The government doesn't have the "virtually unlimited" prosecution budget you're claiming. Many prosecutors are overworked and given almost zero time to prep a c

The government doesn't have the "virtually unlimited" prosecution budget you're claiming. Many prosecutors are overworked and given almost zero time to prep a case. High-profile cases get more time and money, of course, but these are statistically very rare. Also, a person probably won't be convicted on a Google search alone. The burden of proof falls on the prosecution, meaning that they have to present more than just a few shreds of suggestive evidence. Simply exercising one's right to remain silent, demanding a lawyer (even a public defender), and pleading not guilty vastly improves one's chances. The vast majority of convicts in the US sealed their fates by talking to the police, pleading guilty, or both. We'd have a much lower conviction rate across the board if everyone shut up, lawyered up, and pled not guilty--which could be seen as good or bad, depending on your perspective. As an aside, public defenders are better than most people believe. They often do just as well statistically as private defense attorneys.