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Jewish World Review
May 26, 2005
/ 17 Iyar, 5765
Am I a self-hating lawyer?
By
Dan Abrams
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Does it make me a self-hating lawyer that sometimes I secretly wish defendants would have to testify in their own defense? Don't get me wrong. The Fifth Amendment, an invaluable constitutional right, protects someone accused of a crime from becoming a "witness against himself." It's so sacred, prosecutors rightly can't even mention a defendant's refusal to take the stand.
But let me take off my lawyer hat for a second and say that I really would have really liked to have seen Michael Jackson testify. We found out Tuesday that it wasn't going to happen. But was it so wrong for me to want to see him on the stand? Forget all the legal reasoning, whether the prosecution has proved its case, whether the defense has established reasonable doubt, I just want to hear Michael explain why he allowed so many boys over to his house for sleepovers. None of Jackson's producers or spin doctors involved, no British journalists tossing softballs Michael's way. Just M.J. uncensored live and on stage, taking the tough questions.
Has he really never shared a glass of Jesus juice with the accuser or his brother? Are all these witnesses lying about his conduct with the '93 accuser? Why all the pornography around the house when kids are there all the time?
Come on. You didn't really settle all those multimillion-dollar cases back in the '90s for the record companies?
I felt the same way about O.J. and Scott Peterson. I wanted to hear O.J. explain the inconsistencies in his story. He claimed he so badly wanted to testify. Well, when he finally got the chance in the civil case, it reminded me why O.J.'s lawyers never could have put him on. Sure did answer a lot of my questions.
And who didn't want to hear smooth talker Scott Peterson explain the curious timing of his promise to Amber Frey, that very soon he'd be able to spend more time with her? And why did he tell some people he went to play golf the day his wife disappeared while telling others he went fishing?
As in every high profile trial, defense attorneys like Tom Mesereau initially claim their clients want to take stand and they haven't decided. But those of us who watch these cases know it's rarely going to happen. And with Michael Jackson — well, the risk was just too high. He might have wiggled his fingers on the head like did he back in that civil trial in 2002.
Look, as a lawyer I get it. But as someone who cares about what really happened and not just the legal maneuverings… boy, I would liked to have seen it.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Dan Abrams anchors “The Abrams Report,” Monday through Friday from 6-7 p.m. ET on MSNBC TV. He also covers legal stories for “NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw,” “Today” and “Dateline NBC.” To visit his website, click here. Comment by clicking here.
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