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> To represent a client he knows to be guilty on a not guilty plea is to lie to the court.

But how does he know his client is guilty? Is he supposed to judge his client?

The guilt doesn't matter in a sense. For example, if the client tells the lawyer he robbed the bank, the lawyer cannot try to persuade the court that the client was somewhere else because he knows it isn't true.

I'm thinking how what you say relates to this case specifically. The client insisted in his innocence. Even if the attorney considers the evidence overwhelming, he could plead his client innocent without lying.

But how does the lawyer know it isn't true? Is the lawyer supposed to pass judgement on the evidence? Isn't that what the trial is for in the first place?

if the client tells the lawyer he robbed the bank

What reason would the attorney have for not believing the information that the client confesses voluntarily under the veil of attorney-client privilege?.

Sometimes people lie to protect other people, or to conceal a secret that they might feel to be more devastating.

The attorney could believe that his client is a pathological liar, among a near infinite array of other possibilities.

Insanity, duress, maybe the defendant is trying to take credit for another person's crime in order to protect them.

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