Criminal Defense Lawyer Indicted After Discussing "Elimination" of Witnesses

I hate this shit.

Lawyers are painted with a broad brush. We are hated. We are "thieves," "liars," "scumbags," and no amount of pro bono work we do is making things better. Like congressmen, people love "their" lawyer, and hate all others. Anytime there is a story in the paper about a lawyer, the "I have no job and just sit and comment all day on-line crowd" chimes in on their hatred of "all" lawyers, expressing their sarcastic "shock" that a lawyer committed a crime.

I, don't apologize for being a lawyer, but do apologize that like all professions, we do have our bad, rotten, inedible apples.

I don't know if the allegations against this lawyer are true. If they are, and I hope they are not, oh man, what the hell were you thinking?

People ask me all the time why educated, smart, talented professionals commit crimes. The answer is simple, because like anyone who commits a crime, they think they can get away with it. In the case of lawyers, some of them think they are smarter than they are.

Having conversations on or off tape about the elimination of witnesses, just isn't that smart.



Brian Tannebaum is a criminal defense attorney in Miami, Florida practicing in state and federal court. To learn more about Brian and his firm, Tannebaum Weiss, please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com