> There’s a dull reality to my job, which is that my clients have almost always done the thing they’re accused of doing. And usually the evidence against them i

> There’s a dull reality to my job, which is that my clients have almost always done the thing they’re accused of doing. And usually the evidence against them is overwhelming — not even a close call. [...] This is one reason why almost everyone chooses to plead guilty. Ninety-four percent of state cases and 97% of federal cases are resolved by a plea deal, to be exact. A few years back a barrage of press articles presented the plea bargains as the tool of a oppressive justice system that doesn't care about real truth or justice but only about conviction rates. This public defender's opinion is certainly not much in accord.