5-20 years sentenced

[janicey]

I have a friend who has been through it and while going through this last situation the police left behind or didn't find a box he had in his house before he went to prison, his sister packed up the rest of his house and put it in storage he never went through the boxes and someone told the police he had a storage so they went there and found the box that had fraud instruments in it and he was arrested and charged for the same thing he had just gotten out of prison for. He has not caught any charges or had any run ins with police since being released from prison. He has been fighting these charges for that long. On April 3rd his mother unexpectedly died and his world fell apart. He has an attorney whom he paid $40,000.00 in cash to and he has passively handled the case. He asked the attorney what he should do when they came at him with a plea and he said I can not advise you... REALLY? why have an attorney AND PAY $40,000.00 when he gets you a worst deal then you would have gotten representing yourself. He took the 3rd worst deal because the attorney didn't do his part and the deal was a 5-20 years. He asked his attorney to get him some time to mourn his mothers death, gather his sanity and get his affairs in order before he turned him self over. The attorney got him 30 days and the day he was suppose to go he went to the hospital for severe pain. He called his attorney at 4 am and let him know what was up and some how he ended up with 2 judges issuing a warrant and one giving him time to bring in the proof. I was given 3 months to get my things in order and turn myself in and I did not lose my mother I was going for 9 months, I Dont know what can be done if anything but all advice is appreciated. Oh and I forgot come to find out he hired my friend who has gotten me out of a whole lot of crap and wanted to marry me 13 years ago. I know if I go at him knowing what he could have asked for and done for my kids uncle, he will do it. So please let me know how much time we could have asked for, for him to get all his stuff done he has to still pack up his mothers home, his home and figure out how to store it for up to 20 years

 

[army judge]

No ethical attorney will directly advise any client to take a deal, any deal.

In fact, an ethical attorney will tell his or her client to NOT consider a deal, if he or she is innocent.

Only the defendant knows whether he or she is guilty.

A competent attorney knows never to ask if his or her client did IT, whatever IT is.

Your friend can speak with other attorneys, or file a state bar complaint against his attorney.

I don't see any there there.

I can tell you what an old attorney told this young attorney, many, many years ago.

Son, some clients just aren't likeable or believable.

You get yourself a client like that, even if he or she is innocent, a jury is gonna convict him.

Maybe your friend is unlikeable or unbelievable.

I have seen GUILTY charismatic, sympathetic clients get acquitted.

Such is life and the law. A science its NOT!