they should send him back to Thailand...it sounded like his ticket out of a Thailand prison to me....if California doesn't convict him, perhaps Thailand would like him back.

mark tssb

 

[JMT]

At least he's off the streets and no longer teaching children...for now.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

maybe california can do something with him now...but i understand, that he wouldn't be in jail very long if he is convicted.

mark

 

[moses]

I heard the CA charges were misdemeaner. That usually means less than 6 months, or at most a year, jail time. So no, not very long.

 

[boboakalfb]

Hopefully long enough...

 

[ada8356]

I would say he is a pretty reconizable guy now, so it would at least be hard for to end up somewhere that he could prey on youngins.

 

[Queen of Blades]

And Michael Jackson isn't recognizable? Yea, yea, Michael has money. But just watch Karr will write a book/make a tv movie, and the American public will buy buy buy!

And so the cycle continues.....

 

[ada8356]

And Michael Jackson isn't recognizable? Yea, yea, Michael has money. But just watch Karr will write a book/make a tv movie, and the American public will buy buy buy!

And so the cycle continues.....

I think MJ is a bit different... since so many people grew up loving him it was hard for them to actually realize what a monster he was... plus I'm cynical and I think these loser parents who put their kids in harms way knew there were potential big $$$ in it for them... and yes I know that is terrible but how else could you possibly explain it?

 

[Queen of Blades]

I think MJ is a bit different... since so many people grew up loving him it was hard for them to actually realize what a monster he was... plus I'm cynical and I think these loser parents who put their kids in harms way knew there were potential big $$$ in it for them... and yes I know that is terrible but how else could you possibly explain it?

Or those loser parents, also loved MJ, and didn't believe the accusations until it was their child involved. Why tempt fate, especially where your child is concerned.

As for Karr, I don't find him that recognizable. Though he did remind me of Lee Harvey Oswald.

 

[Sam]

The prosecutor was in a no-win situation. If she had done nothing, not gotten him back from Thailand, peopel would say she was not going after suspects. Better to have spent a few thousand dollars in a high-profile case, then get criticized for not pursuing this. Who knows, Ramsey himself might have paid the prosecutor's expenses, but I doubt it.

The defender is leveraging this for perhaps a big-ticket entrance to a better paying job, who knows? It was routine legal work and since it did not match, an ape could hold that press conference and get charges dropped. Karr will not get prosecuted because it is not against the law to cop to a charge for something you did not do, that is not false reporting. He is needing some psychological help and California is better able to do it with charges pending. Colorado does not have to house him or rehabilitate him and with his being a pedophile, they dont need the headache

 

[Austin]

The prosecutor was in a no-win situation. If she had done nothing, not gotten him back from Thailand, peopel would say she was not going after suspects. Better to have spent a few thousand dollars in a high-profile case, then get criticized for not pursuing this. Who knows, Ramsey himself might have paid the prosecutor's expenses, but I doubt it.

The defender is leveraging this for perhaps a big-ticket entrance to a better paying job, who knows? It was routine legal work and since it did not match, an ape could hold that press conference and get charges dropped. Karr will not get prosecuted because it is not against the law to cop to a charge for something you did not do, that is not false reporting. He is needing some psychological help and California is better able to do it with charges pending. Colorado does not have to house him or rehabilitate him and with his being a pedophile, they dont need the headache

That's exactly what I was thinking. Damn if you do. Damn if you don't.

 

[Andre]

His lawyer, like anybody's lawyer, has a job to do. He does this for ethical reasons, not just monetary, or fame reasons (if even those reasons). You might understand this or you might not, but it is true.

Lawyers do not have to get caught up in personal self-doubt about what SHOULD be true, but isn't, or whether they SHOULD be helping a possible child molester evade prison. They are sworn and bound by a higher morality. You may question whether there could really be any morality in this sort of stance, but there is. It's a professional morality (the kind that your mechanic who charges you for 3 hours of labor, on one hour of work, because that's how long the manual says he should charge for, does not have, but does not get called immoral about). Jokes aside, lawyers, by and large, are about the most ethical professional people you will ever meet and are held to a professional standard that most people would never manage to sustain or put up with at work. Don't judge lawyers by the trials you see on TV or the jokes. If your lawyer is a sleeze, you need a new lawyer - don't just pretend that's how they all are.

I realize some of you will laugh heartily at this...

Andre

 

[Xert]

I have to join Andre in siding with his public defense lawyer here. His job is to defend his client's interests in absolutely every area to the absolute best of his ability, criticize the prosecution, and make a public fuss to ensure that his client receives the full care, consideration, and due process that he is due. For him not to do so, even in the small matters that may appear initially trivial, would be highly neglegent.

 

[moses]

I appreciate Andre's comments a great deal. As to the public defender's actions, though, I did not see directly anything on his public statements. His duty is to defend his client against any legal charges, to the best of his ability. To me, a press conference seems a bit like grandstanding. I'm not a defense attorney, so someone who knows more may contradict me, but I am quite sure that his duties do not extend to defending his client in the realm of public opinion. The only way a public statement was part of his job was if it would influence his ability to defend his client in in a legal forum. Which was totally not necessary, since it was a total no-brainer once the DNA did not match. To me a public statement criticizing the DA certainly smacks more of grandstanding than doing his job.

That said, I have a lot of admiration for public defenders. Talk about a thankless job. And while, as Andre pointed out, attorneys are held to a pretty tight ethical code, the ethical waters that defenders have to wade are especially difficult.