Labeled a Traitor: Why Following the Constitution Is Never the “Dark Side”

“Traitor.”

“Gone to the dark side.”

“Helping the bad guys.”

When I transitioned from law enforcement into criminal defense investigation, I heard all of those words — and more. Some people struggled to understand how someone who once wore a badge could now work on the other side of the courtroom.

To them, the lines seemed simple:

law enforcement are the “good guys,” and the defense is the side that helps the “bad guys.”

It’s a false dichotomy — and one that harms the very system we all swore to protect.

Let me be clear:

The defense’s role is not to help anyone “get away” with crimes.

That misconception isn’t just incorrect — it’s dangerous.

The defense is a critical pillar of justice. Without it, our system collapses into something unrecognizable, something far from the ideals that define America.

The American Bar Association states that a defense attorney’s duty is to serve their client with courage, devotion, and integrity; to safeguard their constitutional rights; and to ensure they receive fair, ethical, high-quality representation. While this description speaks to attorneys, the responsibility extends to every member of the defense team.

And I take that responsibility seriously.

We are counselors.

We are advocates.

But above all — we are guardians of the Constitution.

I understand why people struggle with this. When faced with horrific acts or heartbreaking victims, anger and grief are natural responses. We want justice. We want accountability. We want safety for our communities.

But that’s exactly why due process exists.

That’s why the Constitution is written the way it is.

It demands more of us — especially when emotion runs high.

It says no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Not some people. Not only the innocent. Every person.

That principle is not a loophole.

It’s not a technicality.

It is the foundation of freedom.

It is the promise that distinguishes America from the very forms of government our Founders fought against. It is the promise that millions of service members died to preserve.

I swore an oath to defend that promise when I served in law enforcement.

I swore the same oath as a United States Marine.

And I honor that oath today as a defense investigator.

My loyalty has never been to a side.

It has always been to the truth — and to the Constitution that protects it.

I didn’t go to the dark side.

I followed the light of the oath I took.

And it led me here — serving justice by putting service over self, even when it’s misunderstood, unpopular, or inconvenient.

Because real justice, the kind worthy of a free society, demands nothing less.