Fatal Attraction?
April 11, 2006
Twice in my career family members of victims my client was convicted of murdering have asked me to represent them. It is odd and strangely unnerving.
The first time was during trial. My client was accused of murdering a prostitute and leaving her body in a snow bank. His bite marks were on her breast. The case went unsolved for many years.
The murdered woman's sister attended the trial, and sat in the visitor's gallery. I feared the family, assuming they would be filled with rage toward me. I was defending a man they believed had killed their daughter and sister.
One day, the sister approached me in the hall. I braced myself. Here comes trouble, I thought. She asked me to represent her on charges pending against her in that very courthouse. I declined. I told her that for all I knew I may yet call her as a witness. She thanked me and took my card. I would be lying if I said I was not flattered. My client was convicted and is now serving a 60 year sentence.
It happened again moments ago. A man, I will call him John Doe called about a criminal case. The name seemed familiar. "Wasn't your father murdered eight or so years ago?"
"Yeah," the caller said. "We have the same name."
"I represented the man convicted of killing your father," I said.
"I know that," he said.
Odd cycles at work here. It feels like something out of a Greek tragedy.
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