one of the things that i struggled with, in particular, in robert blake's case, when i got into the case i was determined not to get caught up in the media and to be the same person at the end of the case as i was at the beginning. i think of lawyers need to be lawyers, not try to be entertainers. you would know better. >> just so you know, i covered him while he was trying that case and desperately tried to get him to come to me during the case. i felt it was so important for the public to understand the constitutional issues that were coming up, but he rightly wanted to remain focused on the client and case at that time. so how do we educate the public while remaining true to the cause of the work? >> i was going to have a hard time controlling these guys. >> you have a panel of lawyers and you are telling them to shut up, and you are not even wearing a black robe. [laughter] by the way, putting a black robe on a suit does not give you a good judge. by the way, everything your office has been doing, has been extremely helpful. but i do not know -- i was curious. there was an article in

has handled a number of high-profile cases including a nationally publicized acquittals of actor robert blakeand civil rights lawyer stephen bingham. to his left is a career public defender from washington state. she is a blunder and has her own -- blogger and has her own blog. so'. does the media contributes to a negative misconception of public defenders, and more broadly, criminal defense attorneys? >> no, thank you. [laughter] >> absolutely yes. i think for the most part, there is the lack of understanding on the part of the american public on more critical role of the public defender. it is laid down in our sixth amendment. we do not teach it properly in primary school education. the public learned of it through the news media and come to some extent, through the entertainment media. most of my colleagues, and it with a bias that is predisposed against the criminal defendant and criminal defense attorney there for. i do not think there are aware of this bias for the most part, but i'm speaking from my own anecdotal experience. my reason to get into the business is to counter that bias. i

. >> that's an example of the problem of the csi effect is robert blake case. >> robert blake was a hollywoodfe. >> we the jury in the above entitled action find robert make not guilty of first degree murder. >> experts argue csi effect is tainting the jury pool. there are some jurors who would disagree with that assertion. >> thomas nicholson was the four man on the robert blake murder trial. the idea that they were tainted by the csi effect is laughable. >> that is a a very silly assumption somebody would be influenced the tv program by some activist -- actors acting a role. >> he wasn't convicted because he couldn't put the gun in his hand. there was no time at all there was evidence to prove that he in fact even ever touched that gun. never found him innocent. i didn't let him off. he was not guilty because they didn't prove his guilt. >> here's a guy who had loaded in -- motive, intent. opportunity the three big things mattered most. if prosecutors can prove those things that's usually a slam dunk yet he was acquitted. >> aside from letting criminals walk free it has put financial burden

was tried for the murder of his wife. >> we the jury find the defendant robert blake not guilty of thegree murder. >> experts will argue that the csi effect is changing the jury pool but there are some jurors who would disagree with that assertion. >> he was the foreman on the report blake jury trial. he says they were tainted by the csi effect is laughable. >> the csi, that to me is silly assumption that somebody would be influenced by tv program, by some actors acting a role. blake wasn't convicted because we couldn't put the gun in his hand. there was no time at all that there was evidence to prove that he in fact ever touched that gun. a lot of people say, you let him off. we didn't let him off because they didn't prove his guilt. >> here is a guy who had motive, intent, opportunity, three big things that matter most if a prosecutor can prove those things. that is usually a slam-dunk and yet he was acquitted. >> aside from letting criminals walk free the csi effect is financial burden on the prosecutors and ends up wasting taxpayer dollars. >> when it reaches a point where prosecut

was tried for the murder of his wife. >> we the jury find the defendant robert blake not guilty of the that the csi effect is changing the jury pool but there are some jurors who would disagree with that assertion. >> he was the foreman on the report blake jury trial. he says they were tainted by the csi effect is laughable. >> the csi, that to me is silly assumption that somebody would be influenced by tv program, by some actors acting a role. blake wasn't convicted because we couldn't put the gun in his hand. there was no time at all that there was evidence to prove that he in fact ever touched that gun. a lot of people say, you let him off. we didn't let him off because they didn't prove his guilt. >> here is a guy who had motive, intent, opportunity, three big things that matter most if a prosecutor can prove those things. that is usually a slam-dunk and yet he was acquitted. >> aside from letting criminals walk free the csi effect is financial burden on the prosecutors and ends up wasting taxpayer dollars. >> when it reaches a point where prosecutors can no longer afford to try th

robert blake, i went back to the restaurant to get the gun, you know?ngs are not going to get better in this country politically, because of the people. it's the people. the country can't get well if the people are sick. and the people are sick. now, i know obama's not been the best president and the democrats are not the best politicians, but you know what? we elected him just two years ago to fix this massive bunch of problems we have, and because he didn't do it by football season, we are ready to throw him out on the street and bring back the guys who messed it up just two years ago. that's a little too impatient. yes, when he got the patient, the patient was bleeding to death. he got the patient to stop bleeding. but, okay, the patient is not up and back at the office quite yet. it's no reason to throw the doctor out and get back the doctor who was using leaches. >> larry: well put. but it is what it is. right? i mean, we can't -- >> it's not going to get better in our lifetime. i don't think. i don't want to be a downer, but, you know, my great fr

the robert blake case, when jerry managed to do was truly a lesson for trial lawyers across the board the casey anthony case, now in florida. you have to think to yourself, how does she win a case like that? any casewh/vñ that received nationwide attention is lost before you walk into the courtroom. it then becomes your job to turn around. there is a presumption of guilt on any client and then you add the nationwide attention, it is insurmountable. >> so we have a responsibility to speak to the public? you have to figurer want to say in who you can say it to, but it seems like you are say we almost have a responsibility. >> in most cases. >> aside from the attitude of public defenders, is there something inherently more challenging about being a defender in the limelight than being in the day -- a d.a? >> it is everything we have talked about. there is the inherent bias against us as a criminal defense lawyers. added on top of that is the fact that we have this position of incompetence, somebody who is new that does not know what they're doing.db& and that our clients are probably gui

. >> there is no such thing we learned from robert blake and o.j. that it is a slam dunk.ght be on trial here is the death penalty. that might be the best defense because the jurors have to believe that they will get the death penalty. >> if we as a country decide we are going to have a death penalty if not these people, who. in. >> charged with arson, kidnapping, capital murder, robbery and sexual assault, the jury has endured photos of charred beds, and the tattered remains of the girls and their loving mother. >> this is like a dark version of in cold blood. it doesn't get worse and defense attorney's job is like clarence darrow, it is not guilt versus innocence. it is can we save these guys lives. >> hayes admits finding the bankbook, forcing jennifer to withdraw $15,000 and how josh told steven the sexually assaulted the little girl when returned from the bank and how he had to rape jennifer to square things up. >> reading the evidence is so upsetting to me and everyone else who hears it. >> it is hard on a jury but that is our system. they can decide and they can dec