ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Problem of Unjust Advocacy Consider the following hypothetical scenario, which I shall call the case of The Murderer’s Friend:
Sally and Joe have known each other for a few months and have become close friends. One day, after securing a promise of confidentiality from Sally, Joe finally confesses to Sally his darkest secret: he is a serial murderer. He has murdered six people so far. He asks Sally for advice about where to hide the body of his latest victim. Sally tries to convince Joe to stop murdering people and, moreover, to turn himself in. Joe refuses to turn himself in and remains noncommittal on future murders. Sally, good friend that she is, keeps Joe’s secret and offers Joe helpful advice on how to elude the police.
