An argument for why it’s OK for Falcons fans to support James Pearce Jr.

Now a defense attorney, James was previously dedicated to protecting the public by bringing lawbreakers to justice. He is quite familiar with cases like Pearce’s.

Also, he’s a Falcons fan who has followed the story involving Pearce. In case you missed it, the edge rusher faces three felony charges (including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon) stemming from a February incident in Florida in which he allegedly rammed his car repeatedly into his former girlfriend’s vehicle. However, he has entered into an agreement to have the charges dropped if he successfully completes a six-month intervention program.

You might suspect the former DA would forever cast a suspicious eye toward Pearce. But he won’t.

“Listen … allegations are allegations,” James said. “That’s all they are. So, by telling my children that they can’t wear (Pearce’s) jersey, I’m telling my children that I don’t believe in due process or the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. And I don’t believe in the process that keeps us all safe and makes sure that we all get a fair shake.”

James’ belief in the rights granted to criminal defendants is only part of it. Having served as DeKalb DA for six years and a prosecutor for 17, he had a keen sense of what probably has happened with Pearce’s case.

James got a hint when Pearce was initially charged with five felonies, but they were later reduced to three. According to ESPN, one of them was lowered to a misdemeanor and the other was dropped entirely — “which made me wonder, like, ‘OK, what actually is the strength of the case?’” James said.

And the agreement by prosecutors to drop the charges in exchange for Pearce successfully completing a diversion program told him even more.

“If you (agree to drop the charges) in a case with allegations this serious, it means you have significant concerns about your ability to prove the case or about the veracity of the allegations,” James said. “Nobody does that out of the goodness of their heart if it’s this serious.”

In fact, James said, a prosecutor might be less willing to make such a deal with charges of this magnitude because of the public pressure to prosecute the case. Further, the prosecutor signed off on the agreement knowing its potential repercussions. If Pearce were to complete the program and go free but were to commit a horrific crime in two years, consider the blowback that would fall on the prosecutor for failing to seek a conviction.

“The fact that a prosecutor reviewed the case and decided not to proceed is not surprising,” James said. “It’s admirable, as a matter of fact.”

A statement from a Florida assistant state attorney given to The Athletic said the rationale for making the offer was that Pearce was a first-time offender with no history of violence.

“Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and it appears that this incident was borne out of a mental health crisis,” the statement from Andres Perez additionally read.

It’s easy to still feel like the agreement is allowing Pearce off way too easy, that it still would be uncomfortable to cheer for him. After all, what about all the charges and the specificity of Pearce’s alleged actions outlined in court documents and news reports?

The attorney said that in his years as a prosecutor, he often read news stories about cases where the allegations in the articles did not align with the information in his file.

“And so, who am I to read a few news stories and second-guess the person who had the entire file?” James asked.

So there you have it.

“I’m a Falcons fan, but I’m a believer in the United States Constitution first and our system of justice,” James said. “Everybody is innocent until proven guilty.”

It is also true that, presuming the charges are dropped, it doesn’t mean Pearce didn’t do anything. And you could be excused for thinking this is all slick lawyer talk, particularly coming from a defense attorney. But James would tell you it is not.

His work as DeKalb DA included numerous domestic-violence cases.

Before they married, his wife, Karria James, was the director of a domestic violence shelter. He is the father of three daughters (and one son).

“This is coming from someone who believes that women should be protected, who believes that domestic violence is a horrible crime,” James said. “And my family lives by that. But I have to balance that against my belief in the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and fairness.”

Food for thought.

You can now get my column sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter here.