Convictions: A Prosecutor's Battles Against Mafia Killers, Drug Kingpins, and Enron Thieves

by John Kroger

Convictions is a spellbinding story from the front lines of the fight against crime. Most Americans know little about the work of assistant United States attorneys, the federal prosecutors who possess sweeping authority to investigate and prosecute the nation€™s most dangerous criminals. John Kroger pursued high-profile cases against Mafia killers, drug kingpins, and Enron executives. Starting from his time as a green recruit and ending at the peak of his career, he steers us through the complexities of life as a prosecutor, where the battle in the courtroom is only the culmination of long and intricate investigative work. He reveals how to flip a perp, how to conduct a cross, how to work an informant, how to placate a hostile judge. Kroger relates it all with a novelist€™s eye for detail and a powerful sense of the ethical conflicts he faces. Often dissatisfied with the system, he explains why our law enforcement policies frequently fail in critical areas like

Genres: Nonfiction, Law, Memoir, True Crime, Crime, Autobiography

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jp Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a public defender and constant adversary of prosecutors, I resisted reading this book about Kroger's years as a federal prosecutor in New York. In the interest of full disclosure, Kroger and I were classmates at Harvard Law School. We graduated the same year but did not know each other. His photo on the book cover looks only slightly familiar. I enjoyed the book more than I expected. It meticulously traces the evidence and legal strategy in several of Kroger's cases (mafia, drug and Enron prosecutions). Kroger, who left prosecuting to be a law professor, is inclined to philosophical and ethical examination. He admits mistakes and ethical missteps. I was left feeling he was among the most ethical of prosecutors and yet still drunk with power and willing to use that power to extort pleas from defendants and sandbag their attorneys. He is candid about genuinely liking some of his informants, despite their admissions of killing piles of people. But there is plenty of scorn and snark saved for defense attorneys, much of it seeming a bit dismissive of the value and importance of the defense function. It's still a fascinating read and shows the personal toll of criminal practice.

[John of Canada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books about trials.I also love books about football coaching.Lawyers and coaches have a lot in common as to game plans,and improvising when necessary.Kroger would be a fine coach.He is very honest about his errors and shortcomings but his work ethic and personal ethics are to be admired.He does a great job of simplifying very complex issues.He also does a great job of describing how the law is often as much or more about who puts on the best show rather than who has the best case.I would love to read similar style books,and not necessarily only about the law.I would enjoy recommendations.

[Jonathan Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book manages to seamlessly weave together entertaining trial and investigation stories alongside critical examinations of criminal justice and honest reflection upon the author’s own shortcomings. Kroger’s willingness to openly discuss decisions he must have known would be denounced by many readers demonstrates his commitment to both public accountability and introspection. Whether you are looking for some approachable true crime reading about vivid mafia characters and Enron fraud or a productive conversation on the strategic shortcomings in the War on Drugs, this book is for you.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly good book on many levels.

It's somewhat of the genre of Kidder's Soul of a new machine,
and many of Michael Lewis' books,
in that it describes in detail a somewhat obscure job that most people have heard of,
but don't really know what is actually done on a daily basis.

The author includes some discussion about his dissatisfaction with what his job actually accomplishes at the end of the day.
And how it changes his own morals in a way he's not pleased with.

After 3 years he quits and becomes a teacher at a law school in Oregon.
In 2008 he was elected Attorney general for Oregon.

Reading about famous criminals that he helped put away,
I'd frequently go to wikipedia to see if they are still in jail or even alive.
The internet is really great in supplementing this kind of book.

Enron and Jeff Skilling are back in the news,
they are trying to rewrite history,
but reading the details in this book,
I am reminded what crooks they were.

A lot of interesting stats too,
Skilling spent more than 54 MILLION dollars

 on his defense.

He didn't get anything for his money.

Also there were, 10 years ago, 16 million people in the US buying drugs regularly,
spending 60 BILLION dollars a year on illegal drugs.
 500,000 dealers in the US
and world sales of illegal drugs around 300 to 400 BILLION dollars a year.

He points out that after more than 30 years of the "war on drugs"
the cost of illegal drugs has not gone up, and the availability hasn't changed, 
so the entire effort is somewhat of a failure.

 Imagine if just a small amount of that went to feed the hungry people of the world.

 He often makes interesting comments about 
why crooks, cops, federal agents and defense lawyers act the way they do.

A satisfying amount of psychology in this book.

 The book lacks an index, I should knock a star off for that,
 but after some of the dogs I've read this last month, I'll let that slide.

 

[David Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kroger is a strange man - introverted, a little naive, overly analytical and a bit of a narcissist, but he seems really decent and likeable. What makes his book so interesting is his honesty and self-reflection. In law, you come across a lot of prosecutors like Kroger - deeply committed to justice and ivory towered. Kroger takes you behind that stilted, opaque robot of a person and shows you his thoughts and motivations.

For instance, I like how Kroger explains that he harbors no real animosity against the mafia he prosecutes. Rather, he's a little envious of their charisma and their disregard of the strictures of civil society. Also, you get a sense that his officiousness with the comraderie of the law enforcement world stems from a need for social acceptance.

The most entertaining part of the book is where he recounts his failed attempt at asking out a judge's clerk by cold calling her. Geewiz, Kroger's really got no game. Ha!

A must read for any socially awkward attorney or law student who asks himself, "How come my classmates are weirdos?"

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep in one of my veins is the flowing thought of becoming a lawyer. I never did... But it is something I always wondered if it was " my cup of tea." With that in the back of your mind, you should understand why I enjoyed this book by John Kroger. The section about his dealings with the mafia was oh so good. The drug cartel section, I thought, was a little slow - but it picked back up when he talked about Enron. I never spent much time trying to learn about it ( seems funny since I did study finance). But John straighten everything out for me. I greatly enjoyed it, and "Convictions" was a smooth easy read for me. 👌

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I learned some things about John Kroger.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was fascinating - it was almost like watching a good crime tv show… Kroger had a fantastic run as an AUSA and he writes quite well about his experiences and highlights of his career.

It’s interesting that he structures his book around 3 themes (the mafia, drugs, and white collar crime) — I suppose those were the 3 categories of cases he worked on. He also includes policy recommendations at the end of each section (which is fun I guess lol - as expected of someone who was previously a policy analyst). I think there are some things I wish he elaborated upon more (how he got to law school - and not just because I want to go ok, I’m just curious!, his family relationships, his life outside of his AUSA career, his ethical quandaries…) and things I felt he spent too long on (aka it feels like he included every investigative detail?!) Also funny thing he says at some point that a police officer “tastes” drugs to confirm it’s cocaine during a search but like BRO no way LOL why would anyone with common sense do that?!

At the same time though, I do feel like everything he put in was necessary to understand what it is federal prosecutors do (especially because he specifically notes that transparency was a key motive behind the book). I don’t know, I just feel like there HAS to be more moral dilemmas faced! He touches briefly on the disparate treatment of criminal defendants and white collar criminals, and his conclusion does a beautiful job of explaining the ethical dilemmas he felt like he faced, but I feel like he focused more on Kant vs util than really exploring how these ethical dilemmas impacted him & how he came to terms with having to make these trade offs.

Also, I’m just curious about what exactly made him such a good prosecutor. Talent? Luck? Hard work? Who knows.

Anyway, very fascinating, glad I read it, and I’m grateful he didn’t shy away from talking about the bad things and being critical of systems that deserve criticism.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am very proud of my work as an AUSA. I know that without my efforts, and those of thousands of prosecutors and agents like me, the world would be a more dangerous place. This book is not, howevet, a simple celebration of the Justice Department's work. There is also a darker side.
When I first reported for work as an AUSA, I felt totally light-hearted. What, I thought, could be more morally straightforward, more socially beneficial than prosecuting dangerous criminals? This view proved naive. Over the next few years, to my surprise, I learned that my job was an ethical obstacle course.
Like most prosecutors, I tried very hard to do the right thing. Sometimes, however, I discovered that the way we fight criminals is counterproductive, encouraging crime instead of preventing it.
I also learned that on occasion the best solution to a legal problem turns out to feel pretty awful. By 2003 I had become a very good prosecutor. I had also concluded, to my deep regret, that sometimes it is impossible to be both a great prosecutor and a good human being.”

[Kathleen (itpdx) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kroger lets us in on the life of a federal prosecutor, including investigating and prosecuting the mafia, drug lords, and white collar criminals. He bares his soul with ethical questions about flipping criminals and who should be charged in complex crimes. He reviews the history of the mafia and why they were vulnerable to be taken down; why the war on drugs has not been successful; the flawed reasoning that lead to torture of terrorist suspects; and why the feds don’t often take on corporate fraud.
There are reasons why he was a successful prosecutor—he can tell an interesting story and he can explain complex issues clearly and understandably.
He was working as an Associate US Attorney in New York when 911 occurred. He shares his experience working on the investigative team.
He investigated and prosecuted one part of the Enron case.
At the end of the book, he is getting ready to run for Attorney General of Oregon. He was elected but resigned after three years. I would very much like him to write about the next part of his life.

[David Szatkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kroger was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (which includes Brooklyn, Staten Island, etc). There he was involved in prosecuting organized crime figures and narcotics dealers. Later he was involved in prosecuting various Enron figures (though he was never a full time white collar prosecutor).

Kroger does an excellent job at explaining the work of an AUSA and the federal law enforcement system in general. Kroger balances showing the strength and ability of the AUSA's office along with its weakness (both philosophical and practical). Kroger also puts forward some practical suggestions for making our country better and safer. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, I think you will find Kroger a thoughtful, respectful author who can make complicated legal issues quite understandable.

[Laura Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a retired lawyer, I enjoyed this book by a former federal prosecutor. John Kroger has taught at Lewis and Clark law school, which is just up the street from me, and served as Oregon’s attorney general. Prior to moving to Oregon, he worked in the US Attorneys office in New York. The book spends little time on Kroger’s personal life or his life prior to starting his legal career. Instead, the bulk of the book is divided into chapters discussing specific cases he worked on, including drug busts, mafia crimes and the Enron scandal. For the most part, he avoids legalese and writes in a style that is understandable to lay people without a legal background. He also offers some thoughts on legal ethics and what is or isn’t effective in terms of the war on drugs. Thoughtful and fast paced.

[Tom Bode · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than i thought it would be, because in between the battle stories from Manhattan courtrooms are reflections on the philosophical underpinnings of prosecution and personal reflection. The trials are interesting and I learned about the mafia and the war on drugs. As a prosecutor myself I appreciated the straight talk on the moral complexity of the role and the contradictions inherent in it.

[Hugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir is better than fiction. Kroger had a wild, though brief career as a prosecutor, and there is enough material in his memoir to fuel several seasons of a prestige drama series.

He's an interesting thinker and a great writer. I couldn't put this down.

[Karl Worsham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. It probably deserves a 3.5 star rating but not a 4 so I'll settle on 3.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great account of being an AUSA

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before John Kroger was elected Oregon attorney general, before he moved to the state to teach at Lewis and Clark's law school, he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York. From this tough-to-land perch, Harvard Law grad Kroger prosecuted drug crimes, gangsters and eventually the mafia. He also built a strong reputation in elite legal circles, as he's not shy to point out.

This book explores in compelling detail some of the more interesting cases that he tried before he entered politics. He starts with small time drug dealers, learning now to "flip" suspects to pursue criminals higher up the food chain. As Kroger seeks a win on each trial, he also explores his ethical frustrations with the U.S. justice system. He questions the conventional wisdom on the shrinking power of the mafia. He criticizes the country's short-sighted war on drugs. And he talks about U.S. Attorney office politics.

Kroger survives Sept. 11, 2001, and immediately joins the investigative response apparatus. He describes his relatively minor role in an effort to investigate the attacks using America's long-established legal system, and criticisms the Bush administration's resort to other tactics. The 80-hour work weeks begin to wear on him, and he leave prosecution, but before too long he's sucked back in when the opportunity to investigate Enron presents itself.

I was surprised to be so taken in by this large tome by a state-level Oregon politician, but "Convictions" is filled with action, interspersed by thoughtful contemplation and well-written essays on ethics, politics and policy.

[Laura Monagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Kroger brings a gift for storytelling to this fascinating memoir of his work as a federal prosecutor in New York. Given some of the murderous defendants he prosecuted, one wonders where these federal prosecutors get the courage to bring them to justice. I found myself fearing for his life as Kroger collected evidence, interviewed the most heinous members of society, grilled them on the witness stand, and sent them packing to prison. He did a fabulous job of explaining some of the intricacies of prosecutorial law, giving just enough detail to shed light on the process without getting bogged down. Only where the narrative involved too many similar names did the pace slow; otherwise it was an unexpected pleasure of a page-turner.

Laura Monagan

The Unaccompanied Tour

[Bernice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am interested in reading this book because John Kroger has a viewpoint about being a federal prosecutor. My experience as a state prosecutor is that we are able to seek justice. He points to some conflicts regarding that goal in the federal system. I like the writing style so far. We'll see

I am so proud to be a prosecutor and I don't know any prosecutors who are interested in convicting innocent people. We would fight to free and vacate convictions that were a mistake. I don't believe in calling defendant's names or forgetting they are human. But I do worry most about the victims. We actually agree on most issues presented in the book I believe in funding treatment and don't believe spouses or family members should be indicted unless they need to be held accountable. Good read. Talked about important issues but truly, I think it is more difficult to keep working to make the world a better place when you enter politics than as a prosecutor.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT a read!! The title pretty much says it all.... Current Oregon State Attorney General writes of his former life as a federal prosecutor for New York City's Brooklyn-Queens district. He's an engaging writer and he tells his stories with a brilliant mix of legal background/facts and first-person reactions to what he encountered. Although his experiences underscore every bit of cynical conclusions about corruption that I presumed to be true (and more) what saves the book from merely salacious drama is that Kroger intersperses his story narratives with chapters of small essays explaining what he's learned, and why his own worldview remains positive in the face of what he's seen. He also happened to be in downtown NYC during 9-11, and includes a small and moving section describing how he was professionally involved in the aftermath. I've recommended this book to numerous friends and relations, and am left with a high regard for my state's Attorney General!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an outstanding description of what it's like to be an Assistant United States Attorney, and it covers the gamut of cases from white collar to drugs to the mafia to minor cases. Kroger can seem at times a little bit much in terms of the self-analysis, but the result is that he's taken time to think about the moral and ethical quandaries that face federal prosecutors, and about the difficulties of taking what so many declare the best job they've ever had are in terms of exposure to some of the worst of what society has to offer on a daily basis. As someone who has worked in a USAO and considers - sometimes hopes - to do so again, I found it enthralling, educational, and thought provoking.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great pool book . . . the guy is a major narcissist but obviously bright and dedicated. I love this kind of book, complete with trial strategies and inside glimpses into the mob and drug running, though, obviously, to one not so enthralled with the criminal justice system, this could be a bore. One angle that distinguishes this book from others of its genre is the author's acknowledgement of the tension between truth and justice, the incredible power wielded by United States Attorneys, and the ethical choices that they must make (showing that such choices are not just in the province of criminal defense attorneys.)

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the law. Of course the author, John Kroger the attorney general of Oregon, makes himself out in a positive light, but the stories he tells of fighting the mafia, drug dealers and transporters, as well as Enron thieves are all engrossing to read. He tells of the strategies, what went well and what did not as his time as a AUSA, an Assistant United States Attorney. He tells of the philosophical quandaries of prosecutions and of the mistakes he made along the way. His writing style is easy to read, even as he is describing very complex situations. Reminds me very much of Law and Order, but in a good way.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected to begin this book and then drift away from it early on and eventually take it back to the library. This is what happened, but not for the reasons I thought. This book is great! It is witty and interesting and easy to read, and a fascinating look at an area of law most of us non-lawyers probably barely think about. I highly recommend it. It is also a very long book and Kroger won an Oregon book award this year so people at the library requested it before I could finish it. I would like to someday, though. And you should read it too.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story by a federal prosecutor describing some of his biggest cases. The description of the cases was interesting. His long chapters on how to improve law enforcement policy in areas such as the war on drugs, although insightful were a bit dry at times. I was also disappointed to realize that the last chapter and by implication the entire book was a plug for his candidacy in the Oregon Attorney General's race. He also came across as a little arrogant, very eager to point out how talented he has become.

[Shalaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim and loved it. If you like Law & Order, John Grisham style courtroom drama, mafia and mob stories, or want to know more about the Enron scandal, you will enjoy this book. The author went to be the Oregon Attorney General and is now a college president. He tells a great story, introduces some fascinating social analysis, shares some of his personal emotions, and explains complex legal issues so a common person with no legal background can understand them. I was entertained and felt like I learned something.

[Wedelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This guy's job is too cool for school. I liked the insights into the day-to-day operations of the U.S. Attorney's Office including hiring and administrative processes. Talk about making a positive difference in the world -- this guy's accomplishments are inspiring. Still, it's little more than a collection of war stories from his job with a sprinkling of philosophy thrown around in random places to assure us the author is a serious thinker. It fizzles at the end, but still a fun read.

[Danica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book...I can't help feel like Kroger started out as an awesome warrior, became a doubter, and eventually gave up. It seems like the more convictions he got the less conviction he had. Now he's president of some drug using/dealing, pothead college here in Oregon after bailing on being attorney general. Seems like a waste of talent and ambition...but until I spend my life convicting mobsters I guess I have no room to criticize.

[Sunset · Rating 5 out of 5]

His story of being a prosecutor for the Federal Government working (incessantly/obsessively) to build cases against the Mafia, drug dealers, and Enron thieves until the funding is pulled and diverted to "terrorism." Then he bicycles from Washington to Oregon camping, reading, becoming fit and giving up an extreme coffee habit. I read this as he was running for Attorney General of Oregon, which he wins.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely fascinated by this book. I learned about what it's like to be a federal prosecutor (I had no clue) and it has really helped me understand more about our justice system. Kroger is also a very good writer. He is living here in Oregon now, and says nice things about it in his book. Currently he is a candidate for attorney general of Oregon.