California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Wade, 244 Cal.Rptr. 905, 44 Cal.3d 975, 750 P.2d 794 (Cal. 1988):
Closing argument for the defense is a "basic element of the adversary factfinding process in a criminal trial." (Herring v. New York (1975) 422U.S. 853, 858, 95 S.Ct. 2550, 2553, 45 L.Ed.2d 593.) At this critical phase of defendant's trial, counsel not only failed to act as a "true advocate" for his client; he told the jury his client was revolting and his only defense was pitiful. Counsel made it perfectly clear he was only doing his job by presenting an insanity defense. In short, in order to maintain his own sense of personal integrity, counsel distanced himself from (and sacrificed) his client.
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