Criminal defense attorneys often get a bad rep, mainly because they often defend people who are guilty of crimes. However, the right to an attorney is a human right that must be upheld, as is the concept that everybody is innocent until proven guilty. For Joe Tacopina, a high-profile criminal defense attorney in New York, NY, those are values to be upheld at all times. It is for that reason why he is the lawyer of choice in litigation and why he is known as the best of the best in his line of work.
Joe Tacopina Protects the Rights of Defendants
The role of someone like Joe Tacopina is to make sure his clients’ rights are protected as outlined in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights. They will make sure that the defendant:
- Is given a trial by a jury of their peers.
- Is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
- Is given a speedy, public trial.
- Has the right to remain silent.
- Is free from unreasonable seizures and searches.
- Is given the right to an attorney.
Criminal defense attorneys must uphold these rights or they will lose their license and may even face jail time themselves!
Joe Tacopina Defends the Innocent
It is incredibly common for people to be wrongly accused and, unfortunately, it is also common for people to be wrongly convicted. It is the role of people like Joe Tacopina to help avoid this. He must be diligent in holding law enforcement and the prosecution accountable for their actions. Criminal defense lawyers are advocates for the innocent not just because they don’t want to see the wrong person convicted, but also because they don’t want the right person to get away.
Joe Tacopina Protects the Guilty
In many cases, criminal defense attorneys have to protect those who are guilty as well. Some of those will deny responsibility at all, others will admit to it. Either way, it is the role of a criminal defense attorney to make sure that their sentence is as low as possible. Indeed, it is not unheard of for a good lawyer to be able to have a case dismissed or even someone declare innocent, while knowing that they are guilty. This presents a moral and ethical dilemma that many of these lawyers have on their conscience.
Hollywood movies would have us think that lawyers are villains whose sole role is to stop the guilty from getting punished. In reality, however, it is everybody’s right to receive a proper defense and to have someone argue for their innocence – even if they are guilty. That is not an easy task to do and it takes a very special person to be able to treat everybody equally and to treat everybody as innocent until proven guilty – beyond a reasonable doubt. For that, they deserve respect and consideration. They are the people who uphold everybody’s constitutional rights, which are given to everybody, regardless of what they may have done.
