Tough as nails, soft at heart

Edwards Murder: Defence Attorney Brings Personal Conviction, Lived Experience

- Hein Kaiser

You'd never picture a lawyer as such a helluva nice guy. But that is only until criminal defence attorney Mark Thomlinson dons his toga. Then, he's as tough as nails.

Thomlinson is representing two of the four men accused in the murder of Luke Edwards, a former resident at the Tetelestai Recovery Centre on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

It is not his first murder case rodeo and while the case is still in its early stages, it has attracted widespread attention. This, particularly when it comes to allegations of conditions and treatment of inpatients at the centre.

He said he is avoiding speculation on broader narratives when working on a case, especially ones that have drawn media attention, like the Edwards matter.

"There's the centre, there are the four accused and there's the public chatter," he said.

"But my job is to stay focused. If I let myself get swept into all of it, I won't be doing what I need to for my clients."

After bail hearings were concluded last week, he is yet to receive the full docket from the state.

"There's a lot I still don't know," he said. "My focus remains on my two clients, their version of events and the evidence around that."

This includes the results of the state autopsy that will establish cause of death as well as provide other key indications and evidence.