Something has to be wrong when I find myself agreeing with a defense attorney again! The Houston Chronicle has an article about the Harris County District Attorneys Office's plan to force some defendants to go to trial to get their rookie prosecutors some trial experience. Well, some problems with that;
Will the District Attorney be trying some of these cases herself since she has no experience trying cases?
I agree with Defense Attorney Mark Bennett.
"The loudest voice against the plan came from Mark Bennett, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers association, who said the District Attorney’s Office was treating people’s fates like a game or a law school mock trial exercise.
“It’s unethical,” Bennett said. “A prosecutor’s job is to seek justice, not win easy cases.”
He noted that defendants who want to plead guilty but are forced to trial may have to pay more in attorney’s fees."
Amen! Not only does the DA's Office plan play games with the fates of defendants, it also plays games with other witnesses and police officers who have to put their lives on hold at the whim of some DA and judge who still schedule several cases for trial then huddle together and pick one.
I wonder if the real reason behind this is because since Lykos has run off almost all of the good, experienced prosecutors that they are swamped by inexperienced rookies who need quick experience.
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