Tuesday, February 09, 2016

[rdyrwvny] Attorneys for witnesses

Suspects have the right to an advisor, an attorney, for police questioning, but witnesses typically do not have one.

Situations in which an advisor may be useful for a witness: avoiding implicating oneself in related or unrelated crimes.  Advice on communicating effectively (where effectively depends on context and agenda of the witness) while still remaining truthful.

In general, regular people are allowed and recommended to have counsel any time they interact with the government, a way of limiting government power.

Lacking advisors gives the advantage to those who have skill internally, causing an unlevel playing field.  People who have friends with that skill who can serve as witnesses have more power to win in the justice system.  People who don't lose.

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