We don’t need DUI laws to deal with any of this tragic, irresponsible, and serious criminal conduct. Indeed, although these people could be charged with DUI, many prosecutors don’t bother charging these people with DUI. People who drive drunk and kill other people are charged with either murder or manslaughter. I don’t propose repealing these criminal laws.

Whether a person cherishes the 2nd Amendment is of little importance to me. I am more interested in knowing what respect if any, they accord to the rights of others to control their bodies, their money, their property, and their time. There are endless arguments, restrictions, interpretations, and outright lies anti-freedom inclined people will advance in attempts to impose their will on others.

A recent article in the Arizona Republic quoted the presiding judge of the Maricopa County, Arizona Superior Court as stating, “The criminal justice system is in peril. And public safety is in peril.” Although the immoral criminal justice system squirms and struggles to avoid or reverse the collapse, the end result is inescapable. At some point in the future, I expect a complete and total collapse of the criminal “justice” system.

Back in the good old days when Americans were interested in freedom, criminal defense attorneys had an ethical duty to zealously advocate for their clients. The concept being that an adversarial system of justice was more likely to produce just results than an inquisitorial system of justice. However, the Arizona Supreme Court recently decided that the age-old duty of zealous advocacy is no longer appropriate. Attorneys in Arizona now have no such ethical duty.

From my vantage point as a criminal defense attorney for over twenty years, it seems to me prosecutors have become more aggressive in criminal marijuana prosecutions and plea offers have become even more harsh and immoral. I suspect the reason for this increase in harshness towards marijuana users is part of an intentional effort to make it appear as if marijuana crimes are on the rise in preparation for the inevitable battle over recreational use of marijuana in Arizona. Don’t be fooled!

Real criminal defense attorneys relish an opportunity to protect the rights of those accused of heinous crimes. Indeed, it is those very cases where society’s temptation to cut corners is greatest. Any society can claim to be a free society, but these are the cases where a free society earns its stripes. So long as the standard is high in the vilest or unpopular cases, it will remain high for all cases. Due process is guaranteed for everyone; even those accused of the most horrible crimes.