[Vision2020] Case closed: Future lawyers in training -- Moscow school wins mock trial competition against Bishop Kelly

[thansen@moscow.com]

Recommendaiton:  See the movie "And Justice for All" starring Al Pacino.

It pretty much reflects my attitude toward our court system (notice that I 
said "court" system and not "justice" system).

Our justice system is geared toward attaining justice.  Our court system is 
geared toward winning.  If we are fortunate, sometimes justice is a side effect 
of our court system.  Defense counsels go to court with one goal in mind, "Win 
this for the client."  Whether or not the client is guilty is insignificant.  
The more notches under the "W" column, the better for the attorney of record.

Sure.  It would be nice if all attorneys put their cards on the table face up 
after the "game" is over.  But after the last card is played, all we do is 
count our winnings (those that we are entitled to and the "others").

It is all a matter of winning.

But then, isn't life?

Tom


> Ben, et al,
> 
> Did you read the entire article that Dale posted?
> 
> For example, the following:
> 
> "But an hour before, the teams looked like the real things arguing a capital
> murder case involving a dog mauling, with all the subtleties seen in a real
> courtroom. Such as:
> .. Asking a witness a question knowing the judge will rule it stricken, but
> getting it before the jury at least once. The Logos team did that a few 
times."
> 
> The is exactly the kind of unethical, underhanded behavior that causes the
> populace to rank some lawyers [and all Christ Church Cult Leaders] below the
> bottom rung of the integrity ladder.
> 
> The message of such conduct is "Prevail at any cost; the hell with the truth 
and
> the rules."  Maybe such telling conduct is appropriate on the football field 
but
> in courts of law where the dispensation of justice is attempted and where real
> people's lives and property are at stake, such conduct seems not only immoral
> and depraved but counter-productive to foundational goals of and the very 
reason
> for the existence of those courts of law.
> 
> It is obvious that the Logos students worked hard and performed effectively.  
I
> might have congratulated these perhaps well-intentioned but misled young folks
> for their effort and for winning had they in the process refused to follow 
their
> instructors' obviously unscrupulous, dishonorable, though not unexpected
> tutelage.
> 
> The real subtext of the news article is "Send your children to Logos.  We'll
> teach them how to prevail by cheating and dishonesty."
> 
> Note from the quote of the news article that the Logos team cheated not only
> once but "a few times".
> 
> It is too bad the opposition team did not ask for an assignment of prejudicial
> misconduct and a finding of contempt against the Logos team.  Had they done 
so,
> the outcome of the contest might have been different.
> 
> Logos will proudly hang their victory banner [probably appropriately near the
> large portrait of Robert E. Lee].  In a few weeks the fecal stench of the
> dishonorable, unprincipled way it was won will be just small, unpleasant,
> nagging itch (if that) which in further time will be repressed entirely.  The
> final paean will be "We won!  We won!  We're the greatest!" not the more
> accurate "We cheated!  We won!  We're the sneakiest!".
> 
> I am very saddened for our community and for the courts of law though hardly
> surprised that a law student who masquerades as a Christian would find Logos'
> conduct in this case laudable.  But Oh, Yes!  You are a graduate of Logos -- 
> ethical viewpoint explained.  Is Logos' dishonest conduct excused by the
> Doctrine of Covenantal Lying or is there another justification?
> 
> 
> Wayne
> 
> Art Deco  (Wayne Fox)
> deco@moscow.com
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> 
> From: "Ben Twigg" <bentwigg@yahoo.com>
> To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
> Cc: <deco@moscow.com>
> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 9:07 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Case closed: Future lawyers in training -- Moscow school
> wins mock trial competition against Bishop Kelly
> 
> 
> | Wayne Fox wrote:
> |
> | Perhaps Logos is an ideal place for lawyers to start.
> | The text for their logic and rhetoric studies is The
> | Art of Deception.  How fitting for future lawyers and
> | religious crackpots!
> |
> | I respond:
> |
> | I am not familiar with The Art of Deception, nor am I
> | aware of any lawyers or religious crackpots that have
> | attended Logos.
> |
> | I do recall being encouraged to think critically and
> | argue persuasively during logic and rhetoric classes
> | at Logos many years ago, and I know teachers, nurses,
> | coaches, engineers, accountants, foresters, artists,
> | pastors, carpenters, dieticians, musicians and small
> | business owners that once attended Logos.
> |
> | News of a local school winning a statewide academic
> | (or at least semi-academic) contest should be cause
> | for celebration, not inspiration for insults.
> |
> | Probably sounding like a broken record (but hopefully
> | in the interest of fairness),
> |
> | Ben Twigg
> |
> 


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