ACCOMPLICE, n. One associated with another in a crime…
“ACCOMPLICE, n. One associated with another in a crime, having guilty knowledge and complicity, as an attorney who defends a criminal, knowing him guilty. This view of the attorney's position in the matter has not hitherto commanded the assent of attorneys, no one having offered them a fee for assenting.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Attorneys who knowingly defend guilty clients act as accomplices, sharing culpability.
In simple terms: Defending a guilty person implicates the lawyer.
Key Takeaway
Consider ethical limits of legal defense.
Themes
ethics
law
complicity
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- courtroom defense
- law firm policy
- public perception
Key Concepts
legal responsibility
morality
Questions to Reflect On
- Is it ever just to defend the guilty?
- What safeguards exist?
A Different Perspective
Legal duty may conflict with personal morals.