It is unfortunate that lawyers so often confuse law and justice.
Your friend was lost to the light before the first letter, but you did the right thing to try to open his eyes.
Many Germans went to their end at Nuremberg proclaiming that the law and orders were on their side failing to see that morality was not.
http://oldright.com/cartoons/2005/03/schiavo_18.html
I have to tell you, the distinction between law and morals was articulated very well by another FReeper. I can't recall who or on what thread he said it. But it was an epiphany for me, even though it is obvious.