Why We Do What We Do

Over at his place, Gideon takes apart a holier-than-thou prosecutor who has defense attorney "lie promoters" in his sight. In the process, Gideon lays out a pretty good explanation of why defense attorneys do what we do:

Defense attorneys are not partners in this pursuit of justice - we are defenders of the Constitution and of individual liberties. We are not charged with coming at the truth, but rather ensuring that the Government does not willy-nilly imprison individuals. There is a reason that the burden of proof rests with the State and defendants need not lift a finger at trial.

There's more, of course. It's a good read, if you're curious about how we can represent "those people."