NPR contacted yours truly to be a part of an online program called "News and Notes." However, I was unable to participate due to my court schedule. Damn it. It would have been fun. Anyhow, here is the link to the program. The only fault that I have with the program is that two participants are in the "true believer" vein. A differing perspective would have been interesting and would have given the program more levity.
Drug cases make up a good one-third to one-half of the cases that come across my desk. While most clients want "help," they rarely do anything to help themselves. There are a few that want to be clean and sober. Those clients are the ones where it is easier to help. Yet, it breaks your heart when you see them relapse. Here is a story to illustrate my point. I had a client who was facing a revocation of her probation back in 2007. She was facing three years in prison or go to a prison rehab facility that has a nine month wait. She did not want to go to the prison rehab facility, but to a private non-profit program. She had contacted the program, filled out the paperwork, and got accepted into the program. She did all of this before I was even appointed to represent her. The Judge was resistant at first, but with some time and effort, I convinced the Judge to let her go to the program that she had chosen. She was doing so good. She had moved from the in-patient portion to the work program. In fact, she got a job answering phones at a law office. Earlier this week, I received a frantic phone call from her. She had relapsed twice and was kicked out of the program. At this point, it would have been easy to chastise her for making a terrible choice or to tell her that she was going to die because of her addiction or to make some kind of judgmental statement to her. However, I felt pity for her because she is addicted to this poison, and sadness that she was possibly going to be separated from her children again. She was begging me to let her stay out long enough to spend time with her children before she turned herself in. My heart sunk in my chest as I told her that she had to turn herself in. I felt a little part of my humanity slip away into nothingness. So, I told her that I understood if she spent some time with her children before turning herself in, but I could not condone it as her attorney.
My client that was charged with murder hired a private counsel, and so did my armed robbery client. Each of the private counsels that have taken over these cases have praised me on the work that I have done. Yet, I am still pissed off that these clients think that I have done nothing on their cases. Plus, I want to progress in my development of as an attorney, and I cannot do that when my high profile cases go and hire private counsel.
Drug cases make up a good one-third to one-half of the cases that come across my desk. While most clients want "help," they rarely do anything to help themselves. There are a few that want to be clean and sober. Those clients are the ones where it is easier to help. Yet, it breaks your heart when you see them relapse. Here is a story to illustrate my point. I had a client who was facing a revocation of her probation back in 2007. She was facing three years in prison or go to a prison rehab facility that has a nine month wait. She did not want to go to the prison rehab facility, but to a private non-profit program. She had contacted the program, filled out the paperwork, and got accepted into the program. She did all of this before I was even appointed to represent her. The Judge was resistant at first, but with some time and effort, I convinced the Judge to let her go to the program that she had chosen. She was doing so good. She had moved from the in-patient portion to the work program. In fact, she got a job answering phones at a law office. Earlier this week, I received a frantic phone call from her. She had relapsed twice and was kicked out of the program. At this point, it would have been easy to chastise her for making a terrible choice or to tell her that she was going to die because of her addiction or to make some kind of judgmental statement to her. However, I felt pity for her because she is addicted to this poison, and sadness that she was possibly going to be separated from her children again. She was begging me to let her stay out long enough to spend time with her children before she turned herself in. My heart sunk in my chest as I told her that she had to turn herself in. I felt a little part of my humanity slip away into nothingness. So, I told her that I understood if she spent some time with her children before turning herself in, but I could not condone it as her attorney.
My client that was charged with murder hired a private counsel, and so did my armed robbery client. Each of the private counsels that have taken over these cases have praised me on the work that I have done. Yet, I am still pissed off that these clients think that I have done nothing on their cases. Plus, I want to progress in my development of as an attorney, and I cannot do that when my high profile cases go and hire private counsel.
You must feel awesome from your peers giving you props! I know I'm proud of you just from reading this entry.
I'm applying to join the Afganistant Justice Sector Support Program. Do you know anyone who has any experience with this organization? I've got a friend over there, but I wouldn't mind all the input I can get.