(According to Alan M. Dershowitz)
I haven’t done any criminal law in years, but I can still appreciate Dershowitz’s views. The Harvard Law prof and premier civil liberties attorney explains the criminal justice system in 13 easy steps.
Rule I
Almost all criminal defendants are, in fact, guilty.
Rule II
All criminal defense lawyers, prosecutors and judges understand and believe Rule I.
Rule III
It is easier to convict guilty defendants by violating the Constitution than by complying with it, and in some cases it is impossible to convict guilty defendants without violating the Constitution.
Rule IV
Almost all police lie about whether they violated the Constitution in order to convict guilty defendants.
Rule V
All prosecutors, judges and defense attorneys are aware of Rule IV.
Rule VI
Many prosecutors implicitly encourage police to lie about whether they violated the Constitution in order to convict guilty defendants.
Rule VII
All judges are aware of Rule VI.
Rule VIII
Most trial judges pretend to believe police officers who they know are lying.
Rule IX
All appellate judges are aware of Rule VIII, yet many pretend to believe the trial judges who pretend to believe the lying police officers.
Rule X
Most judges disbelieve defendants about whether their constitutional rights have been violated, even if they are telling the truth.
Rule XI
Most judges and prosecutors would not knowingly convict a defendant who they believe to be innocent of the crime charged (or a closely related crime.)
Rule XII
Rule XI does not apply to members of organized crime, drug dealers, career criminals or potential informers.
Rule XIII
Nobody really wants justice.