Legal Question in Criminal Law in Canada

How much do I admit to my lawyer?

I was charged with theft of livestock; to wit 10 horses. My court date is set for Oct. 6/99. I am to meet with my lawyer and he is going to ask me was I involved in the theft. I do not know how much to tell him. There are other people charged for this crime, they are blaming me as the leader, organizer. I was not. The alleged stolen horses belonged to my close friends. It was a totally unrelated person who had possesion of the horses, he was not the registered or legal owner of the horses but was holding them against the owners will in regard to a Landlord and Tenant Act. This landlord is the man wh filed a theft report. Again he was not the owner of the horses. The owner of the horses were not nor ever were tenants of this man. I do have knowlege of who did commit the rescue of the horses and the facts surroundig it. The law enforcement officers were from the onset bullying the other people charged to put the whole affair on me, or they would be charged. After the people complied they were charged!


Asked on 9/14/99, 1:26 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jes Beard Jes Beard, Attorney at Law

Re: How much do I admit to my lawyer?

You need to tell your attorney everything. It's the only way he can properly represent you.

I tell my clients that a major part of what I do is covering my client's ass. And the only way the attorney knows where to set up the sheilds is if he knows the truth so he can tell where the problems are likely to come from.

If you fail to tell your attorney what happened, and to tell him EVERYTHING, and TRUTHFULLY, then there is no way the attorney can properly represent you. In fact if your attorney does not know what the truth is, he may end up either allowing in evidence or himself introducing evidence that will lead to your conviction.

Your attorney hears you did in fact do exactly as charged, it is not going to cause him to turn on you and to try to help the prosecution. Your attorney has an obligation to represent you even if you are guilty as sin... let him try to do so.

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Answered on 9/16/99, 4:41 pm


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