There's one big difference between John Adams and these defense lawyers: Adams' clients hadn't plotted to commit murder. According to David McCullough's biography of Adams, the British soldiers weren't responsible for the riot. A group of 8 soldiers was cornered by a group of colonists, who began pelting them with oyster shells, stones, snowballs, etc. The colonists closed in on the soldiers, two of whom fired at them in self-defense, killing them.
I understand the point you're making about everyone deserving a fair trial. But the defense attorneys in this case shouldn't be celebrating their victory in keeping their client from the death penalty. They should be soberly reflecting on the fact that doing their job has in this case resulted in sparing the life of an evil man who would be happy to see every American, including his own defense attorneys, be murdered.
In my opinion, the law has been upheld, but the higher good has not been served.
You make a good point about the defense attorneys, they were celebrating too much for my taste.
I'd be happy to see his defense attorneys murdered, after their little celebration. And you can add to that any jurors who voted to spare this piece of excrement.
I just saw the younger defense attorney give his first interview on The Big Show. He didn't appear to be celebrating. Maybe you've seen something I haven't - I just got home from work and didn't see the verdict read or anything - but I didn't see celebrating.
For our system to work, someone has to represent the worst among us. IIRC, these guys were court appointed.
The are simply celebrating the end of the gravy train they've been on for the last few years. If the sentence had been death, they'd be on it for several more years with extensive appeals.