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| Former Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi |
This is a very wise move. While Zahn is no doubt a fine criminal defense attorney, he didn't seem to have a public relations strategy. As a result, White has been pounded relentlessly in the media, only making a comeback recently when he was exonerated by the Indiana Recount Commission.
Zahn's approach is typical of most defense attorneys. The approach is to address the case in a passive manner, not making any public defense of the client for fear of making statements that could help the prosecution. While that is a good strategy with most individuals, it's not a good strategy for a public figure like White. When it comes to a public figure, that person's reputation is as important as anything that could happen in the criminal case.
Five of the seven felony charges against White, are based on facts the Commission, including a former Democratic judge, found to be lacking under a much lower burden of proof than will be the case in the criminal case. White needs to have a defense counsel who will publicly and aggressively defend White against the charges and attack the prosecution for continuing to press baseless charges. Brizzi knows the media, he knows the importance of one's reputation and he understands the criminal process. While I have criticized Brizzi in the past for various matters, the fact is he is the perfect person to defend White.