One thing I learned during my currently mothballed law practice is that any lawyer who pretends to know in advance the outcome of a legal case is lying, stupid, or both.
Eventually, we’ll find out the category into which Donald Briskman fits.
On Thursday, the man who represents former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell predicted eventual exoneration, keeping alive the unbroken 234-year streak of American lawyers not pulling an Al Pacino on their clients.
“I think at the end of the day, JaMarcus is going to be acquitted and will go on about the business of getting on with his career,” Briskman told Mike Herndon of the Mobile (Ala.) Press-Register.
Before Russell gets on with his career, he needs to do something to demonstrate he actually wants a career. But we think there’s a good chance that he won’t truly be interested in playing football again unless and until his money runs out.
Briskman also took issue with the suggestion that Russell was not targeted in the investigation.
“There was close to a dozen people [in Russell’s house],” Briskman said. “I think the facts speak for themselves. Of course he was targeted.”
Frankly, whether he was targeted doesn’t matter. The only question is whether Russell illegally was in possession of a controlled substance. And Briskman would be wise to refrain from saying or doing anything that would cause Russell to believe that beating the rap will be easy or automatic.
