Series in Courts
Books in Courts
Inside the Snitch Tank
"Inside the Snitch Tank" is the story of an American community doubly devastated by mass murder—first by the loss of innocent lives, then by the misconduct of lawmen and prosecutors. When a vengeful ex-husband strode into an Orange County, California, hair salon and fatally shot his ex-wife and seven others, the terrible crimes seemed like a slam dunk case. But the prosecution team wanted more, and turned to a jailhouse snitch to build an even stronger case against the former tugboat crewman. In their zeal to ensure a courtroom victory, prosecutors failed to play by the rules that ensure justice for all. The resulting scandal has overturned convictions, set killers free, and led legal experts nationwide to demand a U.S. Department Justice investigation into the use of jail informants. Jailhouse snitches are rarely prisoners who happen to overhear confessions. The Orange County Register takes readers "Inside the Snitch Tank" to show how inmates actually apply for the job and become part of a roster of covert operatives whose surveillance on behalf of law enforcement has put the Orange County, Calif. justice system at the center of a national debate. "Inside the Snitch Tank" was written by Edward Humes, the author of 13 nonfiction books and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his Orange County Register coverage of the military. The story is based on extensive reporting by the Register's staff, including Tony Saavedra, David Ferrell, Kelly Puente, Tom Berg and Ian Wheeler; and legal documents obtained by the newspaper since the arrest of Scott Dekraai after the worst mass shooting in Orange County history.
The Jury
From ancient Athens to modern Asia, cultures have wanted ordinary people involved in making legal decisions. This Very Short Introduction charts juries from antiquity through the English-speaking world and beyond to Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Today, juries have become a symbol of democracy and popular legitimacy. But in English-speaking countries, jury trials are declining. Civil juries have been virtually abolished everywhere except the United States, and plea bargaining is taking the place of criminal jury trials. In this book, Renée Lettow Lerner describes the benefits and challenges of using juries, including jury nullification. She considers how innovations from non-English-speaking countries may be key to the survival of citizen participation in the legal system. Along the way, the book tells how a small German state invented a way of using jurors that is now found around the world. And it reveals why some defendants preferred to be crushed to death by weights rather than convicted by a jury.