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Even the worst criminal, the cruellest person deserves a proper trial, says top S’pore criminal lawyer
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For 31 years, Mr Shashi Nathan has handled many high-profile criminal cases. He tells The Straits Times about some of the key moments and experiences throughout his career.
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SINGAPORE - In his third month as a rookie criminal lawyer in the early 1990s, Mr Shashi Nathan faced a daunting case: defending a man accused of molestation. Still green and struggling to find his footing, he was shaken when the judge bluntly told him: “When I convict your client, expect a very long sentence.”
The use of “when”, not “if”, hit hard, rattling his confidence. “I asked myself if it was my fault, if it was because of my inexperience or lack of knowledge,” he recalls.
