[Kretek]

The two have nothing to do with one another. Sure the accused is entitled to a defense and no one should mess with that right, but that does not mean a defense attorney must be entitled to speak at a school. The parents and students have every reason to get a speaker they want to hear for their special day, and there's no rule saying that they must invite a certain person or that they cannot rule someone out based on his/her career and publicity choices.

I disagree; they rescinded the invitation based on his career as a defense attorney. Had they never invited him to speak in the first place, then there wouldn't be an issue.

I hope that the persons who complained and got the invitation rescinded, never have need of an attorney's services. I almost hope that local attoneys do take note and decline to represent them in the future. Let them reap what their hostility to the legal process and its actors has sown.

[VRWCisme]

But you're assuming that private citizens have a duty to respect defense attorneys because defense attorneys are a necessary and important part of the system. The two do not go hand in hand. Criminal defense attorneys are important, and this particular one makes plenty of money for his efforts (although some do not), but if others don't respect him that's their choice. In a perfect world they would, but there's no duty to accept, respect, and want to listen to a speech by a criminal defense attorney just because our system requires criminal defense attorneys. If your argument is that the school officials shouldn't have given in to the complaints, then you have a better point, except that with a ceremony like this, the school probably has a policy of listening to those who are supposed to be the focus of the day. Even once an invitation has been extended, the attorney didn't have an absolute right to speak, as he was speaking on invitation only.

[Badray]

Are you a lawyer?

[TexasTransplant]

>>>> I hope that the persons who complained and got the invitation rescinded, never have need of an attorney's services. I almost hope that local attoneys do take note and decline to represent them in the future. Let them reap what their hostility to the legal process and its actors has sown.<<<

The system defends the Rights of the Rapists and Killers, bruise the ego of an attorney and you can hang in the wind. Yea, I would defend your "system" with an equal amount of vigor, and enjoy the view while the wind blows.

[Rodney King]

I disagree; they rescinded the invitation based on his career as a defense attorney. Had they never invited him to speak in the first place, then there wouldn't be an issue.

If you read the story, the high school says that they never invited him in the first place.