num_pages: 288
description: A searing manifesto on the ills of the criminal justice system from two of America’s most prominent defense attorneys.The American legal system changed dramatically in 1994, when the O. J. Simpson trial became a television-ratings bonanza. Now it’s all crime, all the time, on TV, from tabloid news to police procedurals on every network. Americans know more about the criminal justice system than ever before. Or do they?In Mistrial, Mark Geragos and Pat Harris argue precisely the opposite: In pursuit of sensationalism, the media shows the public only a small, distorted sample of what really happens in our courtrooms. So, ironically, the more the public thinks it knows, the less informed it really is.Mistrial debunks the myth of impartial American justice and draws the curtain on its ugly realities—from stealth jurors who secretly swing for a conviction to cops who regularly lie on the witness stand  to defense attorneys terrified  of going to trial. Ultimately, the authors question whether a justice system  model drawn up two centuries before blogs, television, and O. J. Simpson is still viable today.In the aftermath of the Casey Anthony trial, the flaws in America’s justice system are more glaring than ever. Geragos and Harris are legal experts and prominent criminal defense attorneys who have  worked  on everything from  celebrity media-circuses to equally  compelling cases defending individuals desperate to avoid  the spotlight, and Mistrial’s behind-the-scenes peek at their most fascinating cases will enthrall legal eagles and armchair litigators alike—as it blows the lid on what  really happens in a courtroom.
language: English
title: Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't
publisher: Gotham