Many years ago, my high school counselor wanted me to go into law rather than education.  She insisted a group of us should attend a trial--two brief trials, actually.  A clearly guilty man got off a car theft charge because of a technicality.  Later, as publicized horror after publicized horror flashed across media, showing this death or this tortured child, I began to detest the legal profession; my own mundane interaction with a lawyer on a civil matter did nothing to change my mind.  Clearly, Perry Mason either never existed or no longer existed.

I understand the need for lawyers.  I'm sure there are--somewhere--marvelous human beings who practice law.  Obviously, if I were accused of something, I'd want competent representation.

But seeing the contortions and the nonsense tossed about in the trial of Casey Anthony reminds me all over that lawyers don't protect the innocent necessarily; more often, especially in criminal cases--they excuse the guilty.

Yes, there are people who are convicted unfairly, people who should, perhaps, have been represented by Perry Mason or his brethren.

But there are the Joseph Edward Duncan IIIs who got off time after time and kept taking lives; there are the Simpsons, Petersons, and Anthonys who are represented sometimes to the point of undeserved salvation. 

How fortunate those "slings of outrageous fortune" sometimes stop us in our tracks.  How fortunate I got wise to Perry Mason long ago.