If you're a prosecutor, and you believe the defendant is guilty, you only talk about ultimate truth, but not intermediate truth. If you're the defense attorney, you care deeply about intermediate truth, but you tend to neglect ultimate truth. Alan Dershowitz More Quotes by Alan Dershowitz More Quotes From Alan Dershowitz We don't have an Official Secrets Act in the United States, as other countries do. Under the First Amendment, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of association are more important than protecting secrets. Alan Dershowitz freedom-of-speech secret country The Second Amendment has no place in modern society. Alan Dershowitz second-amendment modern gun I think that lawyers are terrible at admitting that they're wrong. And not just admitting it - also realizing it. Alan Dershowitz admitting lawyer thinking I don't think the law exists to arrive at the truth. If it did, we wouldn't have exclusionary rules, we wouldn't have presumptions of innocence, we wouldn't have proof beyond reasonable doubt. There's an enormous difference between the role of truth in law and the role of truth in science. In law, truth is one among many goals. Alan Dershowitz presumption-of-innocence law thinking Everybody says they're opposed to torture. But everyone would do it personally if they knew it could save the life of a kidnapped child who had only two hours of oxygen left before death. And it would be the right thing to do. Alan Dershowitz oxygen two children This is not about celebrity justice, this is about the rights of the children. Alan Dershowitz rights justice children There’s simply nothing in there that would justify second degree murder. Alan Dershowitz justify degrees murder I will continue to fight for justice, fairness, and constitutional rights until my dying breath. Alan Dershowitz fighting dying justice African-Americans are as fair as any other group, but they bring their life experiences to bear as just as whites bring their experiences to bear. Alan Dershowitz life-experience The judge also has a truth he wants to hide: He often hasn't been completely candid in describing the facts or the law. Alan Dershowitz candid judging We all learn in school that the judicial, legislative and executive branches of government must check and balance each other. But other non state institutions must participate in this important system of checks and balances as well. These checking institutions include the academy, the media, religious institutions and NGOs. Alan Dershowitz media religious school President Obama has earned my vote on the basis of his excellent judicial appointments, his consensus-building foreign policy and the improvements he has brought about in the disastrous economy he inherited. Alan Dershowitz consensus-building improvement president I think we have to give religion its due. I think we have to respect those for whom religion is important, but equally respect those who can achieve good morality without religion. Alan Dershowitz important giving thinking When I decide who to vote for as President, I ask myself who will be best for America and for the world. An important component of my answer involves my assessment of the candidate's willingness and ability to protect Israel's security, since I strongly believe that a strong Israel serves the interests of the United States and of world peace. Alan Dershowitz israel strong believe Ed Koch will never "rest in peace." That was not his way. He was always nervously squirming, while making others squirm as well. Comfort was not his goal. He understood that to be a proud and assertive Jew meant never being able to leave a sigh of relief and say "it's over, we are at peace, we can now put down our guard and relax." Alan Dershowitz sigh-of-relief rest-in-peace goal I know Obama, I like Obama, I voted for Obama. Alan Dershowitz knows On television and in the movies, crimes are always solved. Nothing is left uncertain. By the end, the viewer knows whodunit. In real life, on the other hand, many murders remain unsolved, and even some that are "solved" to the satisfaction of the police and prosecutors lack sufficient evidence to result in a conviction. Alan Dershowitz police real hands I learn from experience. Alan Dershowitz learning-experience Ideas don't desert you; ideas aren't treasonous to you, but people can be. Alan Dershowitz desert people ideas The law is agnostic about truth. Alan Dershowitz limiting-freedom-of-expression agnostic law
