Two stories have prompted me to write this blog about those wrongfully convicted and to answer the question I am frequently asked, which is: “How can you defend drunk drivers?” or "How can you defend criminals?"
The reality is that there are several legal concepts that often go unnoticed by the public at large and even juries, one of which is the “Presumption of Innocence.” Another is “Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt”. And I believe another significant one is the "Circumstantial Evidence" instruction.
All of these rules of law that apply to jury deliberations are oftentimes glossed over by judges and prosecutors alike, thus leaving the jury to their own devices and oftentimes leading them to apply the wrong standard of law to their deliberations. Public opinion does not help in the cause to reduce the number of wrongful convictions.
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