There is no greater challenge and responsibility for a lawyer than to defend someone accused of a crime that can lead to life in prison or, even more serious, a death sentence. Although any criminal case is complex, murder cases, and especially capital cases, demand the highest level of skill, dedication, and determination from the attorneys who defend the accused. In almost every murder trial, one can expect to face complex and challenging issues such as scientific and forensic evidence, eyewitnesses, wire taps, cell phone triangulation, and jail house snitches. Coupled with the emotional intensity that inevitably surrounds a murder prosecution, these issues can threaten to overwhelm the basic rights of the accused. It is the role of the defense attorney to ensure that doesn’t happen, to defend his client from what may, in the first instance, be unjust charges, or, in the second, the State’s misguided desire to impose the ultimate punishment.
A certified trial associate counsel in capital cases, Stephen has experience defending first and second degree murder cases in Louisiana, including those carrying the threat of a death penalty. It is a practice he approaches with a deep sense of humility and profound appreciation for the challenges involved. He works tirelessly to defend his clients—either to prove they are innocent of the charges against them or, sometimes, to defeat the threat of a death sentence.
No matter how terrible the crime, every person has the right to a lawyer and to the presumption of innocence. These fundamental principles guide Mr. Haedicke in his approach to all of his criminal cases, and they apply with particular force when the crime charged is the most serious.