UPDATED 1/21/21
Like all things, there are some criminal defense attorneys who are better than others, professionals who can win seemingly impossible criminal defense cases. In order to do so, these criminal defense lawyers often need to get rather creative with their strategies. In other words, these criminal defense lawyers make some pretty wild claims to win their criminal defense cases.
Here are just a few of the most bizarre strategies ever taken.
The Idiot Defense.
Back in 2002, Richard M. Scrushy, the founder of healthcare service provider HealthSouth, was charged with violating the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which basically punishes unethical corporate behavior. His criminal defense team claimed that he was totally ignorant of his wrongdoings, as trivial matters diverted so much of his attention from high-level management. In other words, they claimed he was an idiot, and it worked.
The Race Rage Defense.
Back in 1993, Colin Ferguson was unhappy with the service of his train, and chose to take his frustration out by pulling a gun, and shooting 25 people, killing six. His lawyers argued that he’d been driven temporarily insane with the rage of being an African-American living in a White-dominated society. What was supposed to be one of the biggest criminal defense cases of all time, though, never panned out. Ferguson fired all of his lawyers at the last minute and chose to defend himself.
The Evil Twin Defense.
A 27-year-old man by the name of Mr. Raj was arrested back in 2003 in Malaysia, and charged with transporting 166 kilos of cannabis, and 1.7 kilos of raw opium. The penalty for drug trafficking in the Southeast Asian country was death by hanging. In order to avoid the gallows, R. Sathis Raj pointed his finger at his identical twin Sabarish Raj, who in turn pointed it at him. The prosecutor, judge, and jury couldn’t figure out which one was guilty, and they ultimately walked free.
Criminal defense strategies are generally straightfoward in nature. A criminal attorney will use his or her knowledge of the law and the facts of a case to protect a defendant from what could be a harsh penalty.
The duties of a criminal defense lawyer go beyond what only takes place in a courtroom. Defense attorneys serve the important role of advocating for defendants throughout the justice process, even questioning the procedures employed by law enforcement personnel. In some cases, a criminal attorney may be able to work out a plea bargain, which can lessen the penalty. In the courtroom, a lawyer will use employ tactics to challenge witnesses or gathered facts.
A criminal mischief attorney can be helpful for those charged with property crimes or other offenses considered to be misdemeanors. However, top lawyers are also experienced in handling serious felony cases, such as those involving robbery, rape or homicide. Those who suspect that they are about to be charged can turn to the services of an emergency criminal lawyer. Anyone needing legal assistance should seek referrals from others or contact the state bar association to find the defense attorney information they need.
Hopefully you’ll never need a lawyer for criminal defense, but if you do, make sure they’re creative. If you know of any other crazy criminal defense cases, feel free to share in the comments. Get more info here.
