Defending the Damned: Inside a Dark Corner of the Criminal Justice SystemChicago was the nation's deadliest city in 2001, recording 666 homicides. For lawyers in the Cook County Public Defender's Office Murder Task Force, that meant a steady flow of new clients. Eight out of ten people arrested for murder in Chicago are represented by public defenders. They're assigned the most challenging and seemingly hopeless cases, yet they always fight to win. One of those lawyers is Marijane Placek, a snakeskin boot-wearing, Shakespeare-quoting nonconformist whose courtroom bravado and sharp legal skills have made her a well-known figure around the courthouse. When an ex-convict was arrested on charges of killing a Chicago police officer that deadly year, Placek got the high-profile case, and her defense forms the hub around which the book's narrative revolves. Veteran journalist Kevin Davis reveals the compelling true story of a team of battle-scarred lawyers fighting against all odds. Unflinching, gripping, and full of surprises, Defending the Damned is an unforgettable human story and engaging courtroom drama where life and death hang in the balance. Davis explores the motives that compel these lawyers to come to work in this dark corner of the criminal justice system and exposes their insular and often misunderstood world. This groundbreaking work comes at a time when the country has seen how wrongful convictions have slipped through the system, that innocent people have been sent to death row, and that some police have lied or coerced suspects into confessing to crimes they did not commit. Such flaws drive these public defenders even harder to do their jobs, providing scrutiny to a long ignored and often broken system. Davis's reporting offers an unvarnished account of public defenders as never seen before. A powerful melding of courtroom drama and penetrating truecrime journalism, Defending the Damned is narrative nonfiction at its finest. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 73
Page 2
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 4
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 5
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 8
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 13
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Contents
Killer Defense | 1 |
The Crime | 10 |
Anarchist Under Contract | 20 |
Welcome to Our World | 34 |
How Can They Defend These People? | 47 |
Scene of the Crime | 59 |
Confession or Coercion? | 71 |
Everyones Entitled to One | 80 |
A Shot in the Dark | 158 |
Downs and Ups | 181 |
Always Afraid | 196 |
Arguing for Life | 206 |
A Religious Matter | 224 |
Judgment Day | 240 |
Lifes Sentences | 254 |
The Twist | 265 |
Other editions - View all
Defending the Damned: Inside a Dark Corner of the Criminal Justice System Kevin Davis Limited preview - 2008 |
Defending the Damned: Inside Chicago's Cook County Public Defender's Office Kevin Davis Limited preview - 2007 |
Defending the Damned: Inside Chicago's Cook County Public Defender's Office Kevin Davis No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
alley Aloy Aloysius Oliver Aloysius's Andre Green Andrew Northrup arrest Barner beat Betsy called Cavanaugh charged Chicago Police Chicago Police Department clients confession convicted Cook County cop killer cops court courthouse courtroom crime criminal David O'Connor death penalty drug Eric Lee father feel felt friends fucking gang going Green guilty heard insanity defense jail Judge Moran Julie jurors jury justice Kelly Kevin Davis killed killer knew later lawyers Lee's lived looked Magats Marijane and Ruth Marijane asked Marijane's McKay Melka mother Murder Task Force Musburger neighborhood never night Nixon O'Connor Officer Lee police officer prison prosecutors public defender public defender’s office Queeney raping Ruth McBeth Shawn Lee Shelton Shelton Green shooting shot Sincox sius someone State's Attorney story street talk tell testify thing Tommie Leach took trial Tribblet trying Vecchio victim walked wanted witness Woody Yahweh وو