In the name of Justice

The heroic antics of Captain America may be relegated only to comic books and the silver screen, but there’s a new hero fighting for the accused innocent against oppression. His name is Captain Justice. Prosecutors in Williamson County, Tennessee took umbrage with defense attorney Drew Justice and his tactic of referring to the state attorneys as “the government.”

Although it’s a common practice among defense attorneys, Assistant District Attorney Tammy Rettig filed a motion barring Justice from using the reference during trial, arguing that it’s “derogatory” and meant to inflame the jury and paint the prosecutors as being “oppressive.”

In the name of Justice, Attorney Justice filed his own motion opposing the government’s request. Playing off of the practice of referring to prosecutors as “General” in the courtroom, the counselor asked for a new moniker of his own: Captain Justice, Defender of the Innocent, or Guardian of the Realm.

As all defendants before the court presumed innocent until proven guilty, Justice also requested that his client, who is charged with aggravated burglary, be referred to as “the Citizen Accused” or “that innocent man.”

Justice prevailed when the presiding judge ruled that “government” was not a derogatory term, and threw out the prosecutor’s motion.

No word yet as to whether the jury agreed Justice’s client was in fact an innocent man.

Read the full story at:

USA Today story – Criminal Defense Attorney Demands to be called Captain Justice