On 5 March 1770, there was a confrontation between nine British soldiers and an angry crowd. /1 https://twitter.com/BadLegalTakes/status/1385048977578463232

The soldiers opened fire, killing three people at the scene and wounding several others, two of whom later died of their injuries. The event became known as the Boston Massacre. /2

The soldiers were arrested and put on trial for murder. Such was their notoriety that no one would defend them. That was until famous local attorney and future President of the United States John Adams came forward. /3

Adams secured the acquittal of six of the men and their commanding officer on the grounds of self-defence; the other two were convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. /4

Despite the public opprobrium that he faced at the time, Adams was later to describe his defence of the British soldiers as “one of the best pieces of service I ever rendered my Country”. He was right. /5

Unlike the soldiers, Chauvin was convicted of murder and rightly so. But his lawyer, Eric Nelson, was performing a vital public service in the proud tradition of Adams. Everyone deserves a defence. [END]