I know the lawyer Ramon Ballesteros. I do not know its history beyond that made his name as a leading lawyer in Santander, which rang for Mayor and Governor and was responsible for the defense of Yiddish Medina. But the image of February 15, where the astonished gaze of the judges of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court was captured in full hearing, made me feel so ashamed. Not only for him but by the profession.
In an event that is unprecedented in the judiciary in the country, Ballesteros, who said the defense of Luis Alberto Gil in the process followed for their alleged links with paramilitaries, went from defender accused. In the midst of the hearing, the former paramilitary David Hernández López, alias Diego Rivera, showed a video Ballesteros offered $ 100,000 to modify exchange for his statement against Gil. The video, which was recorded by the DEA in New York, cleared the way for five police officers entered with their yellow jackets to handcuff Ballesteros, before the incredulous eyes of everyone at the venue than justice. Days later, Ballesteros accepted bribery charges.
What happens when a lawyer to be the defender of the rights of his attorney to take the place of accused of a crime? I'm not saying it's wrong to defend itself people identified as perpetrators of crimes, because, like it or not, even the most criminal of criminals are entitled to a fair defense. What question is at what point a lawyer disregards the dignity of the profession and lends itself to be part of unholy games.
I'm sure everyone who went to a classroom of law we did with the conviction to make laws to serve the community, to practice as a clean and outstanding, but unfortunately, cases like occurred this week make the legal profession is now, sadly, one of the most discredited.
What's missing? Teach ethics? Or corruption is a problem that went into the DNA of Colombian society and there is no remedy for it? It is possible that a country with lawyers with exceptional qualities and outstanding in the global environment to attend a show like this.
That's when you as a lawyer can only say: shame on you!
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