Chasing Gideon: The Elusive Quest for Poor People's Justice
"Chasing Gideonis a wonderful book, its human stories gripping, its insight into how our law is made profound.  Fifty years after theGideoncase was decided by the Supreme Court, the struggle to give poor criminal defendants a fair chance in court is still being fought—by lawyers, judges, and an inspired writer, Karen Houppert."—Anthony Lewis, author ofGideon’s Trumpet"Our country’s indigent defense crisis profoundly undermines the accuracy and fairness of our criminal justice system for defendants, victims, and the public alike. With clarity and power,Chasing Gideondemonstrates this crisis, the reasons behind it, and the ways to fix it. It is a must–read for anyone who cares about justice."—Virginia Sloan, executive director, The Constitution Project"TheGideondecision provides an essential mechanism for making the ideal of justice a reality, even for America’s most marginalized people. Author Karen Houppert compellingly examines the multitude of ways in which that mechanism remains under attack fifty years after it was established. Realizing the promise ofGideonoften requires overcoming parsimony, political pressure, and the malignant indifference of government bodies and the public at large.Chasing Gideonillustrates the scope and seriousness of the indigent defense crisis nationally and makes the case that defendingGideonis essential and a true test of our nation’s commitment to liberty and justice for all."—Anthony D. Romero, executive director, American Civil Liberties Union"Having spent much of my career building a movement of public defenders across the South working to makeGideon’s promise a reality, I am grateful to Karen Houppert for helping readers understand just how far we are from realizing the right to adequate counsel for all.Chasing Gideonshines a bright light on the crisis of indigent defense and challenges us to finally live up to our most cherished democratic principles."—Jonathan Rapping, associate professor, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, and president and founder ofGideon’s Promise"Houppert demonstrates that most public defenders are dedicated lawyers but face severe disadvantages due to overwhelming case loads, inadequate budgets for expert witnesses and the like, as well as the nature of the criminal justice system, which often emphasizes the desirability of a plea bargain instead of taking a case to a full trial by judge or jury…a well–researched and [well]–written investigation that shows the inadequacies in stark human terms rather than as an abstraction."—Kirkus Reviews"Fifty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court guaranteed in Gideon v. Wainwright the right to free counsel to all defendants facing the possibility of imprisonment if they were unable to procure it themselves. Today, more than 80 percent of defendants are represented by public defenders. Here, Houppert (contributing writer,Washington Post Magazine;Home Fires Burning: Married to the Military—for Better or Worse) takes up the call of Anthony Lewis’s classicGideon’s Trumpetand examines what has changed—and what has not—in the past five decades. What results is a stinging indictment of a system of indigent defense, a widespread failure that, the author claims, dooms the nation’s poor to being represented by insufficient counsel, unwise plea bargains, and wrongful convictions. Houppert examines public defense systems in Washington, Louisiana, and Georgia and follows illustrative cases: a teenager facing vehicular manslaughter charges, a prisoner who has served nearly 30 years for a crime he did not commit, and a defendant facing the death penalty.VERDICT Fluent and fluid, Houppert’s book has all the urgency this subject demands and is a page-turner. Alternately thrilling and gut-riling, this book will grab and hold lovers of great nonfiction. Highly recommended."—Library Journal