And yet, while we should never prosecute the innocent, we need not have scruples against undertaking on occasion the defence of a guilty person, provided he be not infamously depraved and wicked.
Cicero: “And yet, while we should never prosecute the innocent, we need not have scruples against undertaking on occasion the…”
On the record44 BC
Said by
Cicero
Source
gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
In a treatise on moral duties, this passage outlines ethical boundaries for legal advocates regarding the prosecution of the innocent and the defense of the guilty.
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