In The Devil's Advocateswe turn our attention to the types of
crimes and trials that have so captivated the public, cases that
have also helped to illuminate underlying principals of the
American criminal justice system. From a Tennessee sheriff turning
a blind eye to a mob hell-bent on lynching a prisoner; to a single
mother protesting a warrantless police search of her home, the
cases in this book illustrate the drama behind the legal decisions
that control our criminal justice system. Future President John
Adams illustrates the principle that even the most despised and
vilified criminal is entitled to a legal defense, in the argument
he delivers on behalf of the British soldiers who shot and killed
five Americans during the Boston Massacre. The always-controversial
temporary insanity defense makes its debut within sight of the
White House, when a prominent congressman guns down the district
attorney over an extra-marital affair, in front of horrified
onlookers. Clarence Darrow is represented with a ringing defense of
a black family charged with using deadly force to defend themselves
from a violent mob, an argument that refines the concept of
self-defense - and its applicability to all races. The treason
trial of Aaron Burr (who also killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel)
for plotting to "steal" the western territories of the United
States and form a new country with himself as its head, offers a
fascinating glimpse into a rare type of prosecution, as well as a
look at perhaps the most interesting traitor in the nation's
history. And perhaps the most famous and significant of
precedent-setting cases, that of Ernesto Miranda, an accused rapist
who confessed to the crime without having been notified of his
Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself (and his right to
counsel) is analyzed in detail. These arguments - and the cases
motivating them - provide the reader with a ringside seat to
gripping drama, as well as to the shaping of the legal system we
thrill to and curse at today.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!