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Community => Society and History => Topic started by: Chaos Undivided on May 13, 2019, 02:23:19 pm

Title: Ex-Weinstein lawyer loses position at Harvard
Post by: Chaos Undivided on May 13, 2019, 02:23:19 pm
https://abcnews.go.com/US/harvey-weinsteins-lawyer-loses-position-harvard-bowing-case/story?id=62985775 (https://abcnews.go.com/US/harvey-weinsteins-lawyer-loses-position-harvard-bowing-case/story?id=62985775)

This is disgusting. Weinstein's a despicable excuse of a human being, but he's still entitled to due process, and going after people for defending him in court is just low.

John Adams is spinning in his grave.
Title: Re: Ex-Weinstein lawyer loses position at Harvard
Post by: ironbite on May 13, 2019, 04:51:20 pm
A private business deciding not to deal with a private citizen in it's private dealings?  Sorry baby, that's the free market.

Ironbite-choosing to defend a monster has consequences.
Title: Re: Ex-Weinstein lawyer loses position at Harvard
Post by: davedan on May 13, 2019, 07:27:23 pm
Actually I have to agree with CU on this one. You americans have this bizarre thing where you conflate a lawyer acting on behalf of their client as espousing those views. Everybody is entitled to representation. That was the whole point of "To Kill a Mockingbird". Totally inappropriate for a university to sack him because of who his clients are.

The same thing happened to Hillary Clinton - yes she defended a rapist. That was her fucking job.
Title: Re: Ex-Weinstein lawyer loses position at Harvard
Post by: dpareja on May 14, 2019, 06:03:44 am
I'm not entirely sure on the situation in US jurisprudence, but up here verdicts can be tossed out if the defendant had inadequate representation at trial. So there's a strong incentive for the legal system to ensure that everyone, even the most obviously guilty offenders, has a good lawyer.

But the lawyers still get shit for it; go look at Marie Henein defending Jian Ghomeshi.

But I'd rather someone get a rock-solid 15 years in prison than a 25-year sentence that could well be voided on appeal simply because they didn't have a good lawyer.
Title: Re: Ex-Weinstein lawyer loses position at Harvard
Post by: Askold on May 14, 2019, 07:20:45 am
Heck, I'd rather that people get fair defense in court because I prefer the court to make as certain as possible that only the guilty end up in jail and giving a fair court to everyone helps with that.