Matt Damon's New Movie Highlights The Problem With Cooperating With The Government Without An Attorney
I just got back from seeing Matt Damon's new movie The Informant! I was looking forward to seeing the movie after the reviews I read, but I must admit that I often find Steven Soderbergh's films lacking much depth and too stylized for my taste. The last film that he directed that I enjoyed from start to finish was Traffic. I never got into Damon's character, Mark Whitacre, partly because I never truly understood his motivation for doing what he did. I did not understand if the film wanted to be a comedy as the trailer suggests or a drama. The cinematography seemed to suggest that it was a drama, but the script indicated otherwise. It was great to see Melanie Lynskey, who plays Rose in one of my favorite television shows Two and a Half Men, playing Matt Damon's wife, Ginger Whitacre. Overall, it is a DVD rental at best.
Since I was disinterested in the film I started to think about my clients that consider talking to the Government. I could not believe that a man that is so intelligent would engage in such behavior without first speaking to a lawyer about the consequences of their actions. While Mr. Whitacre may have been suffering from some sort of mental disease, his wife also passively allowed him to contemplate his actions. It is clear that when he went to a lawyer it was too late. He continually refrained from telling his attorneys the full truth and openly lied to them while disregarding their advice. There is nothing worse then a client that does not candidly speak with their lawyer. Mr. Whitacre would have been better served speaking with an attorney before contracting with the Federal Government. The attorney would have advised him accordingly, and if was still interested in going forward he may have been granted immunity for his actions. Thus, Mr. Whitacre may have avoided the nine years he served in Federal Prison.
If you would like a free consultation regarding your criminal case in Harris County, Texas please contact our law firm at (713) 225-1038. You should talk to us before talking to the police.
