Please see below for the transcript of the video
Hello, everybody. I’m Richard Waring, and I’m a criminal defense attorney in Charleston, SC. Often times, when someone gets charged with a crime, whether it be a DUI, financial crime, burglary, minor in possession of alcohol, or some other crime, the question pops up in their head, “Do I really need an attorney?” And, the answer to that question is absolutely. I want to tell you a little story about a trial I had many years ago when I was a prosecutor. It was a slam dunk case. The defendant was caught red-handed, stealing from a business. We were going to convict him, I had no doubt in mind. But, if he had accepted responsibility and pled guilty, a judge probably would have cut him a little slack and possibly even given him probation. But, you know what? He decided to fire his attorney and act in his own defense. Well, it did not end well for him, and he ended up doing 10 years. The point is: he had no clue what he was doing, but if you represent yourself, you’re expected to know what you’re doing. Don’t be that person that put’s his or her future in jeopardy just because you think you can save some money.
You need someone who knows what they’re doing who is skilled in handling criminal matters who can investigate the case for you, question witnesses and uncover evidence, and on top of that, you need that person to be a solid trial attorney if things get really bad and you have to go to trial. They can work to get you the best possible deal on the front end, but can also give you the best possible shot of convincing a jury you’re not guilty at trial whether you’re charged with a Driving Under the Influence (DUI), a robbery, drug charge, or whatever the case might be. They can even possibly get your case dismissed. Because, as harsh at it may seem, you just won’t be taken as seriously if you represent yourself. So, the next time you get charged with a crime and think maybe you can handle your case yourself, think to yourself, “Is saving a little bit of cash really worth running the risk of ruining my whole life?” I hope when that that question pops in your head, that it quickly goes away because you’re future will be on the line. You’ll know what to do. Hire an attorney.
And if you’re in the Charleston, SC area and Lowcountry of South Carolina, feel free to give me a call anytime and we can discuss your criminal matter. With almost a decade of trial experience as a criminal prosecutor, I’ll be committed to helping you get you back on your feet. Best of luck.