Q: Looking for pro bono lawyer for friend that is already incarcerated. He has court appointed but he has not done a thing.
A cpl charges include possession of methamphetamine, stolen car, counterfeit money, I'm unsure of exact atm but can obtain the info
How can I help get him a lawyer that will actually help him?? He does have court date set for March 5th but I really think hes getting screwed by this attorney. Cases r in Eaton County Michigan
A:
The best thing you can do to support your friend, short of hiring an attorney, is to manage his expectations. I get it that your friend doesn't think his court appointed attorney is doing anything, but depending on the facts of the case, he may be facing a situation where he either accepts the best plea deal offered or take his chances at trial. Unless there is a legitimate alibi, constitutional error in the arrest, or a need for an expert witness, I'm not sure what is reasonable to expect from any attorney. In most cases with these sort of charges, there is probably people lined up to testify against him; and if the drugs and counterfeit money was found on him, then....
Your best bet for pro bono criminal defense help would be to contact the ACLU or other non-profit organization. Keep in mind that all organizations are bombarded with similar requests, and they typically would only take on cases with large-scale implications on the law. In other words, unless he can show a true injustice is taking place, most organizations are not interested in taking on what amounts to an ordinary criminal case.
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