Not too long ago, the Casey Anthony trial played out in Florida as citizens of the U.S. and beyond not only watched on television, but also showed up on the courthouse steps in hopes of winning a front row seat to the proceedings. Now, George Zimmerman has been officially charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida and is at the center of a hurricane of national media attention. The tone of Special Prosecutor Angela Corey’s press briefing seemed to indicate impending victory for the prosecution, while Zimmerman’s Florida criminal lawyer urges against any rush to judgment. Whether you’re a South Florida criminal lawyer or an interested party monitoring the situation from your recliner via CNN, one has to wonder at some point: Can Zimmerman really expect a fair trial, given all the media attention?
One of the most sacred features of the United States Criminal Justice System is the foundational belief that everyone deserves a fair trial. No matter how minor or major the offense, this is a right that all Americans are entitled to under the Constitution. Ensuring this right is a critical area of expertise for a criminal lawyer, and as such, there are numerous points to contend with along the way.
Most people who are charged with a crime don’t have to withstand the media attention rained on Anthony or Zimmerman; according to the Pew Research Center, the Zimmerman/Martin case is receiving approximately one-fifth of U.S. news coverage among current events. But a criminal lawyer must be on top of numerous other aspects to ensure a fair trial for clients. Jury selection, also known as voir dire, is critically important to ensuring a fair trial. A criminal lawyer must also determine whether any violation of a defendant’s rights may have occurred pretrial, then also protect his or her rights throughout the trial, which are complex and numerous. For instance, a new dynamic that has come to light in courtrooms across the country involves social media, the boundaries of which are not yet clarified.
The criminal lawyer is the watchdog of every detail involving the rights of a defendant, so if you’re the one facing criminal charges in South Florida, due diligence is in order to ensure that your criminal lawyer is up to the task. Ask your South Florida criminal lawyer about the types of cases he or she has tried; discuss the dynamics involved that are similar to your own case; ask about the outcome of these cases. A reputable South Florida criminal lawyer won’t be offended by your questions; in fact, most are proud to discuss their achievements, which should ultimately put you at ease so that you can both focus on the task at hand: your fair trial.
Leader & Leader, PA, is an experienced, aggressive South Florida criminal defense law firm that has a breadth of experience with criminal charges. With more than 68 years combined experience, as an South Florida criminal lawyer, they will defend you against the criminal charges you face from pre-case filing efforts to trial and appeal, if necessary. We serve Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe counties in state and federal court criminal matters. For more information, visit http://criminallawleader.com/ or call 954.523.2020. Initial consultations available 24 hours, 7 days a week via telephone.
