I honestly think that would all depend on the morality of the attorney in question. I'd love someone with credentials to answer some of these questions in regard to attorney-client privileges, as well as when that privilege begins, how far that privilege extends, and if that privilege extends into a different area than what the lawyer was originally hired for.
I believe that since MR and his attorney already have a working relationship through the divorce proceedings that anything he said to his attorney would already be under those privileges. Whether his divorce attorney could or would represent him in court as a criminal defense attorney would be a separate question. Some practice in one area or another, not all attorneys would practice both family law, and criminal defense, nor do all firms handle both of those types of cases (it's like medicine where most have *specialties*.)
Again though, I am not anywhere near an expert in these matters, and would love to understand these points more clearly. And, not just for this case specifically, although the fact that his visit with his lawyer didn't even really come up in the DP show has stuck with me. I think that's something that may have been edited out of the DP show.
All of the above is MOO.
PS - JustJeannie, I was typing this up when you replied, but that's my understanding as well. I agree we should get someone who really knows the law specifically to answer some of these questions. Especially as MR's lawyer was already in an attorney-client relationship with him through the divorce proceedings. That makes it a bit more complicated.