Criminal Defense Attorney Caught Buying Heroin

The ever-forgiving State Bar will no doubt at some time redeem this man and allow him to continue to have a license to practice law. I wonder what they would say to the unknown number of clients who were represented by a street junkie. Did they get their money's worth by a man who is U.I. in the courtroom?

Oh, we'll see it alright. The poor sap who represents him will spin this into a sorrowful tale of "hard life," or the "pressures of being over worked," etc. There are thousands of attorneys who are over worked, but don't become dopers.

Addiction sucks. Giving clients legal representation while sedated in the arms of Morpheus sucks more.

The Bar should institue testing for those who contract with government to represent criminal defendants. As for the civil shysters, let them render in their own swill.

AShaw, I totally agree, if they can drug test the Average Joe/Jane, why can't judges, attorneys, politicians & public servants undergo the same "courtesy" if you will. If you have nothing to hide, no problem, right?
We see drug testing in the private sector, why not the public sector?
A company I once worked for used to have us tested once a year, no problem there.
Only once did they have to do a random test on 1 employee who would've tested + for coke, but out of lack of intelligence & a malicious, sociophatic nature he had his friend go in for him to get the test done.
Thing was he was of a certain racial makeup, his friend was of the opposite. Quite a funny scene that created.
I've got more funny stories about drug testing issues & that company of past.
In the case of this lawyer, anybody who he represented and got convicted could possibly have their case thrown out & the sentence ended.
If a person was innocent, cool, but what about the guilty 1's?
The Bar Assoc. is going to have to implement random or bi-annual drug testing, but remember that lawyers are more for the "do as we say, not as we do" mode of operation & they don't want to do drug testing. It'll just make them seem like the Average Joe/Jane :) henry

The problem with drug testing is that dangerous drugs like heroin, speed and cocaine leave the system in about 2 days. Cannabis, which is relatively harmless and used widely by professionals from engineers to scientists, lawyers, judges, architects, doctors and CEOs stays in the system for more than 30 days! This means that the system of drug testing inherently pushes people towards substances that leave their system quickly which ironically are much more dangerous. This means that the system of drug testing actually has the opposite of the intended effect.

Many professionals use cannabis to help wind down and relax after a long day. It's really no worse than their neighbor pouring a scotch for them self or drinking a couple of beers after a long day. In fact, many say it is better for you than drinking. Alcohol, after all, can be very addictive, is bad for your body and kills brain cells. Cannabis does not kill brain cells, contrary to popular belief and does very little if any harm to the rest of your body. Does it temporarily affect the mind? Yes. Is this a bad thing? Not neccessarily, as their are no long-term affects on the developed brain. It may affect some kids, who should stay away from the substance, however it should be noted that many kids find net benefits from using cannabis to treat severe learning or behavioral disorders (no, not every kid who doesn't pay attention in class 100% of the time has a severe learning or behavioral disorder..profiteering drug companies have caused drug addiction in many children from over-prescribing behavioral drugs.)

When you are the victim of an attorney appointed to you who is UI it screams for a re-trial. This is another example of how those with no or little money are getting screwed. If you could afford a good attorney you would in no way be affected by this.
I do not like being drug tested but since the late '1970's those in my field (I am a commercial electrician) have had mandatory drug testing. Ideally this test would filter out those who are impaired and those too hung over to do their job and not everyone else including the occasional pot smoker, and those under the care of a physician.
For us using any drugs means you won't be able to be on the job site at all so there really is no choice. Let's see...drug use or poverty.
Then they say there is utmost confidentiality but the moment someone fails a drug test everybody knows, if you are on a job they will remove you and your medical records, if you used them to prove you are under a physicians care are suddenly public knowledge.
My opinion is there has got to be a better way to keep impaired folks off the job endangering the customer, our co workers and in the case of this attorney, the financially challenged innocent.sooz

Once upon a time we didn't need drug testing. The amoral nature of the legal mercenary profession is a microcosm of the immorality that has lead to the state of society where such monitoring is necessary.

Loop, very true about the 1/2 life of certain drugs in the human body. That's why random screening is probably the best method, granted that usage is suspected.
Sooz, you bring up a good point, drugs needed (prescribed) vs. "recreational" or addiction drugs.
A bit off-case here, but I'm going to use the Lance Armstrong model.
Granted, had he tested + for roids during his 1st Tour de France, it would've been no surprise, as he was just recovering from testicular cancer & certain co-cortisoids (which are steroidal) are a necessity for a healthy recovery.
That's the difference w/ roids, a drug used for healing vs. a drug used for performance enhancement.
In the case of an opiate, there damn well better be a prescription & certain activities WILL be curtailed.
There is 1 thing about drug testing I'll add here (based on stuff I personally saw @ a past employer): It is only as good as the employer implementing it.
I've personally seen it used as a tool to purge "undesirable" individuals.
I've also seen "favored" individuals get their drug test results waived.
But then again, I've also seen it used effectively on an ocassion or 2.
It's kind of like a loaded gun, beware of who's hands you put it in.
I kind of feel sory for this guy. After all, addiction is a horrible thing.
But hey, when your job deals w/ people either getting locked up or set free, you better have your ducks all in a row. This guy didn't.
I think the REAL criminal here is the heroin dealer, as he's the 1 benefitting from this guy's addiction :) henry

Wow lawyers screwing over their clients - but with a legit excuse this time.

Amazing, usually they just screw you over without one...

I wonder how many people are sitting in jail who paid that guy thousands of dollars to "Defend" them.

Screw the drug testing stuff right now, how about we focus on all the poor people sitting in jail because their lawyer was smoking Heroin. I bet they might be a little mad right now and thinking they deserve a fair shake. Call me crazy.

Bronc, you ain't crazy, you're right. I think there'll be a few retrials when all's said & done. Some may have just been handed a get out of jail free card w/ this mess :) henry

Well this just shows us that these supposed law abidding people are not so law abidding. I can only guess that he is not the only one. There are several perpertrators just like him. If the courts knew of his abuse why did they continue to let this man practice? Shame on the courts and police department for letting this man unprofessonally continue to represent clients in a unprofesional manor. To all the court people and police I feel that you are just as guilty for letting him take money from clients and letting clients put there trust in a lawyer that you knew for years had this problem. For years you let this man get aways with this crime. I hope this lawyer can get the help that he needs if he wants it. SHAME SHAME SHAME on all who knew. I heard that everyone in the courts and police department knew of it and just let it go, I wonder why they all of a sudden decided to take him down??????

Jess:"I wonder why they all of a sudden decided to take him down??????"
That's a good question & the ONLY thing that comes to mind is that they wanted to nail his heroin source.
Busting a junkie os no big deal, but if you get the supplier, that's a big hit.
Jess, that's the ONLY reason I can think of, but there may be others we ain't aware of :) henry

Wow. I used to have a little faith in the system; this guy was my defense attorney, on recommendation from a friend. In the end it was a waste of a couple thousand dollars.

Now I'm not so sure about either the system or my friend. I can always write my "friend" off, but I doubt there's much else I can do regarding the outcome of my case.

I'm open to any (legal) suggestions.

Alan Karow is not a government appointed attorney, he is a private defense attorney and does not get government contracts to represent the indigent. Get your facts straight.