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Striving for Justice
Guilty! The verdict echoed throughout the room as a woman lost her freedom and was sentenced to spend her future years in the barren confines of a prison. Her liberty was stripped away from her and she was found guilty of the manslaughter of her husband. The trial was an appalling sight to watch as her inept attorney stumbled across the courtroom riffling through stacks papers that were in disarray. The discombobulated man continued to prance around and make a mockery of the courtroom. He made numerous mistakes and was repeatedly admonished by the judge for his inappropriateness. I sat motionless in my seat in awe of the spectacle at hand. It amazed me that this truly was a murder trial where a person's freedom was at stake. The lack of the defense attorney's professional demeanor and his failure to prepare disgusted me. The attorney would call his own witnesses up and then address them by the wrong names and have the wrong set of questions in his hand and then have to stop, and walk over and rummage through his pile of disorganized papers, in search of the correct witnesses questions. I couldn't fathom that this was the behavior of a paid professional, who holds the precious responsibility of upholding justice in his hands. As I watched the witnesses take the stand and give their sworn testimony, I knew that the defendant was innocent and her actions were justifiable as self-defense. I sat there watching her sisters crying desperately on the stand describing incidents they had seen. Then I listened carefully to the defendant describe the years of violent and torturous abuse she was forced to endure. She was frightened and desperate when she pulled that trigger, and if she had an attorney who would have aptly represented her, she would have never been convicted. I attended this trial along with the mock trial team from my school. When we were exiting, I had a chance to meet the defense attorney. He ironically tried to convince the entire team not to practice law, but his incompetent display in the courtroom has motivated me to do quite the contrary. The defendant by no means should have been found guilty in this case, and it is due to the attorney's lack of abilities and expertise. I believe wholeheartedly that everyone is entitled to a fair trial, no matter who they are or what they have done, or where they come from. Justice should be served. I want to become a lawyer in order in order to prevent instances where innocent people are imprisoned, and to make a difference in the justice system. I strongly believe that it is the responsibility of the powerful to help the weak. It is the duty of the legal system to protect the rights of the citizens and to ensure that the rights that were bestowed upon us by our forefathers in the Constitution of the United States are not compromised or infringed upon in any manner. Every human being deserves the basic rights of life, liberty, and property and should never be stripped of these essentialities. As a lawyer I will fight every day to protect the basic rights and freedoms that were guaranteed by the constitution and ensure that a fair trial takes place and that justice reigns in the courtroom. Francis Bacon once said, "If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us."
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