"Do you think it is right for a lawyer to defend a man he knows to be guilty?"
"There's something to be said even for the guilty," said Hilary after a moment.
"You mean he can be defended?"
Again he hesitated.
"As I understand it, they can't try to deny that he committed the murder, they can only plead extenuating circumstances."
"That means, try to justify it!... Do you believe in that?"
"I don't know all the circumstances.... But the law distinguishes—if it is done in the heat of passion, it may be called manslaughter—not murder."
"And what would he get for that?"
"A term of years, imprisonment."