Life's Lessons

  When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for people to learn the hard lessons of life it can be painful to watch.  As a criminal defense lawyer it is often made more painful by the repercussions individuals suffer for their actions that they never contemplated.  It is not unusual for people conferring with their defense lawyer, for the first time at least, to be reticent in their recitation of events that have led them to seek counsel.

  I tell people there are two different kinds of lies - commission and omission.  Willfully misleading is a lie of commission - for an example consult the news about Mrs. Zimmerman and her pending perjury charges.  Failing to disclose is a lie of omission - Mr. Zimmerman's testimony in the first bond hearing that failed to correct his wife's lie of commission.  Both are lies and both have consequences!

  The difference of an additional month in jail plus an increase in bond amount of $850,000.00 is a large consequence by anyone's standards.  Further, Judge Lester's ruling suggested the Zimmermans had misled Mark O'Mara, one of the defense lawyers who has been there for them.  I tell clients if they lie to me and I make a representation based on their falsehood I will look like a fool for a few minutes and they will most likely end up in jail.  Now, I have the Zimmermans to use as an example of that very premise.

  The moral of the story is don't lie!  Don't color the truth or ignore someone else who has misled when you have the opportunity to set the record straight.  The failure to do the right thing at the right time for the right reason can bring you harm.