Top 24 Quotes & Sayings by F. Lee Bailey

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American lawyer F. Lee Bailey.

Last updated on December 21, 2024.

Francis Lee Bailey Jr. was an American criminal defense attorney. Bailey's name first came to nationwide attention for his involvement in the second murder trial of Sam Sheppard, a surgeon accused of murdering his wife. He later served as the attorney in a number of other high-profile cases, such as Albert DeSalvo, a suspect in the "Boston Strangler" murders, heiress Patty Hearst's trial for bank robberies committed during her involvement with the Symbionese Liberation Army, and US Army Captain Ernest Medina for the My Lai Massacre. He was a member of the "Dream Team" in the trial of former football player O. J. Simpson, who was accused of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

American - Lawyer | Born: June 10, 1933

Source: Wikipedia

If I'm offered a good case in Florida or a good case somewhere else, South Florida will win every time.

F. Lee Bailey

I can get a firestorm going anywhere in the United States by saying 'O.J.'

F. Lee Bailey

I would strongly recommend any young man to stay away from criminal law. It's not a good place to be, unfortunately.

F. Lee Bailey

There are no major cities I haven't been in - at least once. I'd be just as happy not to go out of town for a couple of months and play with toys.

F. Lee Bailey

Among the rednecks of America, which there are many more than people seem to realize, it was terribly damaging. I got blamed for O.J.'s acquittal.

F. Lee Bailey

Justice Scalia is predictable. He can be counted on to come down with a conservative opinion, and generally, to bring Justice Clarence Thomas with him.

F. Lee Bailey

Can any of you seriously say the Bill of Rights could get through Congress today? It wouldn't even get out of committee.

F. Lee Bailey

I enjoy personal injury cases. I've tried quite a few of those. And, frankly, any kind of litigation that is trouble-shooting, whether it's equities, suits and injunctions, or whatever.

F. Lee Bailey

I use the rules to frustrate the law. But I didn't set up the ground rules.

F. Lee Bailey

Each lawyer makes somebody unhappy either by beating him, embarrassing him or tying him in knots.

F. Lee Bailey

I have never seen a major trial which lacked significant perjury, and I have yet to see that perjury punished.

F. Lee Bailey

Fear is something you have to throw into a corner. Constantly. Because it never goes away.

F. Lee Bailey

The legal profession is a business with a tremendous collection of egos. Few people who are not strong egotistically gravitate to it.

F. Lee Bailey

The memory of the American public is about six weeks.

F. Lee Bailey

The people I have no feeling for are professional killers. But I count that man no worse than a governor who won't commute a death sentence because it's unpolitical.

F. Lee Bailey

Those who think the information brought out at a criminal trial is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth are fools. Prosecuting or defending a case is nothing more than getting to those people who will talk for your side, who will say what you want said.

F. Lee Bailey

My experience is, people who retire die sooner than they should have.

F. Lee Bailey

The quality of news coverage has diminished, because giants of the print media are no longer being nurtured properly.

F. Lee Bailey

I get paid for seeing that my clients have every break the law allows. I have knowingly defended a number of guilty men. But the guilty never escape unscathed. My fees are sufficient punishment for anyone.

F. Lee Bailey

A person in the business of defending criminal cases is going to live in controversy all of his or her life.

F. Lee Bailey

The public regards lawyers with great distrust. They think lawyers are smarter than the average guy but use their intelligence deviously. Well, they're wrong. Usually they are not smarter.

F. Lee Bailey

Most people think that 'I don't recall' is a clever answer. But it isn't that clever. You might not recall that you had bacon and eggs for breakfast- but if you killed your mother, you'll remember it.

F. Lee Bailey

When you see a lawyer trying to pick a smart jury, you know he's got a strong case.

F. Lee Bailey

In America, an acquittal doesn't mean you're innocent, it means you beat the rap. My clients lose even when they win.

F. Lee Bailey