It's almost always advisable to tell your lawyer the whole truth about your case, even if you've committed a crime. Giving your lawyer all the facts helps you craft the best defense by raising reasonable doubts. Even when a customer admits guilt, there are usually many extenuating circumstances that can come into play. If you have been charged with a crime and are guilty, you may be wondering if this is something you should tell your lawyer.
You may have no intention of pleading guilty and you may be concerned about how well your lawyer can represent you if you admit your guilt to them. There is no doubt that you should inform your lawyer if you are guilty and you should never hide this information in your communications with him. The decision to confess or admit your guilt to your lawyer is a personal decision and should be taken with careful consideration. Most criminal defense attorneys advise clients to share all the truth, as this allows them to provide the best possible representation. It's also important to note that even if a client confesses to their lawyer, it doesn't mean they're admitting guilt in the eyes of the criminal justice system.
Your lawyer's duty is to ensure that your constitutional rights are respected and that the prosecution proves your case beyond a reasonable doubt. Whether an attorney wants to know all the details or wants you to exercise your right to remain silent, you absolutely must tell the truth. Defense attorneys are prohibited from presenting false evidence. That includes allowing him to commit perjury on the stand. If the client admits to her lawyer that she killed the man, but describes the tremendous physical and emotional trauma she previously suffered at the hands of her lawyer, the lawyer may be able to present a compelling defense based on the history of abuse.
In fact, the criminal lawyer has an obligation to always protect the constitutional rights of the accused so that those who are truly innocent are not convicted. First, anything you say to your lawyer depends on attorney-client privilege, so you can admit anything to your lawyer: that you have committed a crime in the past, for example, and that you have committed this particular crime and that they cannot share it with anyone. A New York mechanic was accused of murdering several people and confessed his guilt to his defense attorneys. In addition, the lawyer cannot be questioned about you in connection with the case (otherwise, prosecutors would simply call the defense attorney to the stand).
To defend you in the best possible way, your lawyer must know absolutely everything there is to know about your case. If he had representation, they would not have arrested him on the spot, because the lawyer would refuse an interview. But I've also seen lawyers attend interviews, so perhaps yours would have allowed him to speak if he had claimed he was innocent. As terrible as it sounds, confidentiality rules prohibited defense attorneys from disclosing their knowledge of bodies, unless doing so would benefit their client's defense strategy. Fort Lauderdale attorney Richard Ansara's personal injury website: car accidents, defective products, medical negligence, and wrongful death.
If you are charged with a crime, your lawyer must know all the facts to develop a strong defense strategy.
