Parent Douglas Wood walks into court and takes the stand, ready to speak on behalf of his client. After months of extensive research and examination of evidence, he is about to defend a man accused of theft.
In his latest case he will defend Brittany Norwood, the 20-year-old woman accused of murdering her Lululemon coworker March 11. The trial is set for Oct. 24.
“The Brittany Norwood case is very high profile,” Wood said. “It’s challenging, but this is a profession where you want to be challenged.”
For the most part, Wood finds that the people he defends are good people. Although they have made mistakes, they tend to live an average life.
“One of the great things about [this job] is that you meet people who have done very serious things and have committed such serious crimes, but they’re pretty decent people,” Wood said. “And there’s a side of them that’s caused them, for a very brief moment, to have committed a crime, but for the rest of their lives, they’re pretty normal.”
Only a small portion of the people he defends have severe personality disorders that cause them to act out in violent ways, Wood said.
“Almost everybody has a different problem,” he said. “It’s hard to say there’s a profile of someone who commits a crime.”
As a defense lawyer, Wood works to ensure that his clients aren’t wrongfully convicted. With his aggressive tactics and expert knowledge of the evidence in each case, he helps his clients through the grueling court process.
“Maybe the prosecution has some evidence of the guilt, but they have to really prove it,” Wood said. “You read about it every day in papers where the person goes to jail for a rape case or a murder case and then you find out that it wasn’t actually them.”
student • Oct 30, 2011 at 2:25 am
Hey “the best” he took the case because everyone deserves adequate representation, not because he’s making a lot of money out of this. she worked at lululemon, and is one of 8 or 9 from a middle class family, how could she have much money?
Spock • Jun 2, 2011 at 7:34 am
I’m so sorry for the horrendous crime I committed by not imediately registering the sarcasm in Student’s comment. I can be sarcastic because I was being sarcastic towards what I thought was the meaning of his post.
Ohh the irony! • Jun 1, 2011 at 11:25 am
Two things for Spock:
1. I think Student’s original post’s sarcasm was pretty obvious.
2. If you think sarcasm doesn’t translate well in text, why were you sarcastic yourself in your first comment!?!?!?!?!?!?
Spock • Jun 1, 2011 at 7:33 am
You just seemed really happy. Should’a made it clear, you really can’t be sarcastic with text.
Student • May 31, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Spock,
I’m not sure you understood correctly; I was criticizing O’Reilly.
the best • May 31, 2011 at 11:30 am
“Only a small portion of the people he defends have severe personality disorders that cause them to act out in violent, Wood said.”
lol
I also enjoy how he doesn’t even deny they did it. While I appreciate his cause, I don’t understand why he would take this case when the defendant is so obviously guilty; the only thing he’d gain here is to get a guilty person off free or reduce the sentence they deserve. The only conclusion I can think of is that he was paid a huge amount of money to do so.
Mr. N.I. silver • May 31, 2011 at 8:25 am
Dear Carolyn,
For a contrary view, read Richard Cohen’s op-ed piece in today’s Washington Post (Tues., May 31, 2011), in which he discusses the New York Times’s coverage of the decline of crime in New York City during the recent economic recession.
It’s funny it appeared on the same day I got the B&W online with your article.
Best wishes,
Mr. Silver (Gigi’s dad)
Spock • May 31, 2011 at 7:35 am
Yes, Student, because Bill O’Reilly is the guy to go to for the facts.
Student • May 30, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Here is what Bill O’Reilly thinks of defense lawyers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6hepoeWx5I
It’s amazing how some people have absolutely no idea about how the criminal justice system works.
Student • May 27, 2011 at 10:18 am
No matter how despicable the crime is, it’s good to know that our judicial system is fair enough to give the best chance in court for both sides, regardless of whether they deserve it. I admire defense lawyers for their ability to see past emotion to fairly defend the accused.