Many attorneys have an inflated view of themselves, but Tom D'Amore takes lawyerly arrogance to a new level. After new District Attorney Craig Watkins canned the 19-year-veteran prosecutor, D'Amore whined that he felt like he "did a good job for the DA's office." Which makes you wonder what he would have said about himself had he never sent an innocent man to prison.
It was D'Amore who prosecuted Entre Karage on the thinnest of evidence and later convinced an inexperienced judge to sentence him to life behind bars. When DNA evidence later freed Karage, D'Amore didn't bother to apologize. Hey, shit happens. And speaking of which, now that he no longer has the power to take away someone's freedom, I can only imagine what his first conversation as a defense lawyer will be like:
D'Amore: OK, I think the DA's office has a rock solid case against you and we need to think about a plea deal. I'm thinking we ask for a 20 year sentence and plead guilty to second degree murder.
Client: Um, I'm not even charged with that. The police arrested me for stealing 20 dollars from my grandmother.
D'Amore: OK, maybe we can convince the DA's office to settle for involuntary manslaughter.
Client: No one died.
D'Amore: So are you saying the police are wrong?
Client: Well, nobody is saying I killed anyone, first off. And secondly, I didn't rob my grandmother. She says it was my brother who did it. He's an ex-con. Also, he's confessed to the crime and is in the process of turning himself in.
D'Amore: The police said that you once had an argument with your grandmother.
Client: That was 20 years ago when I was 7. I didn't want to finish my soup. We haven't fought since. Actually, I visit her ever day at the hospice.
D'Amore: OK, this is good. We can use this as mitigating evidence in the trial if you don't want to plea. A jury will have a hard time handing you a death sentence if they learn that you're a good grandson.
Client: Did you hear what I said? My grandmother has said all along that it was my ex-con brother who stole 20 bucks from her purse. He has also confessed. I had nothing to do with any of this! What kind of lawyer are you?
D'Amore: A very good lawyer. I'll have you know that I worked at the District Attorney's Office for 19 years and only prosecuted one innocent person that I know of. And he only served seven years in prison. I'm a very good lawyer.
Client: I'm going to find someone else.
D'Amore: Well, good luck with all of that. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they were innocent, I could have taken those CLE classes. --Matt Pulle
