Imagine this – a US Senator gets convicted of criminal conduct, doesn’t resign, goes to court and when it all goes bad and he is convicted, he is shocked by the way he has been prosecuted.  What went wrong here?

"This verdict is the result of the unconscionable manner in which the Justice Department lawyers conducted this trial," Stevens said. "I ask that Alaskans and my Senate colleagues stand with me as I pursue my rights."

Alaskans may rally behind Ted Stevens, but it seems unlikely the Senate will.  That "just forgot to pay the taxes on a couple hundred thousand dollars" argument sounds a little tough to sell.  Guilty of corruption.  

Let’s take a little lesson from the Stevens case – you cannot win any trial unless the jury wants to help you. I mean it – they have to want to let you go. They only will help if you are more like them than you are like – well – their perception of "criminals."  So being a US Senator might help you, but it might not. Every case is has a story – and if you want the jury to buy your story, you need a really great storyteller.  That is what successful trial lawyers do – they tell great stories for clients who cannot do so.

Your criminal case is a story.  Find a lawyer who can tell it for you!