For example, if a police officer unjustly kills a Black woman in cold blood, and the victim’s cousin’s daughter is a defense attorney who helps get the officer acquitted, would she be morally wrong for defending him?
For example, if a police officer unjustly kills a Black woman in cold blood, and the victim’s cousin’s daughter is a defense attorney who helps get the officer acquitted, would she be morally wrong for defending him?
Wrong? It would create an unethical conflict of interest, that the judge wouldn’t allow. So in that sense it would be wrong.
Immoral? Not if they genuinely gave the cop the best defense possible. In fact, I’d think it honorable for someone to uphold their principles even against the personal pressure they’d be feeling from much of their family.
It’s important for people to have protection from a system that’s too often used to abuse. Even if the accused was formerly one in a position to offer said abuse.
Principles aren’t principles if we don’t uphold them when it’s most difficult to do so.