“If You Need Me, You’re in Real Trouble” Says Defense Attorney, Merle Dech by Chuck Boyk
I think Defense Attorney Merle Dech is one of the most interesting attorneys in town. I’ve known and worked with him for years, and he agreed to sit down to talk with me on an episode of our Boyk Brief Podcast.
He is a fantastic Toledo attorney, with over 30 years of experience. He has a reputation as one of the absolute top criminal defense attorneys in Northwestern Ohio, which means he is often called in when the court has problematic defendants.
“I represent the criminally accused in both state and federal courts,” says Dech. “A lot of my practice is with Indigent defendants in Lucas County, Hancock County, and Wood County Common Pleas Court. I also practice in the United States District Court.”
“I like to say if you come to me for a divorce, you’ll remain married and you’ll pick up three new kids, so I don’t play with anything but criminal law,” explains Dech.
Merle Dech is often called in when a court is dealing with someone facing a very serious charge or the defendant is considered extremely difficult, or after they’ve gone through multiple attorneys.
“I’ve had a few judges refer to me as a Crazy Client Whisperer,” says Dech. “I deal with people who have had prior counsel problems. I have been as high as the sixth lawyer for a defendant. In fact, I went to trial with that defendant, and he was found not guilty… A court will call me and ask if I can come on board and take care of a matter, and I do it,” he explains.
What makes Merle Dech, the attorney they call? His father once told him, “Those who need Justice the most can afford it the least”. He puts that sentiment into his work for his clients.
Merle Dech was born in Lancaster Pennsylvania, where his father was a pastor in the United Church of Christ before joining the Army as a Chaplain.
“I think why I get along with the so-called difficult clients, goes back to my upbringing in the military. I grew up on U.S. Army bases. I think it was Colin Powell who said that the military was the first to equal-opportunity program from the government… It is really a cross-section of society. I dealt with people of different colors, of different creeds, different religions, everything, a big melting pot, all on that base… I got to deal with people throughout different cross sections of the community and I think I’ve advanced that into my law practice.”
As an Army Brat, Dech moved around a lot; California, Virginia, NY, even spending time in Germany in the 80s. He earned his GED and attended college at the University of Maryland, in Munich, where he made some spending money as a roadie, for some infamous rock bands traveling through on their European tours. “The Grateful Dead, I did Santana, I did Queen. I saw Freddie Mercury. And his teeth were huge,” says Dech. “But the big thing was the Rolling Stones who came into Munich for two concerts in June 1982. J. Geils opened up, and they were great.”
Merle looked different in the 80s. “Some people have described me as the Unabomber,” recalls Dech. “I had very long hair and I kind of look like some people’s booking photos, quite frankly.”
He transferred to the University of Michigan to finish his bachelor’s degree and lived next door to a guy named Jim Harbaugh. “We played Euchre in my apartment,” says Dech.
“I applied to law school and Toledo offered me a full scholarship which I lost after first year grades, and I stayed here and I just dug it out ever since.”
Dech played rugby for years and was past-President of the Toledo Rugby Club. “I played soccer in high school before it was cool and I played a little adult league soccer,” recalls Dech, “but I always was a runner. I do triathlons, and I have finished three Iron Man triathlons and an additional Triathlon which is of Iron Man distance, where you swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles or so and then for dessert, you run a marathon or walk/run a marathon.” He says the exercise helps him deal with his stressful work.
Today, Dech still handles very serious cases where the defendant and counsel have had a breakdown in a relationship. He recalls one judge told him he won’t give him something easy, because that is wasting his talent. His case load includes rape cases, kidnappings, aggravated burglaries and aggravated robberies. However, he says he is not taking on as many murder cases as he used to.
Most attorneys never have to deal with a murder case, let alone a death penalty case. How does Dech deal with those? “In the capital cases, you really have to dig in because the government is going for the ultimate penalty and that is taking a person’s life.”
At the beginning of my own career, I did a ton of criminal defense work. I still respect the attorneys that do that, but how do you respond when you’re at a party and people ask, “How could you represent those type of people? How do you sleep at night?”
Dech doesn’t hesitate with his answer. “I respond that the Constitution doesn’t discriminate. Under the Constitution, it’s equal justice for all,” explains Dech. “The Constitution applies to all of us. We have to go back to the simple concept that the founding fathers decided that we are presumed innocent until the government has proven each and every element, beyond a reasonable doubt. And I say one day they may come for you”
I respect the judges that go out of their way to a point really good attorneys for the really serious cases because they understand that it’s the right thing to do. They need to make sure that the people that are facing the most serious charges, have really excellent attorneys, like Merle Dech. “If you need me,” says Dech, “you’re in real trouble.”
