“Just Because You Did It, Doesn’t Mean You’re Guilty.” 

The statement is a jarring one. Most of us react to such claim by saying “that’s exactly what it means, actually.” But aside from making a controversial billboard, the attorney that decided to make this statement the headline for his advertising started an important discussion. If you’ve ever served on a criminal jury, you know that the word “guilty” has a technical meaning in a court of law. But the principles behind the legal definition of guilty should not be contemplated for the first time in a jury box or deliberation room. In this article, I discuss an important perspective relevant to all of us, both in San Diego and elsewhere, whether or not we ever find ourselves with “defendant” following our name.