I've now spent ten years working in the criminal justice system as a defense attorney, first as a public defender, and now a private attorney. Over the years I've witnessed all of the heartbreak and exhilaration, highs and lows of a system that is both too often a tragedy and too often tragic. I have seen people do some of the worst things imaginable to each other, but I have known all of them as people, victims and defendants, all with real emotions, families, and lives. I have seen this system commit some of the worst injustices, and I have seen real, live authority figures lie and cheat. I have also seen the system work, reform people, and exonerate the innocent.
I hope this forum will provide some insight into the detailed workings of the criminal justice system from a defense perspective. Our jobs are often misunderstood, holding a public perception framed more by O.J. Simpson than reality. In time, as I write more here, perhaps at least one person will learn just a little more about what we do. From plea negotiations to civil rights violations, I hope this will become a source for insight.
In my next post, I plan on explaining how the police have nearly unfettered discretion to search your car anytime they want to.
Rick Johnson
Johnson & Johnson, LLC
Kansas City, Missouri
www.johnson-johnsonllc.com
About Me
- Rick Johnson
- Rick Johnson graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2000. He began his career at Armstrong Teasdale, but soon left to join the Kansas City Trial Office of the Missouri State Public Defender System. Showing a high degree of skill as a trial attorney, Rick quickly advanced into more serious cases. Handling cases with forensic science as a central focus, Rick possesses significant knowledge and skill in such areas as blood-spatter interpretation, ballistics, firearms, sexual assault investigations, and DNA analysis. He has appeared in courts across Missouri, and has represented thousands of clients on all types of matters, including personal injury, traffic, and criminal cases. He has tried dozens of cases to juries both as first and second chair, and he has received not guilty verdicts on matters including domestic violence, sexual assault, armed robbery, drug possession, and DWI.
