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Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor's Fight for Fairness
This instant New York Times bestseller offers “a firsthand, eye-opening story of a prosecutor that exposes the devastating criminal punishment system” (Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award–winning author of How to Be an Antiracist) in this “compelling collection of engaging, well-written, keenly observed vignettes from [Laura Coates’s] years as a lawyer with the US Department of Justice” (The New York Times Book Review).When Laura Coates joined the Department of Justice as a prosecutor, she wanted to advocate for the most vulnerable among us. But she quickly realized that even with the best intentions, “the pursuit of justice creates injustice.” Coates’s experiences show that no matter how fair you try to fight, being Black, a woman, and a mother are identities often at odds in the justice system. She and her colleagues face seemingly impossible situations as they teeter between what is right and what is just. On the front lines of our legal system, Coates saw how Black communities are policed differently; Black cases are prosecuted differently; Black defendants are judged differently. How the court system seems to be the one place where minorities are overrepresented, an unrelenting parade of Black and Brown defendants in numbers that belie their percentage in the population and overfill American prisons. She also witnessed how others in the system either abused power or were abused by it—for example, when an undocumented witness was arrested by ICE, when a white colleague taught Coates how to unfairly interrogate a young Black defendant, or when a judge victim-blamed a young sexual assault survivor based on her courtroom attire. Through these “searing, eye-opening” (People) scenes from the courtroom, Laura Coates explores the tension between the idealism of the law and the reality of working within the parameters of our flawed legal system, exposing the chasm between what is right and what is lawful.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2022
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March 7, 2022
Warning: no one asked for this unnecessarily long and detailed review, but I had some time on my hands and a lot of thoughts on this topic. I’m having a hard time deciding how I feel about this book. On one hand, I respect and admire Laura Coates’ storytelling ability and her dedication to showing the less glamorous and even traumatizing aspects of working in the criminal legal system. On the other hand, as someone who works in public defense (with the important disclaimer that I am not an attorney), I think there was a bigger, more nuanced overall point here that was never developed.
Part 1: Dialogue
When reading memoirs, I am always skeptical of exact dialogue. As someone with a graduate degree in psychology, I also know that as a general rule, humans cannot recall anything more than gist information after extended time has passed (there are exceptions/special circumstances of course, especially with regards to very emotional memories, but this is the general idea). This isn’t a gripe limited to this book, but I think it is especially important for the subject matter here. For example, I’m calling BS on the author actually telling a defense attorney “You’re obviously accustomed to insulting people and getting away with it. So, let’s see…is this is the part where insecure people squirm and try to get you to like them?” Sorry, I just don’t buy it, nor do I believe a lot of the other snappy retorts throughout the book. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t to say that attorneys don’t ever say things like this (I have personally witnessed it), but I just can’t believe that every conversation is remembered verbatim from cases that happened years ago. This is an extremely complex and important topic, and I think it deserves more than the superficial and often reactive dialogue in these pages.
Part 2: One-sided Empathy
I am genuinely confused as to the point this book is trying to make. I think the author’s takeaway, the call to action, is that the American legal system is racist, which is true. The book begins and ends with observations of the ways in which race permeates legal proceedings. I wholeheartedly agree with this position. Pervasive racism shows itself daily through pretextual stops, disparate sentencing practices, and outright prejudicial treatment in courtrooms and interrogation rooms. I also admire Coates’ dedication to describing the personal journey she faced while navigating the system as a Black female prosecutor. As a white woman, I cannot ever claim to understand what it was like for her to balance her personal identity and the duties of her job. My issue is that while Coates tells various horrific stories about the painful experiences she has witnessed or participated in as a prosecutor and the way these incidents deeply impacted her, she never goes far enough to opine that the system SHOULD NOT BE DESIGNED TO WORK THIS WAY in the first place. I had high hopes after reading the first sentence of this book: “The pursuit of justice creates injustice.” I assumed this meant that even those with good intentions cannot achieve true, equitable justice in a system as flawed and discriminatory as ours. As I kept reading, this notion got lost in a sea of disjointed anecdotes, and I was disappointed that Coates did not offer the same empathy to both sides or consider a holistic view of each “defendant.”
The first story, in which the author is forced to report a complainant in her case to ICE after discovering a decades-old warrant, made me nauseous. I cannot fathom listening to a grown man scream and cry while begging me to call his family so they would at least know what happened to him when he never returned home. Coates doesn’t shy away from how this interaction impacted her and how hard she tried to stop it. But when the story ends, Coates is rationalizing that the law comes first. She says she will question this decision for the rest of her life but leaves the analysis there. There was an opportunity here to take a deep and critical look at a legal system that values human life and experience so little that it would allow this.
Another story, in which family members of a deceased young man beg and plead with the judge to have mercy on the boys who killed their son, struck me as a chance to examine the punitive goals of justice. Here we have a family in the kind of grief and mourning that few can imagine, and they are begging to save the people responsible for their loss. It is more powerful than I can put into words. Again, we see people incontrovertibly morally troubled by the outcome of this case. And again, Coates goes no further. She is clearly emotionally impacted by what she has witnessed, and the judge even struggles to continue with his docket after imposing life sentences. I would have liked to see some more discussion on the necessity of extremely lengthy sentences and what we gain from incarcerating young people for the entirety of their lives. What this says about our willingness to completely abandon the concept of redemption, the idea that people can grow. I would have liked some foray into the bigger question of WHY the system works like this.
I could really talk about any of the stories in this book, but I’ll just touch on one more. Coates tells the story of a statutory rape case she is saddled with by a disgruntled colleague, and how she discovers that the “defendant” is an intellectually disabled 20-year-old who had no idea that the girl involved in the case was underage. This story ends up being more about Coates not liking her colleague and eventually judging the complainant in the case for her deceptive and risk-taking behavior. A more insightful analysis of this might conclude that the law itself needs fixing. The current system offered no reprieve for an intellectually disabled man who genuinely believed he was in a consensual relationship with another adult. It offered no discretion to account for the fact that he had no idea that this person was underage or his apparent cognitive deficits. The only reason that this man avoided incarceration (I assume, the book doesn’t explicitly say that the charges were actually dropped) is because Coates and her colleague decided not to move forward. Prosecutors wield a huge amount of discretionary power, and Coates does show the ways that power can be abused. This story offered the chance for a review of the ways that intellectually disabled individuals are vastly overrepresented in incarcerated populations and the ways in which the law cannot account for individual circumstances. Justice, in this case, would not have included a lengthy period of incarceration for this “defendant,” and I wish that Coates had more forcefully emphasized that conclusion.
I understand that Coates might have intended this book to be more of a personal memoir rather than an analysis of the structural issues with the criminal legal system in America. But based on the marketing and taglines of this book, I think Coates invites a deeper discussion that she never really delves into herself.
Part 3: More than the worst thing we’ve ever done
I work for a Public Defender because of my strongly held conviction that every human is more than the worst thing that they’ve ever done. I believe in redemption, restorative justice, and rehabilitation. As a student of psychology, I believe in treatment. As someone who spends most of her professional time in jails, sitting inches away from individuals accused of committing various felonies (usually ones labeled “violent”), I have learned that humanity and context are paramount. Both the prosecution and the defense share the goal of having safer communities because we all live in those communities. The difference, and what drives me to aid in defense, is that I believe the way we achieve that goal is not through draconian sentencing practices, but through mercy and social support resources. We will not reduce crime through the death penalty, juvenile life without parole, or closing the book on a human being in need of help. The reason I know this is because this has been our approach to crime since the inception of this country, and clearly it has not worked (the United States has 4% of the world’s population yet 25% of the world’s incarcerated population). Coates’ conclusion is that we need to reform an unfair and racially biased system, but she does not connect this to the greater issue of mass incarceration, prison industrial profiteering, and the lack of humanity that so often accompanies prejudicial outcomes. She does not go so far as to say what specific reforms are needed. Don Lemon’s review of this book says “Proximity is how we fix America’s ailing justice system” and I agree. But in order to accomplish our mutual goals, proximity cannot be one-sided. Instead of alienating, isolating, and condemning people who are often vulnerable in ways that are hard to imagine, we need to show empathy and focus on reintegration and prevention.
Part 4: Vicarious Trauma
I want to end on something I appreciated being included in this book, and that is Coates’ description of secondary and vicarious trauma. Empathy happens up close, but it can be extremely harmful without proper boundaries and the ability to compartmentalize. I try my best to take care of myself, because I can’t help others if my own mental health is struggling. I applaud Coates for bringing this issue to the public, as I don’t think many people think about the emotional toll this field takes.
Part 5: Recommendations
Okay, if anyone has actually read this far, I am impressed (and sorry). If you’re interested in recommendations from the perspective of the defense, or indigent clients, check out the following: Just Mercy, The Sun Does Shine, The Other Wes Moore, and Dead Man Walking.
Part 1: Dialogue
When reading memoirs, I am always skeptical of exact dialogue. As someone with a graduate degree in psychology, I also know that as a general rule, humans cannot recall anything more than gist information after extended time has passed (there are exceptions/special circumstances of course, especially with regards to very emotional memories, but this is the general idea). This isn’t a gripe limited to this book, but I think it is especially important for the subject matter here. For example, I’m calling BS on the author actually telling a defense attorney “You’re obviously accustomed to insulting people and getting away with it. So, let’s see…is this is the part where insecure people squirm and try to get you to like them?” Sorry, I just don’t buy it, nor do I believe a lot of the other snappy retorts throughout the book. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t to say that attorneys don’t ever say things like this (I have personally witnessed it), but I just can’t believe that every conversation is remembered verbatim from cases that happened years ago. This is an extremely complex and important topic, and I think it deserves more than the superficial and often reactive dialogue in these pages.
Part 2: One-sided Empathy
I am genuinely confused as to the point this book is trying to make. I think the author’s takeaway, the call to action, is that the American legal system is racist, which is true. The book begins and ends with observations of the ways in which race permeates legal proceedings. I wholeheartedly agree with this position. Pervasive racism shows itself daily through pretextual stops, disparate sentencing practices, and outright prejudicial treatment in courtrooms and interrogation rooms. I also admire Coates’ dedication to describing the personal journey she faced while navigating the system as a Black female prosecutor. As a white woman, I cannot ever claim to understand what it was like for her to balance her personal identity and the duties of her job. My issue is that while Coates tells various horrific stories about the painful experiences she has witnessed or participated in as a prosecutor and the way these incidents deeply impacted her, she never goes far enough to opine that the system SHOULD NOT BE DESIGNED TO WORK THIS WAY in the first place. I had high hopes after reading the first sentence of this book: “The pursuit of justice creates injustice.” I assumed this meant that even those with good intentions cannot achieve true, equitable justice in a system as flawed and discriminatory as ours. As I kept reading, this notion got lost in a sea of disjointed anecdotes, and I was disappointed that Coates did not offer the same empathy to both sides or consider a holistic view of each “defendant.”
The first story, in which the author is forced to report a complainant in her case to ICE after discovering a decades-old warrant, made me nauseous. I cannot fathom listening to a grown man scream and cry while begging me to call his family so they would at least know what happened to him when he never returned home. Coates doesn’t shy away from how this interaction impacted her and how hard she tried to stop it. But when the story ends, Coates is rationalizing that the law comes first. She says she will question this decision for the rest of her life but leaves the analysis there. There was an opportunity here to take a deep and critical look at a legal system that values human life and experience so little that it would allow this.
Another story, in which family members of a deceased young man beg and plead with the judge to have mercy on the boys who killed their son, struck me as a chance to examine the punitive goals of justice. Here we have a family in the kind of grief and mourning that few can imagine, and they are begging to save the people responsible for their loss. It is more powerful than I can put into words. Again, we see people incontrovertibly morally troubled by the outcome of this case. And again, Coates goes no further. She is clearly emotionally impacted by what she has witnessed, and the judge even struggles to continue with his docket after imposing life sentences. I would have liked to see some more discussion on the necessity of extremely lengthy sentences and what we gain from incarcerating young people for the entirety of their lives. What this says about our willingness to completely abandon the concept of redemption, the idea that people can grow. I would have liked some foray into the bigger question of WHY the system works like this.
I could really talk about any of the stories in this book, but I’ll just touch on one more. Coates tells the story of a statutory rape case she is saddled with by a disgruntled colleague, and how she discovers that the “defendant” is an intellectually disabled 20-year-old who had no idea that the girl involved in the case was underage. This story ends up being more about Coates not liking her colleague and eventually judging the complainant in the case for her deceptive and risk-taking behavior. A more insightful analysis of this might conclude that the law itself needs fixing. The current system offered no reprieve for an intellectually disabled man who genuinely believed he was in a consensual relationship with another adult. It offered no discretion to account for the fact that he had no idea that this person was underage or his apparent cognitive deficits. The only reason that this man avoided incarceration (I assume, the book doesn’t explicitly say that the charges were actually dropped) is because Coates and her colleague decided not to move forward. Prosecutors wield a huge amount of discretionary power, and Coates does show the ways that power can be abused. This story offered the chance for a review of the ways that intellectually disabled individuals are vastly overrepresented in incarcerated populations and the ways in which the law cannot account for individual circumstances. Justice, in this case, would not have included a lengthy period of incarceration for this “defendant,” and I wish that Coates had more forcefully emphasized that conclusion.
I understand that Coates might have intended this book to be more of a personal memoir rather than an analysis of the structural issues with the criminal legal system in America. But based on the marketing and taglines of this book, I think Coates invites a deeper discussion that she never really delves into herself.
Part 3: More than the worst thing we’ve ever done
I work for a Public Defender because of my strongly held conviction that every human is more than the worst thing that they’ve ever done. I believe in redemption, restorative justice, and rehabilitation. As a student of psychology, I believe in treatment. As someone who spends most of her professional time in jails, sitting inches away from individuals accused of committing various felonies (usually ones labeled “violent”), I have learned that humanity and context are paramount. Both the prosecution and the defense share the goal of having safer communities because we all live in those communities. The difference, and what drives me to aid in defense, is that I believe the way we achieve that goal is not through draconian sentencing practices, but through mercy and social support resources. We will not reduce crime through the death penalty, juvenile life without parole, or closing the book on a human being in need of help. The reason I know this is because this has been our approach to crime since the inception of this country, and clearly it has not worked (the United States has 4% of the world’s population yet 25% of the world’s incarcerated population). Coates’ conclusion is that we need to reform an unfair and racially biased system, but she does not connect this to the greater issue of mass incarceration, prison industrial profiteering, and the lack of humanity that so often accompanies prejudicial outcomes. She does not go so far as to say what specific reforms are needed. Don Lemon’s review of this book says “Proximity is how we fix America’s ailing justice system” and I agree. But in order to accomplish our mutual goals, proximity cannot be one-sided. Instead of alienating, isolating, and condemning people who are often vulnerable in ways that are hard to imagine, we need to show empathy and focus on reintegration and prevention.
Part 4: Vicarious Trauma
I want to end on something I appreciated being included in this book, and that is Coates’ description of secondary and vicarious trauma. Empathy happens up close, but it can be extremely harmful without proper boundaries and the ability to compartmentalize. I try my best to take care of myself, because I can’t help others if my own mental health is struggling. I applaud Coates for bringing this issue to the public, as I don’t think many people think about the emotional toll this field takes.
Part 5: Recommendations
Okay, if anyone has actually read this far, I am impressed (and sorry). If you’re interested in recommendations from the perspective of the defense, or indigent clients, check out the following: Just Mercy, The Sun Does Shine, The Other Wes Moore, and Dead Man Walking.
March 2, 2022
4.5 stars
This book likely kept me out of a reading slump. A book I did not want to put down - I could not turn pages fast enough.
Individual vignettes about what we never see in a court room - from the Prosecutors view. Bias Judges, a mother who accidentally condemned her daughter, a case of mistaken identity, the victims family begging for the life of the perpetrator. If you enjoy books with trials - this is your go to. Each story carries you along to the trial results - not all being the result you may want.
This book likely kept me out of a reading slump. A book I did not want to put down - I could not turn pages fast enough.
Individual vignettes about what we never see in a court room - from the Prosecutors view. Bias Judges, a mother who accidentally condemned her daughter, a case of mistaken identity, the victims family begging for the life of the perpetrator. If you enjoy books with trials - this is your go to. Each story carries you along to the trial results - not all being the result you may want.
January 22, 2022
Laura Coates is currently a CNN senior legal analyst. As such, she knows how to tell a compelling story to a broad audience. This collection of well-written vignettes from her years working as a Department of Justice prosecutor focus on examples of the injustice inherent in our criminal justice system. For example, while prosecuting a car theft, she discovered that the victim was an undocumented immigrant that had been living quietly in the U.S. for the past twenty years. She was obligated to notify ICE. ICE did not even wish to allow the man the courtesy of notifying his wife and his employer of his capture. Another of her vignettes describes the sad case of a teenager’s tearful testimony recounting her long-term sexual abuse by the mother’s boyfriend being completely discounted by the judge because of the clothes the girl was wearing.
August 5, 2022
Laura Coates has done an incredible job sharing challenging, troubling, poignant stories from her time as an Assistant US Attorney for the District of Columbia and as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ.
The first chapter grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It's the story of a man, Manuel, whose car was stolen. He is the victim of the crime and is scheduled to testify against the person who stole his car---a person who was already notorious in the police department due to his total disregard for the law.
Manuel had lived in the US for 20 years as a law-abiding citizen leading a quiet life. Unfortunately, there was a warrant for immediate deportation because he had been caught coming into the US illegally when he was 16. Coates sought advice from her supervisors but was told she had to turn him in.
So even though he's the victim of a crime, when he is scheduled to testify he is picked up by ICE and the deportation process began.
Other harrowing stories of how the wheels of justice grind hard involved a young girl who was being raped by her mother's boyfriend. Her mother was aware that her daughter was being raped by her boyfriend, but her mother wanted to marry the boyfriend. The female judge did not like how the young girl dressed when she testified. The judge inappropriately and grotesquely shamed the victim about her attire choice while in the courtroom and her rapist went free....and the victim returned home to live with her mother and her mother's boyfriend. What made me nauseous while reading this horribly tragic story is that the judge was shopping for boots on her laptop while the victim testified about the abhorrent details of repeated rapes.
Coates does a phenomenal job weaving her tapestry of personal and professional details together. While Coates was pregnant with her first child, she was prosecuting a mother for child abuse when her ob-gyn called. It wasn't her regular ob-gyn, it was someone filling in. The ob-gyn indicated that the fetus had an elevated alpha-fetoprotein level which can be an indicator of spina bifida or a neural tube defect. The doctor quickly continued and said that Coates was within the legal range to abort if she chose to do so but she didn't have much time to make a decision. This story took my breath away because I had a similar experience with an ob-gyn when I was pregnant.
There are many gripping stories that give readers pause about our justice system. For most of my middle school, high school, and college years, I wanted to be an attorney. I was fortunate to spend part of my senior year in college with a fabulous female criminal court judge in Denver. The judge was terrific but what I saw in the courtroom troubled me greatly. It felt like money bought justice. Money is a term for resources, connections, financial means, and privilege---long before the word privilege became part of our daily lexicon. That experience made me seek a different career path.
The conclusion chapter illustrates how race permeates our justice ecosystem. Coates is now a CNN senior legal analyst. After becoming a mother, it contextualized the pain she saw in the victims and their mothers, and she realized she needed a different career path.
I highly recommend this memoir. It isn't for the faint of heart. It paints a searing, memorable, sickening view of our justice system.
The first chapter grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It's the story of a man, Manuel, whose car was stolen. He is the victim of the crime and is scheduled to testify against the person who stole his car---a person who was already notorious in the police department due to his total disregard for the law.
Manuel had lived in the US for 20 years as a law-abiding citizen leading a quiet life. Unfortunately, there was a warrant for immediate deportation because he had been caught coming into the US illegally when he was 16. Coates sought advice from her supervisors but was told she had to turn him in.
So even though he's the victim of a crime, when he is scheduled to testify he is picked up by ICE and the deportation process began.
Other harrowing stories of how the wheels of justice grind hard involved a young girl who was being raped by her mother's boyfriend. Her mother was aware that her daughter was being raped by her boyfriend, but her mother wanted to marry the boyfriend. The female judge did not like how the young girl dressed when she testified. The judge inappropriately and grotesquely shamed the victim about her attire choice while in the courtroom and her rapist went free....and the victim returned home to live with her mother and her mother's boyfriend. What made me nauseous while reading this horribly tragic story is that the judge was shopping for boots on her laptop while the victim testified about the abhorrent details of repeated rapes.
Coates does a phenomenal job weaving her tapestry of personal and professional details together. While Coates was pregnant with her first child, she was prosecuting a mother for child abuse when her ob-gyn called. It wasn't her regular ob-gyn, it was someone filling in. The ob-gyn indicated that the fetus had an elevated alpha-fetoprotein level which can be an indicator of spina bifida or a neural tube defect. The doctor quickly continued and said that Coates was within the legal range to abort if she chose to do so but she didn't have much time to make a decision. This story took my breath away because I had a similar experience with an ob-gyn when I was pregnant.
There are many gripping stories that give readers pause about our justice system. For most of my middle school, high school, and college years, I wanted to be an attorney. I was fortunate to spend part of my senior year in college with a fabulous female criminal court judge in Denver. The judge was terrific but what I saw in the courtroom troubled me greatly. It felt like money bought justice. Money is a term for resources, connections, financial means, and privilege---long before the word privilege became part of our daily lexicon. That experience made me seek a different career path.
The conclusion chapter illustrates how race permeates our justice ecosystem. Coates is now a CNN senior legal analyst. After becoming a mother, it contextualized the pain she saw in the victims and their mothers, and she realized she needed a different career path.
I highly recommend this memoir. It isn't for the faint of heart. It paints a searing, memorable, sickening view of our justice system.
February 9, 2022
A book I won’t forget. I don’t watch CNN very often but I want to hear more from Laura Coates.
January 6, 2022
I always felt I could never be a prosecutor, defense attorney or a public defender/prosecutor ever and this book just reinforced that. I cannot imagine doing that job, no matter how much you want to right wrongs. I completely admire Ms. Coates - what she did and what she went through while being in public service is nothing short of amazing to me [and to all the people she worked with as well] - how they dealt with all that sadness and depravity day after day is beyond me. I think towards the end of her tenure, it was her child that kept her sane [she does touch on this in the conclusion of the book].
Told in short story chapters, there really isn't a happy ending story among these. You meet a couple of judges that have no business being on the bench. You meet one prosecutor who obviously chose the wrong profession [one's personal beliefs can never come into play when you are in the Law] Yes, she wins [often and well]. Yes, people who are vile and the dregs of society go to jail. Yet, no one really wins. People who need real help are not helped and you have to wonder how many end up back in that same courtroom again and again. It was sad and disheartening. Yet, there is hope simply because there are people like Laura Coates that give a damn about the damaged and maligned. That fight for truth and justice. That believe that lives matter, especially black lives. That fight tooth and nail for the truth to come out and for lives to begin to be made whole. But!! Like she says in the book, there is much reform needed; an emphasis on mental health and helping victims past the verdict would go far in helping them not be victims again. The way juries are picked needs reformed [some of this was eye-opening to me]. Mostly, we need more people who are willing to fight for justice and not just write it in.
Overall, this book was very good. It shines a light on an area that is not often talked about. I highly recommend this to anyone. Now, I am off to have some chess pie. ;-)
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Coates, and Simon and Schuster for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Told in short story chapters, there really isn't a happy ending story among these. You meet a couple of judges that have no business being on the bench. You meet one prosecutor who obviously chose the wrong profession [one's personal beliefs can never come into play when you are in the Law] Yes, she wins [often and well]. Yes, people who are vile and the dregs of society go to jail. Yet, no one really wins. People who need real help are not helped and you have to wonder how many end up back in that same courtroom again and again. It was sad and disheartening. Yet, there is hope simply because there are people like Laura Coates that give a damn about the damaged and maligned. That fight for truth and justice. That believe that lives matter, especially black lives. That fight tooth and nail for the truth to come out and for lives to begin to be made whole. But!! Like she says in the book, there is much reform needed; an emphasis on mental health and helping victims past the verdict would go far in helping them not be victims again. The way juries are picked needs reformed [some of this was eye-opening to me]. Mostly, we need more people who are willing to fight for justice and not just write it in.
Overall, this book was very good. It shines a light on an area that is not often talked about. I highly recommend this to anyone. Now, I am off to have some chess pie. ;-)
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Coates, and Simon and Schuster for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2021
This book is well-written, very accessible, and very sad. It should be on everyone's anti-racism reading list. I can see a crossover appeal for fans of true crime, as each chapter has a different courtroom scenario that Coates describes in vivid detail. On the whole, it is a more personal illustration of many of the issues and dilemmas raised in Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow. A very powerful book.
April 2, 2022
I won this a a goodreads giveaway. Thank you Simon and Schuster.
This is a must read for everyone that is involved with the Social Justice movement. Everyone reading this will take away something different.
This is a must read for everyone that is involved with the Social Justice movement. Everyone reading this will take away something different.
January 16, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed Laura Coates’ voice in this book about injustice & judicial stereotyping. The cases that she featured in this book are just a sampling of what goes on in the courts every single day. I appreciated Coates’ candor and will to speak up when something was askew. Some of the cases that pulled at my heart strings were ones involving ICE, mistaken identity & pleas of the victim’s family regarding the convictions of young men. I wish there were more people like her in our court system.
Thank you @netgalley for the eArc!
Thank you @netgalley for the eArc!
October 23, 2021
For four years, Coates served as a federal prosecutor for the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in the District of Columbia. This gave her an up-front view on social ills plaguing America. As the title reveals, she, herself black, wrestles at length in this book with the dynamics of race and justice in the legal system. Her analysis does not provide easy answers. Someone surely is not guilty just because he/she is black, but neither is that person automatically innocent. Justice and fairness lies somewhere in between, and in her portrayal, it is difficult even for the best lawyers to tell the difference.
In this book, Coates provides 16 short essays (along with an introduction and conclusion) that describe various cases she encountered as they intersect with events around her own life. The cases are deeply embroiled in the details of life and legalities. Likewise, her emotions are understandably involved with her personal life while she and her husband were starting a family. She sees race and gender as heavy, inescapable realities through which the governing system must dimly search through towards justice.
The stories she shares are profoundly tragic and can cause unease in many readers. Only those who are willing to have their eyes opened should open this book. Human nature does not come off as admirable, and errors lie not just in criminals but also in the “good people.” In the text, police, prosecutors, judges, and even the author have their actions questioned rigorously in pursuit of a better, fairer way. Coates’ pursuit of justice is admirable but arduous.
Not everything is about race; indeed, the middle of the book veers towards primarily other areas of injustice. Racial topics begin and end the book, and the author is at her best when dissecting and describing these. She tells stories about visiting rural Mississippi during the 2012 federal elections as a monitor. She talks about identifying with black defendants while also identifying with the DOJ, her employer. She wonders about the fates of her husband and children in our imperfect society. Those involved in her cases sometimes walk around rather blind to racial matters and come off as not very self-aware. Problems are readily acknowledged with no easy solutions forthcoming.
This book contains no simple narratives, just a relentless contention for justice. Obviously, those involved in the legal system can benefit from perusing this book as well as readers interested in racial matters and wider social issues. This book is serious in tone and content, and potential audiences should include only mature readers. I can only hope that other federal prosecutors approach their work with a similar seriousness that Coates pursues hers with. She readily acknowledges her own faults and tries to imbue in readers the ability to acknowledge their own, whether racial or otherwise. Rather than inspiring through lofty ideals, her narrative challenges readers to reflect on how their own actions fit in the historical arc towards justice.
In this book, Coates provides 16 short essays (along with an introduction and conclusion) that describe various cases she encountered as they intersect with events around her own life. The cases are deeply embroiled in the details of life and legalities. Likewise, her emotions are understandably involved with her personal life while she and her husband were starting a family. She sees race and gender as heavy, inescapable realities through which the governing system must dimly search through towards justice.
The stories she shares are profoundly tragic and can cause unease in many readers. Only those who are willing to have their eyes opened should open this book. Human nature does not come off as admirable, and errors lie not just in criminals but also in the “good people.” In the text, police, prosecutors, judges, and even the author have their actions questioned rigorously in pursuit of a better, fairer way. Coates’ pursuit of justice is admirable but arduous.
Not everything is about race; indeed, the middle of the book veers towards primarily other areas of injustice. Racial topics begin and end the book, and the author is at her best when dissecting and describing these. She tells stories about visiting rural Mississippi during the 2012 federal elections as a monitor. She talks about identifying with black defendants while also identifying with the DOJ, her employer. She wonders about the fates of her husband and children in our imperfect society. Those involved in her cases sometimes walk around rather blind to racial matters and come off as not very self-aware. Problems are readily acknowledged with no easy solutions forthcoming.
This book contains no simple narratives, just a relentless contention for justice. Obviously, those involved in the legal system can benefit from perusing this book as well as readers interested in racial matters and wider social issues. This book is serious in tone and content, and potential audiences should include only mature readers. I can only hope that other federal prosecutors approach their work with a similar seriousness that Coates pursues hers with. She readily acknowledges her own faults and tries to imbue in readers the ability to acknowledge their own, whether racial or otherwise. Rather than inspiring through lofty ideals, her narrative challenges readers to reflect on how their own actions fit in the historical arc towards justice.
April 27, 2022
Well Written Hard Hitting
Laura Coates writes really well and this book, which is written using story examples she experienced as a prosecutor is absorbing. She’s really tells a great narrative to discuss how race plays a part in American law at all levels and how she was able to mitigate the effect as an African American prosecutor imperfectly.
Laura Coates writes really well and this book, which is written using story examples she experienced as a prosecutor is absorbing. She’s really tells a great narrative to discuss how race plays a part in American law at all levels and how she was able to mitigate the effect as an African American prosecutor imperfectly.
March 16, 2022
Is Justice Truly Blind?
Laura Coates, former federal prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice, gives the reader a peek into her life in the court system. Ms. Coates is transparent and vulnerable as she shares the struggles of being a working mom, from being pregnant and dealing with morning sickness to worrying about her breast leaking during court. With the same transparency, Ms. Coates also reveals that justice isn't as blind as many Americans prefer to believe.
Laura shares the frustration of, more often than not, being the only person of color working in the justice system while most of the time the defendants or the accused look like her. On one hand, I was happy to see that Laura was dedicated to fighting for those that are often over looked and marginalized, even railroaded, by the U.S legal system. Conversely, I was equally upset to have further proof that this injustice is happening with the permission of those sworn to uphold justice.
I believe one of the quotes from the book sums up the theme of the book perfectly and perhaps applies to all of us that want to see justice metered out fairly regardless of gender or skin color.
If you are an aspiring attorney, I would recommend this book to you. If you are someone that wonders if the legal system is truly broken, then this book should definitely be on your book shelf. If someone wants to see what life in the legal system is like, even when you're working for the Department of Justice, pick up this book.
Be warned, this is NOT light reading; it is not an easy read. There are many triggers, especially for Brown and Black people living in the U.S. However, knowing is half the battle and Laura charges us to become involved and do our part to change it.
#mochagirlsreadbookclub #mochagirlsreadreviewteam #lauracoates #sponsoredbook #justpursuit
Laura Coates, former federal prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice, gives the reader a peek into her life in the court system. Ms. Coates is transparent and vulnerable as she shares the struggles of being a working mom, from being pregnant and dealing with morning sickness to worrying about her breast leaking during court. With the same transparency, Ms. Coates also reveals that justice isn't as blind as many Americans prefer to believe.
Laura shares the frustration of, more often than not, being the only person of color working in the justice system while most of the time the defendants or the accused look like her. On one hand, I was happy to see that Laura was dedicated to fighting for those that are often over looked and marginalized, even railroaded, by the U.S legal system. Conversely, I was equally upset to have further proof that this injustice is happening with the permission of those sworn to uphold justice.
I believe one of the quotes from the book sums up the theme of the book perfectly and perhaps applies to all of us that want to see justice metered out fairly regardless of gender or skin color.
When I first became a prosecutor, I had thought each case could represent a dot on the arc that Dr. King hoped would toward bend justice. Now, I wondered if I was bending the arc of justice or breaking it, and I was afraid the justice system might break me.I have much admiration for Laura after reading this book; I could easily relate to her frustrations and pain. I have even more admiration for those that continue to work in our broken justice system for benefit of those that have been victimized, traumatized and marginalized while trying to live their lives.
If you are an aspiring attorney, I would recommend this book to you. If you are someone that wonders if the legal system is truly broken, then this book should definitely be on your book shelf. If someone wants to see what life in the legal system is like, even when you're working for the Department of Justice, pick up this book.
Be warned, this is NOT light reading; it is not an easy read. There are many triggers, especially for Brown and Black people living in the U.S. However, knowing is half the battle and Laura charges us to become involved and do our part to change it.
#mochagirlsreadbookclub #mochagirlsreadreviewteam #lauracoates #sponsoredbook #justpursuit
January 2, 2024
Wow… this book left me speechless in so many ways.
Laura Coates tells her stories with such detail, emotion, and honesty. She is extremely observant of her surroundings and the emotions of others in each situation she is in. Her emotional intelligence is extraordinary.
Coates’ unique perspective as a Black prosecutor, mother, and woman in a male-centric and high pressure environment offers the reader a layered analysis of what it means to fight for justice and what justice looks like to the different parties in the same cases.
It felt like a privilege to get a glimpse of what her life was like in this time of her career. With her recent career shift to a prime-time CNN anchor, I hope we get to see more of her insightful inquiries into justice and social issues.
Laura Coates tells her stories with such detail, emotion, and honesty. She is extremely observant of her surroundings and the emotions of others in each situation she is in. Her emotional intelligence is extraordinary.
Coates’ unique perspective as a Black prosecutor, mother, and woman in a male-centric and high pressure environment offers the reader a layered analysis of what it means to fight for justice and what justice looks like to the different parties in the same cases.
It felt like a privilege to get a glimpse of what her life was like in this time of her career. With her recent career shift to a prime-time CNN anchor, I hope we get to see more of her insightful inquiries into justice and social issues.
January 19, 2024
this was interesting and I found the anecdotes thought provoking however she sorta just came across as someone who felt a little guilty and was like I’m gonna write a book. That also could be because I listened to her read it
January 17, 2022
The pursuit of justice creates injustice
Laura Coares worked as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington for four years. As a Black woman who knew the inequities in the system especially against Black men, she began the job with the hope that she could bring more justice to the most vulnerable. She quickly learned that the system would not easily be fixed.
In her book Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness, she looks at several cases in her time at the Justice Department. She discusses several different cases showing not only how the pursuit of justice can affect the victim negatively but the collateral damage it can have eg a man who is picked up by ICE at the court house after a 20 year-old-old deportation warrant is discovered when he agrees to testify against the man who stole his car and the Black mother who tries to have the sentences reduced on the men who killed her son because, as she tries to explain, young men do dumb things but they shouldn’t have their lives ruined because of it.
Coates accepts that being Black doesn’t necessarily mean innocence but racism has an effect on how defendants are treated as in the case of a man charged with an offence who insists that, despite having the same name as the suspect, it isn’t him. No one believes him but the ridicule he receives from everyone including the judge makes Coates decide to at least look into it especially after she learns no one seems to have seen a picture of the actual suspect. Turns out he looks nothing like the man arrested.
The story is interspersed with details of her own life as she and her husband, Dale, start a family, her fears when she is told tests show her baby might have spina bifida, and the difficulties of balancing her work with being a mother to two small children. She also tells the story of when a White colleague decides to mansplain to her about how to interrogate a Black suspect.
The cases in this book are all tragic and some are hard to very read about like the young girl testifying against her stepfather who has been sexually abusing her since prepubescence, a fact her mother was aware of, only to have the female judge find against her because of the clothes she wore to court. But they all give insights to a system that is not only complex but fallible.
Despite the subject matter, I found Just Pursuits an engossing read due in great extent to Coates’ writing style. Unlike many nonfiction books which tend to be dry often pedantic tomes meant for those who work within the system, Coates makes it more personal, recreating conversations with victims, families etc, giving the book the flow of a novel. That is not to say the book isn’t an important and serious look at the subject matter - it is that -biut one that those with little or no experience with the system can read and understand that law doesn’t always equal justice.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Laura Coares worked as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington for four years. As a Black woman who knew the inequities in the system especially against Black men, she began the job with the hope that she could bring more justice to the most vulnerable. She quickly learned that the system would not easily be fixed.
In her book Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness, she looks at several cases in her time at the Justice Department. She discusses several different cases showing not only how the pursuit of justice can affect the victim negatively but the collateral damage it can have eg a man who is picked up by ICE at the court house after a 20 year-old-old deportation warrant is discovered when he agrees to testify against the man who stole his car and the Black mother who tries to have the sentences reduced on the men who killed her son because, as she tries to explain, young men do dumb things but they shouldn’t have their lives ruined because of it.
Coates accepts that being Black doesn’t necessarily mean innocence but racism has an effect on how defendants are treated as in the case of a man charged with an offence who insists that, despite having the same name as the suspect, it isn’t him. No one believes him but the ridicule he receives from everyone including the judge makes Coates decide to at least look into it especially after she learns no one seems to have seen a picture of the actual suspect. Turns out he looks nothing like the man arrested.
The story is interspersed with details of her own life as she and her husband, Dale, start a family, her fears when she is told tests show her baby might have spina bifida, and the difficulties of balancing her work with being a mother to two small children. She also tells the story of when a White colleague decides to mansplain to her about how to interrogate a Black suspect.
The cases in this book are all tragic and some are hard to very read about like the young girl testifying against her stepfather who has been sexually abusing her since prepubescence, a fact her mother was aware of, only to have the female judge find against her because of the clothes she wore to court. But they all give insights to a system that is not only complex but fallible.
Despite the subject matter, I found Just Pursuits an engossing read due in great extent to Coates’ writing style. Unlike many nonfiction books which tend to be dry often pedantic tomes meant for those who work within the system, Coates makes it more personal, recreating conversations with victims, families etc, giving the book the flow of a novel. That is not to say the book isn’t an important and serious look at the subject matter - it is that -biut one that those with little or no experience with the system can read and understand that law doesn’t always equal justice.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
January 30, 2022
Thanks to @simonandschuster and @simon.audio for a #gifted audiobook of #justpursuit.
3.5 stars - 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐔𝐈𝐓 by Laura Coates is subtitled 𝘈 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳'𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 and that truly best sums up this grave memoir. In the earlier years of her career as an attorney Coates signed up for a four year stint with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. In her role as a prosecutor, it was her job to protect vulnerable victims, a difficult job she was proud to do. But as she got deeper into the system, Coates began to see more and more just how differently Brown and Black people, both victims and defendants, were treated in the “justice” system. She relayed stories of their callus treatment by law enforcement, other prosecutors, and even judges. As her time in the justice system passed, Coates became increasingly disturbed by the imbalances that her own children would be facing. Her book is a call for reform that joins the voice of so many others who have yet to truly be heard.
While I liked the final message of 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵 and was drawn into many of the cases Coates presented, I also found myself a little confused at times. I wasn’t always clear exactly what point she was trying to make on some of the cases. Was the victim being treated unfairly? The defendant? Everyone in the system? Maybe that actually was the point!
3.5 stars - 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐔𝐈𝐓 by Laura Coates is subtitled 𝘈 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳'𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 and that truly best sums up this grave memoir. In the earlier years of her career as an attorney Coates signed up for a four year stint with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. In her role as a prosecutor, it was her job to protect vulnerable victims, a difficult job she was proud to do. But as she got deeper into the system, Coates began to see more and more just how differently Brown and Black people, both victims and defendants, were treated in the “justice” system. She relayed stories of their callus treatment by law enforcement, other prosecutors, and even judges. As her time in the justice system passed, Coates became increasingly disturbed by the imbalances that her own children would be facing. Her book is a call for reform that joins the voice of so many others who have yet to truly be heard.
While I liked the final message of 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵 and was drawn into many of the cases Coates presented, I also found myself a little confused at times. I wasn’t always clear exactly what point she was trying to make on some of the cases. Was the victim being treated unfairly? The defendant? Everyone in the system? Maybe that actually was the point!
February 13, 2022
Long-winded and not convincing. Her few examples are not very informative. This self-marketing author's book focuses on herself.
January 25, 2022
By relying on vivid accounts of actual cases in which she was involved as a federal prosecutor, Laura Coates focuses a spotlight on the American criminal justice system. In her deeply personal and, often, disquieting book, she takes us into the interview rooms and the court rooms and lets us relive with her the struggles she experienced on a daily basis to try to secure just results, all the while making it clear that true "justice" may often be unobtainable in a given situation.
March 5, 2022
I listened to this on audible and it was narrated by the author. I felt like I was having coffee with her as she discussed different people, cases and judges. I loved it. Individual stories about her family, being a mother, a Federal prosecutor and a black woman . In these stories, she talks about clients, judges, the system, her coworkers and working the polls. I really liked this and though5 the author did a great job telling it.
November 9, 2022
Laura Coates shares some stories from her days as a black prosecutor. As you can imagine some of them were heart wrenching, unfair and not met with the justice they deserved.
January 2, 2022
Is it possible my first book of 2022 is going to be my favorite? I won't be surprised.
Laura Coates first came into my universe while I watched news coverage of Derek Chauvin's trial last summer. She's hands down the best legal correspondent I've seen on TV - all I could think when I watched her was that if a loved one or I ever had a legal issue, I wanted her on my side.
So I leaped at the opportunity to read her upcoming book early (thanks Netgalley for a copy). Nonfiction usually takes me a while to read; a chapter or two a day is my typical pace. Coate's book, though, pulled me in immediately; I could not stop reading. Yes, it's nearly noon, and I'm still in my pj's, with no regrets. Her book has seared a place in my heart and brain.
Just Pursuit is not a dry expository analysis of the DOJ. Not at all. It's a personal memoir of Coate's four years as a criminal prosecutor. The book unfolds as a collection of stories. Each chapter details a specific case or situation while describing how Laura, as a Black woman, and Ms. Coates, as an attorney, experienced the intersecting facts and emotions. It was riveting reading.
As a professional woman, I identified with her working through two pregnancies and raising her young family. My vocation is different, but the challenge of compartmentalizing the various sectors of life was relatable.
Mostly, though, Coates' stories impressed upon me the complexity of our criminal justice system in a way no book I've read before has accomplished (and I've read a lot on the topic). Choose this book if you are looking for a relatable, engaging, and profoundly personal depiction of our justice system.
Laura Coates first came into my universe while I watched news coverage of Derek Chauvin's trial last summer. She's hands down the best legal correspondent I've seen on TV - all I could think when I watched her was that if a loved one or I ever had a legal issue, I wanted her on my side.
So I leaped at the opportunity to read her upcoming book early (thanks Netgalley for a copy). Nonfiction usually takes me a while to read; a chapter or two a day is my typical pace. Coate's book, though, pulled me in immediately; I could not stop reading. Yes, it's nearly noon, and I'm still in my pj's, with no regrets. Her book has seared a place in my heart and brain.
Just Pursuit is not a dry expository analysis of the DOJ. Not at all. It's a personal memoir of Coate's four years as a criminal prosecutor. The book unfolds as a collection of stories. Each chapter details a specific case or situation while describing how Laura, as a Black woman, and Ms. Coates, as an attorney, experienced the intersecting facts and emotions. It was riveting reading.
As a professional woman, I identified with her working through two pregnancies and raising her young family. My vocation is different, but the challenge of compartmentalizing the various sectors of life was relatable.
Mostly, though, Coates' stories impressed upon me the complexity of our criminal justice system in a way no book I've read before has accomplished (and I've read a lot on the topic). Choose this book if you are looking for a relatable, engaging, and profoundly personal depiction of our justice system.
February 2, 2022
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this ARC that I received as a goodreads giveaway.
A raw and powerful view into different cases/situations that Coates experienced as a prosecutor. Loved her honesty and her writing style-wished she would have spent some time at the end discussing her exit from federal prosecution.
A raw and powerful view into different cases/situations that Coates experienced as a prosecutor. Loved her honesty and her writing style-wished she would have spent some time at the end discussing her exit from federal prosecution.
September 15, 2022
There is no way I could ever be a prosecutor and this book solidified that in my mind.
Is the system racist, as the author says? Yes. Does it need fixed? Absolutely. Does this book have the answers or try to have the answers? No.
I did have a few issues with the book. First, is this about fairness or race? She uses the phrase a fight for fairness, and uses great examples of where the system is not fair. She also uses this book to talk about race. But several of the cases or examples she brings have nothing to do with race, race is not mentioned. To have the courts be fair, we need to address the racism within the courts. but not all issues of fairness have to do with race. I think if the author had chosen one of these topics (race/racism in the court system or fairness of the court system) and delivered that I would have enjoyed it better.
Second, there is way too much dialog. I appreciate dialog and know that in most memoirs it is used as a tool to convey the essence, but I felt she relied on it too much. Some of the authors own dialog did little to make me like her, but instead made me dislike her as a person.
Is the system racist, as the author says? Yes. Does it need fixed? Absolutely. Does this book have the answers or try to have the answers? No.
I did have a few issues with the book. First, is this about fairness or race? She uses the phrase a fight for fairness, and uses great examples of where the system is not fair. She also uses this book to talk about race. But several of the cases or examples she brings have nothing to do with race, race is not mentioned. To have the courts be fair, we need to address the racism within the courts. but not all issues of fairness have to do with race. I think if the author had chosen one of these topics (race/racism in the court system or fairness of the court system) and delivered that I would have enjoyed it better.
Second, there is way too much dialog. I appreciate dialog and know that in most memoirs it is used as a tool to convey the essence, but I felt she relied on it too much. Some of the authors own dialog did little to make me like her, but instead made me dislike her as a person.
April 12, 2022
During the 2020 U.S. presidential election campaign, Kamala Harris was trashed by some for decisions she made as a prosecutor, a district attorney, and, eventually, California's attorney general. During her just-completed confirmation hearings, soon-to-be Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was trashed for decisions she made (and clients she had) as a public defender. This confirms my suspicion that many USians don't know how the criminal justice system is supposed to work, why it's important, or, more to the point, what "innocent until proven guilty" means in practice. The current crop of Republicans would love to throw out Gideon v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court decision that ruled criminal defendants have a right to counsel whether they can afford it or not.
At least some of the criticism directed at Harris seemed to be informed by the expectation that as a woman of color she should have done better, made different decisions in certain circumstances. The points were often valid and well made, but they missed something important: individuals are constrained by the systems they live in. That goes even for individuals in positions of power within those systems. It's no secret that despite ongoing efforts to reform and even transform our laws and our legal system, they still strongly favor white men with access to money.
What Laura Coates's Just Pursuit does, and brilliantly, is to show what it's like to be an individual "fighting for fairness" in a deeply flawed system where the stakes could not be higher. More than that: as a Black female prosecutor she was representing a system whose deep flaws include racism and misogyny and a profound disregard for socioeconomic factors. In their specific details, her stories convey more about those systemic flaws than generalizations and theories alone can do.
More, they enable the willing reader to put herself in Coates's position, and to realize just how "damned if you do, damned if you don't" it often is.
Coates left the D.C. U.S. Attorney's office some years ago and since then has been a CNN legal analyst and the host of her own radio show on SiriusXM. Just Pursuit suggests that a person in her position -- caring deeply about both abstract justice and the individuals she comes in contact with, while acting as the agent of a often deeply unjust state -- has two basic options: insulate your heart and mind to the consequences of your actions and stay on, or recognize what the job is doing to you and leave.
I could deliver synopses of some of Coates's stories, but no way can I deliver the power that comes with reading them for yourself. If you have any interest in the U.S. justice system or in issues of equity and justice more generally, read this book for yourself.
At least some of the criticism directed at Harris seemed to be informed by the expectation that as a woman of color she should have done better, made different decisions in certain circumstances. The points were often valid and well made, but they missed something important: individuals are constrained by the systems they live in. That goes even for individuals in positions of power within those systems. It's no secret that despite ongoing efforts to reform and even transform our laws and our legal system, they still strongly favor white men with access to money.
What Laura Coates's Just Pursuit does, and brilliantly, is to show what it's like to be an individual "fighting for fairness" in a deeply flawed system where the stakes could not be higher. More than that: as a Black female prosecutor she was representing a system whose deep flaws include racism and misogyny and a profound disregard for socioeconomic factors. In their specific details, her stories convey more about those systemic flaws than generalizations and theories alone can do.
More, they enable the willing reader to put herself in Coates's position, and to realize just how "damned if you do, damned if you don't" it often is.
Coates left the D.C. U.S. Attorney's office some years ago and since then has been a CNN legal analyst and the host of her own radio show on SiriusXM. Just Pursuit suggests that a person in her position -- caring deeply about both abstract justice and the individuals she comes in contact with, while acting as the agent of a often deeply unjust state -- has two basic options: insulate your heart and mind to the consequences of your actions and stay on, or recognize what the job is doing to you and leave.
I could deliver synopses of some of Coates's stories, but no way can I deliver the power that comes with reading them for yourself. If you have any interest in the U.S. justice system or in issues of equity and justice more generally, read this book for yourself.
January 18, 2023
This is incredibly readable, despite the emotionally challenging subject matter. Laura Coates has a way with words, especially when explaining her own feelings and actions (sometimes which are opposed to each other by necessity), and humanizing those involved in the "justice" system. This is written as a brief memoir of vignettes, not an in-depth analysis of the legal system or an academic work with details about plans of action to "fix" the justice system (which is a pet peeve of mine every time an academic audience, or readers have every asked me or others, "Well, FINE. How do we fix it?" in a way that sounds like they mean, "Why are you telling us depressing things without providing a way for us to make us feel better, right now?") The vignettes generally end on an open note, leaving the reader to ponder how what they think and feel about the situation; I think that one of the aims, and a successful one, in my opinion, of this is to confront the reader with the fact that there are no binaries, only shades of gray.
One striking thing about this book to me was that, regardless of whether or not people are guilty or innocent, convicted or acquitted, not only they, but everyone close to them, as well as everyone in the system who must bear witness, is traumatized, and this trauma propagates. There are definitely unlikeable "characters," and even then, I wonder if they are the way that they are because it is easier for the to be glib, uncaring, and even cruel, than it is possible for them to continue to empathize. As in many organizations of power in the current systems built upon inequity, one of the problems is that those who seem to have the ability to effect the most positive change, like the author, are intentionally or unintentionally pushed out, reminding us that, to quote Audre Lourde, "the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." And, yet, if we are strong enough, we still try to build something better, and remember that hope is a skill that we have to practice.
One striking thing about this book to me was that, regardless of whether or not people are guilty or innocent, convicted or acquitted, not only they, but everyone close to them, as well as everyone in the system who must bear witness, is traumatized, and this trauma propagates. There are definitely unlikeable "characters," and even then, I wonder if they are the way that they are because it is easier for the to be glib, uncaring, and even cruel, than it is possible for them to continue to empathize. As in many organizations of power in the current systems built upon inequity, one of the problems is that those who seem to have the ability to effect the most positive change, like the author, are intentionally or unintentionally pushed out, reminding us that, to quote Audre Lourde, "the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." And, yet, if we are strong enough, we still try to build something better, and remember that hope is a skill that we have to practice.
January 18, 2022
For those of us who are often seen as “too sensitive”, compartmentalization is the key as told by the wise. To an extent, it is true. Compartmentalizing can save us from deep emotional pain or even unjustified, clouded judgment due to personal biases. There is no denying that it is an effective method for “thinking beyond ourselves.” The question, however, is just how far can compartmentalizing take us? This question becomes even more difficult when we add identity and personal labels into the mix. It is no secret that our identities affect the lens in which we perceive our experiences. With this in mind, we must ask ourselves this: is it truly possible to effectively tuck away facets of our identities? How far can we divide the self until it becomes inconceivable while in the pursuit of pure objectivity? Moreover, is pure objectivity even possible? In Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness, former federal prosecutor Laura Coates seeks to address these questions. The memoir contains 16 delicately written personal essays chronicling times in which identity was rather difficult to ignore. These essays are not only limited to Coates’ experiences as a Black prosecutor but they also add insight to her experience as a woman and a mother. Just Pursuits is both deeply evocative and introspective. For fans of Coates, this work offers us an intimate look at the side of her that is so rarely seen in her public career.
Just Pursuits is Laura Coates’ exploration of the complexity of intersectionality– particularly in the context of pursuing justice. While it is written by a prosecutor, I do not think interest would be limited only to those individuals with a particular interest in the legal field. Instead, I believe that practically anyone interested in the concept of identity would appreciate this work. It is neither convoluted nor inaccessible, but rather concise and effective. Just Pursuits: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight or Fairness is a memoir sure to capture the hearts of many readers.
*This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Laura Coates for allowing me the opportunity to read and interact with this work.
Just Pursuits is Laura Coates’ exploration of the complexity of intersectionality– particularly in the context of pursuing justice. While it is written by a prosecutor, I do not think interest would be limited only to those individuals with a particular interest in the legal field. Instead, I believe that practically anyone interested in the concept of identity would appreciate this work. It is neither convoluted nor inaccessible, but rather concise and effective. Just Pursuits: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight or Fairness is a memoir sure to capture the hearts of many readers.
*This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Laura Coates for allowing me the opportunity to read and interact with this work.
March 12, 2022
If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be 'accessible'. I was prepared to climb over a lot of legal language but found it surprisingly engaging and easy to read. Coates shares stories from her work as a black female federal prosecutor, detailing each account in fairly short chapters with vivid descriptions that didn’t feel too contrived or distracting. While the pacing moved along with ease, it was at the same time, tough to read as her stories come to life in way that reveals the humanity of each victim. At times, I felt I was right there witnessing their fear and shame.
Throughout the book, Laura weaves in personal moments of marriage and motherhood that were relatable (and heart-wrenching as she fears for her son growing up in such a system). Despite disassociating from all the pain and injustice in her work, she’s managed to maintain a softness and vulnerability that is endearing.
Sometimes it can feel like an author is trying to impress with their knowledge or literary prowess (not that that isn't impressive); however, I never felt that while reading this. Consequently, I was left thinking about each victim, rather than “what a great writer” (which I think makes Coates a great writer, indeed).
Throughout the book, Laura weaves in personal moments of marriage and motherhood that were relatable (and heart-wrenching as she fears for her son growing up in such a system). Despite disassociating from all the pain and injustice in her work, she’s managed to maintain a softness and vulnerability that is endearing.
Sometimes it can feel like an author is trying to impress with their knowledge or literary prowess (not that that isn't impressive); however, I never felt that while reading this. Consequently, I was left thinking about each victim, rather than “what a great writer” (which I think makes Coates a great writer, indeed).
March 27, 2023
3.5. I haven't been able to read for pleasure in a while, so I was glad to have a book that was a pretty accessible and engaging read. The book is told through independent vignettes of Ms. Coates' time as a Department of Justice Prosecutor. They often touch on heartbreaking cases and decisions she made like when she had to report a victim of a carjacking to ICE when she found out he was undocumented during her witness prep. What I struggled with while reading is that the vignettes are largely inconclusive. Rarely do we hear how the case being described concludes. Maybe that's meant to represent how she is just one cog in the "justice" system and doesn't always see a case through to completion, but it felt anticlimactic at many points. Additionally, the subtitle to her book is "A Black Prosecutor's Fight for Fairness." We hear about a lot of unfairness (i.e. a judge victim blaming an assault survivor) in the text, and it is clear that Ms. Coates empathizes deeply for people who are wronged by the system. However, descriptions of her interventions to be more fair/any attempts at systemic change within her office are more fleeting. Still, each chapter was relatively brief and engaging, and we hear some nice glimpses of how she balanced her career with a young family. An important read prior to attending law school and as a way to get back in the reading game!
January 18, 2022
If I’m going to read nonfiction, this is the kind of nonfiction that is my JAM. Right up my alley. Cat. Nip. Gimme a police officer, a medical examiner, an attorney telling real stories from inside the courtroom, the day to day, the struggles, the micro and macro aggressions not only from the bench but also across the aisle… all while navigating a marriage, motherhood, family and race. There are some accounts that are hard to read. Some accounts that are funny. Some accounts that made me tilt my head and say, ‘no she did NOT say that to you, Ms. Coats!’
Really enjoyed, wish I would have been granted an audio ARC because some of these stories I want to hear with our intonation. I may look for it at hoopla/scribd and give it a second listen. Well worth it. I really liked it, especially the last chapter.
Really enjoyed, wish I would have been granted an audio ARC because some of these stories I want to hear with our intonation. I may look for it at hoopla/scribd and give it a second listen. Well worth it. I really liked it, especially the last chapter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2022
I seldom give any book five stars, but this deserves it for so many reasons.
This book should be required reading for all prosecutors. Period. Too, I would recommend this as a must-read for anyone who has a role in the criminal justice system, whether defense counsel, judge, law enforcement, or potential juror. I urge those who have a passion for social justice to read this too - elected officials, lawmakers, advocates, law students, criminal justice majors/professors, and concerned citizens alike. And for anyone remotely interested in having a better understanding of the American criminal justice system, read this!!!
Laura Coates, now a CNN legal analyst, has been deep in the trenches in one of the most grueling U.S. Attorney's Offices in the country. (I know this because I too served a short but spirit-crushing stint as a black federal prosecutor in that office). As a black woman and a mother of black children, including a black son, Laura Coates uses her own personal stories to highlight some of the most heartbreaking issues plaguing the criminal justice system. As you read this, Coates's writing will force you to do your own self-examination about how you might influence the system and/or how you might view things differently.
This book should be required reading for all prosecutors. Period. Too, I would recommend this as a must-read for anyone who has a role in the criminal justice system, whether defense counsel, judge, law enforcement, or potential juror. I urge those who have a passion for social justice to read this too - elected officials, lawmakers, advocates, law students, criminal justice majors/professors, and concerned citizens alike. And for anyone remotely interested in having a better understanding of the American criminal justice system, read this!!!
Laura Coates, now a CNN legal analyst, has been deep in the trenches in one of the most grueling U.S. Attorney's Offices in the country. (I know this because I too served a short but spirit-crushing stint as a black federal prosecutor in that office). As a black woman and a mother of black children, including a black son, Laura Coates uses her own personal stories to highlight some of the most heartbreaking issues plaguing the criminal justice system. As you read this, Coates's writing will force you to do your own self-examination about how you might influence the system and/or how you might view things differently.
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