More than half the time, if a “high priced nationally known attorney” shows up to join a case, it is instead to *throw* the case, while making the defendant *think* they are getting the best defense.
It is a counter to the “Breaker Morant” problem. In that case, in a kangaroo court murder trial, a novice solicitor who dealt with contract law was assigned just before the trial began to defend against the murder charges. But what they didn’t count on was that he was both smart and determined. So he almost got acquittals.
So since that time, when there is a criminal trial in which the government wants no possibility of acquittal, they send in a “top” lawyer to put on a show, but not a good defense. If the defendant *thinks* the lawyer is putting on a good defense, he will be less troublesome.
So, bottom line, is the government planning to sacrifice this FBI agent? Or is the lawyer tasked with actually getting him an acquittal?
I should start a notebook for every sneaky political/legal trick that I hear about. I think I will number them and pass the notebook on to my descendants.