I like lawyers, but . . .

[pegkerr]

I work with lawyers. They're nice people. I married a lawyer.

But sometimes lawyers are handed absolutely thankless tasks. And in an attempt to handle them according to the ethical constraints of their profession, they have to say things that sound just awful.

Case in point: Rudolf Mayer, Fritzl's lawyer, (perhaps the most thankless task in Austria in the last decade), insisting "charges of rape and imprisonment had yet to be proved."

Yeah, yeah, of course if you want to get picky, technically that's correct.

But . . . ish.

Comments

[sternel.livejournal.com]

I've been reading the Austrian press when I have a chance (I spent a semester there, eight years ago, and try to keep up when I can). I found this quote from a police spokesman, speculating on Fritzl's motives in letting his daughter go (translation's rough):

"Perhaps this 73-year-old man knew that he couldn't keep this up forever, perhaps he had a feeling that his strength wouldn't last. One must be mindful of the fact that he was living in two parallel worlds and had three categories of kinswomen: his wife and the grown children with her, his daughter and the children in the cellar, and the baby children with his daughter who are living "above." He was broken, he was in a whirlpool of emotions. Maybe there was a spark of humanity in him."

"Vielleicht wurde dem 73-Jährigen bewusst, dass er die Sache nicht ewig weiterführen kann, vielleicht hat er gespürt, dass seine Kräfte nachlassen. Man muss sich der Tatsache bewusst sein, dass er parallel in einer zweiten Welt lebte und drei Kategorien von Angehörigen hatte: Seine Frau und die erwachsenen Kinder mit ihr, seine Tochter und die Kinder im Keller, und die kleinen Kinder mit der Tochter, die 'oben' lebten. Er war ein Zerrissener, es war ein Wechselbad der Gefühle. Vielleicht war ein Funken Menschlichkeit in ihm." (from here

He also had some harsh words for the people calling for Fritzl's wife to be charged. I think I like this gentleman.

[chaeche.livejournal.com]

This is crazy.

Things like this make me glad I chose to practice one of those types of law which is usually rich people fighting about money. Not many patent cases with this kind of human aspect.

[boldpurpletext.livejournal.com]

My mother has always said that everyone hates lawyers until they need one. For every scummy defense attorney, or divorce lawyer, or silly lawsuit, there are hundreds of lawyers who are helping people file bankruptcy, or adopt children, or some other legal need. So I try not to lump them all in one detestable catagory. (Accidentally sent this first as Anon, please delete the screened comment.) ^^;