2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Mickey crosses a few ethical lines in this story. In particular, in the beginning of the story, he sets up a fake assault by his client in the courtroom to get him a mistrial. Later, he fakes La Cosse’s signature on a waiver after he was brutally beaten to avoid a delay or mistrial. Your thoughts? Does he get a pass for trying to get the best outcome for his clients?

I really didn't like the fake assault at all. That kind of made me mad. A cheap trick like that could go horribly wrong. What if an officer shot the client because he thought he was going to kill Harry?

Faking the signature didn't bother me at all. He was doing it on behalf of his client. I was really surprised he got the waiver past the judge though.

That fake assault was definitely over the top. But, faking Andre’s signature was vital. Lankford and Marco would have walked and Mickey might be dead.

I had trouble with this book because of the assault. I honestly stopped reading.
What makes it ok for one unethical trick over the other? To me it's the same. I don't feel it is justified to be unethical ever. This is what continues to give defense attorneys bad reps.

I think this loops back to question A regarding Maggie.

I gave him a pass on that second one because of a rogue DEA agent and a dirty, retired cop working for the DA assigned to this case. It was a life or death issue.

But, I think the bigger point is how willing Mickey is to often cross those lines.