Richard Hustad Miller

Richard Hustad Miller argues in the following viewpoint that providing a defendant with a vigorous defense is a crucial aspect of the criminal justice system. In response to critics who accuse lawyers of defending guilty clients, he insists that in the American criminal justice system the accused defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. It is the prosecutor’s responsibility to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, while the defense lawyer is required to provide a zealous defense using every legal means available. Miller is an attorney practicing in Connecticut.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the definition of a crime, according to the author?
2. Why is the criminal justice system an adversarial system, in the author...