A clarification for those who aren’t quite clear on concept of defense attorney. A just system of law aims to provide an able defense attorney to every accused as you are not guilty till proven to be & that too through a fair, transparent process. That’s what makes a system of 1/ 
justice based on due process of law actually just. We need due process because humankind has a long, terrible history of punishing the innocent, lynchings, inquisitions, kangaroo courts, one-sided trials & all kinds of travesties. Also because all cases not open & shut cases. 2/
At times culpability/guilt is hard to determine & ascribe. At times multiple people are guilty. At times there may be an illegal action but no guilty intent. At times law provides for fair mitigating circumstances, diminished responsibility and/or various legit defenses. Human 3/
behavior & actions are complex & many variables play a role. Let’s also not forget that in weak & flawed systems innocent people can be falsely accused or embroiled, corruption/privilege can undermine process, & prejudice & bias can impact just outcomes. Let’s also not forget 4/
that where there is social/economic inequality that also often translates into legal inequality (as it determines access to lawyers, other resources needed to fight a case). Let’s also not forget that many people make false/frivolous accusations. In other words many factors 5/
can undermine just outcomes. That’s why robust legal systems try & ensure due process, natural justice & various well recognized protections to ensure that the innocent not persecuted, even as we seek to punish the guilty. That’s why every accused - no matter how patently 6/
guilty - deserves his/her defense counsel, right to be cognizant of what he/she accused of/evidence for it, right to not self incriminate, right to advocate her/his defense, right to appeal etc. These are blanket basic protections for all. It’s erroneous to gauge this while 7/
keeping in view the worst ruffian. Instead keep in perspective scores of others who may fall anywhere on spectrum of culpability & innocence. Just outcomes are not convictions, acquittals or compromises. Just outcomes can be any of these & will depend on facts & evidence. We 8/
may all want a heinous murderer like accused #ZahirJaffer to pay for his crimes but we have to follow the process/take him through the stages for the final verdict to be a just outcome by international standards & not just be mob justice. For mob justice is ultimately tyranny 9/
Goes w/out saying that process needs great improvement, has to be quicker, identical for all. But when we ask for no process/process that lacks essential checks/protections we’re actually raising risk of collective injustice for all of us as a process w/out protections is 10/
bound to be abused. That is why everyone including #ZahirJaffer should get all legal & Constitutional protections because if these denied to him then tomorrow they will be denied to others, including us. We don’t want a system of exceptions. At the same time what we need are #11/
professional/rigorous investigation, prosecution, adjudication so that not only #ZahirJaffer can’t slip through clutches of the law but no innocent man is ever sent to the gallows. Ultimately the justness of a system depends on both punishing guilty & protecting innocent 12/12
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