Peter Erlinder is a man of many faces, I can never seem to understand how he oscillates between opinions. His latest opinion is that the Rwanda government wanted him dead and wanted him to disappear. He claims that the details of his flight were altered to make it look like he had left the country but it was only the vigilance of global followers that helped him escape. Now I must state that the Rwandan government would not kill an American citizen who was on the cover of every global media outlet, that is wishful thinking on the part of Erlinder.
In a recent radio interview with VOA on the Straight Talk show with Shaka Ssali, Erlinder claimed he was held in humane conditions and even claimed he had nothing to hold against his jailers. He even admitted he was given preferential treatment in that he was held in a cell that sometimes houses 30 prisoners, he even said his guards helped him by going to the shops to buy him food. Naturally, he disputed the charges he was held on but never claimed the system was out to kill him. He is starting to turn his story into a spy thriller, with himself cast as a hero in the Jack Bauer mould.
Erlinder also denies ever denying the genocide, I admit that the case could have been handled better by the Rwandan government and I wish the case had gone ahead. It is easy to see this as a giant government picking on a misguided but vehement lawyer, but think of it from a survivor’s perspective. Imagine a person who watched their family hacked to death in front of their own eyes, this person knew that local officials had drawn up lists to systematically kill a whole section of society. Then an American lawyer comes along from Minnesota who was never there at the time, but claims to know better than the witness who saw his family killed.
I understand that every suspect deserves a fair trial and a defence attorney but Erlinder went beyond being just a defence attorney to become an activist, he now identifies so personally with his clients that he wants to alter history to absolve them. I don’t understand how someone can defend mass-murderers, rapists, paedophiles, cut-throats and psychotic killers and ends up identifying with them. The genocide of the Tutsi in 1994 is not a myth, there are some 300,000 survivors that will tell you that, there are some 200,000 convicted killers that will tell you that. It doesn’t matter what evidence a court produces, fact is fact.
Another claim of Erlinder is that we need a truth and reconciliation committee in Rwanda, we have had them but in the form of Gacaca courts. One has to remember that these courts had to administer not just punitive justice but restorative justice, victims had to be heard, killers had to be heard, witnesses had to be heard. The fact that the genocide took place in every village in every district in Rwanda meant that we needed truth and reconciliation in every village. People compare Rwanda with South Africa, but the total victims of the apartheid government numbered some 3,000 activists and no more than 10,000 extra-judicial killing but Rwanda had some 937,000 victims. People should learn the facts about the Genocide before they go defending or sympathising with killers and defenders of killers.
Choosing a personal injury attorney is hard work.
ReplyDeleteWhile researching an attorney for my situation, I became very overwhelmed with the choices available. I wanted to be sure that I was selecting the best attorney, and so many factors come into play - reputation, cost, location, personality, etc. Since you will likely need to interact with your attorney a great deal, it is always a good idea to talk to some people who have used the specific attorney or firm that you are thinking about retaining before making a decision.
First and foremost, consider exactly what your needs are. I needed a Minnesota Attorney who had significant experience in dealing with wrongful death suits. After researching many MN Lawyers I came across one that I felt was the best fit for me. I spoke to the attorney on the phone to get a feel for what they could do for me before booking an in office appointment. If you are not satisfied with this attorney, by all means, keep looking. Interview as many firms as needed, and compare their services before making a decision that you are comfortable with.
After choosing an attorney, request a written estimate of all costs involved in the process. For example, will you be paying the attorney an hourly fee? Are paralegal fees involved (which are often much less expensive than attorney fees), will you pay a lump sum for the services?, etc. Many attorney's will offer to set up affordable payment plans if you are not able to pay for all services up front. The important thing is to get this agreement in writing however.
Find out what exactly is involved in the process of your case, and get estimates of timelines. Often, cases can drag on for months or even years depending on what is involved. Many times, court dates need to be set, government agencies need to be involved, etc. It is important to get a realistic timeline of each event so that you are aware of what is involved. Also, ask about support staff so that you know who to contact if you have questions about your case.
Whether you are looking for Duluth Accident Attorney, a Minnesota Trial Lawyer, or any other type of attorney, I hope that these tips will lead you to a successful attorney/client relationship.