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Defending the Damned: Inside Chicago's Cook County Public Defender's Office
Chicago was the nation's deadliest city in 2001, recording 666 homicides. For lawyers in the Cook County Public Defender's Office Murder Task Force, that meant a steady flow of new clients. Eight out of ten people arrested for murder in Chicago are represented by public defenders. They're assigned the most challenging and seemingly hopeless cases, yet they always fight to win.
One of those lawyers is Marijane Placek, a snakeskin boot-wearing, Shakespeare-quoting nonconformist whose courtroom bravado and sharp legal skills have made her a well-known figure around the courthouse. When an ex-convict was arrested on charges of killing a Chicago police officer that deadly year, Placek got the high-profile case, and her defense forms the hub around which the book's narrative revolves.
Veteran journalist Kevin Davis reveals the compelling true story of a team of battle-scarred lawyers fighting against all odds. Unflinching, gripping, and full of surprises, Defending the Damned is an unforgettable human story and engaging courtroom drama where life and death hang in the balance. Davis explores the motives that compel these lawyers to come to work in this dark corner of the criminal justice system and exposes their insular and often misunderstood world.
This groundbreaking work comes at a time when the country has seen how wrongful convictions have slipped through the system, that innocent people have been sent to death row, and that some police have lied or coerced suspects into confessing to crimes they did not commit. Such flaws drive these public defenders even harder to do their jobs, providing scrutiny to a long ignored and often broken system.
Davis's reporting offers an unvarnished account of public defenders as never seen before. A powerful melding of courtroom drama and penetrating truecrime journalism, Defending the Damned is narrative nonfiction at its finest.
One of those lawyers is Marijane Placek, a snakeskin boot-wearing, Shakespeare-quoting nonconformist whose courtroom bravado and sharp legal skills have made her a well-known figure around the courthouse. When an ex-convict was arrested on charges of killing a Chicago police officer that deadly year, Placek got the high-profile case, and her defense forms the hub around which the book's narrative revolves.
Veteran journalist Kevin Davis reveals the compelling true story of a team of battle-scarred lawyers fighting against all odds. Unflinching, gripping, and full of surprises, Defending the Damned is an unforgettable human story and engaging courtroom drama where life and death hang in the balance. Davis explores the motives that compel these lawyers to come to work in this dark corner of the criminal justice system and exposes their insular and often misunderstood world.
This groundbreaking work comes at a time when the country has seen how wrongful convictions have slipped through the system, that innocent people have been sent to death row, and that some police have lied or coerced suspects into confessing to crimes they did not commit. Such flaws drive these public defenders even harder to do their jobs, providing scrutiny to a long ignored and often broken system.
Davis's reporting offers an unvarnished account of public defenders as never seen before. A powerful melding of courtroom drama and penetrating truecrime journalism, Defending the Damned is narrative nonfiction at its finest.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
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April 27, 2016
Several years ago, a single man just out of law school, I went to the bar with some friends and got into a spirited conversation with a young lady. She asked me what I planned to do with my law degree (I was clerking at the time) and I mentioned that I was interested in becoming a public defender. She made one of those faces like she just realized the ham sandwich she was eating was a puppy sandwich. Back and forth, we bantered about the utility and morality of providing a stout legal defense for all criminal defendants. Eventually, a little (a lot) drunk, I said: "Well maybe we should just get rid of the Constitution and replace it with you." I was only sort of joking, but needless to say, we never went on a first date.
One of the first things a lawyer learns is that no matter who you represent as a client, you will spend the balance of your career defending the profession. In social situations, whenever you tell people what you do, it's sure to get a response. To avoid this, I tell new acquaintances that I am a ninja.
Defending the Damned is a book about the most maligned lawyers in a much maligned profession: public defenders. Journalist Kevin Davis had incredible access to the Cook County PD's office, and he spent a great deal of time talking to the defense attorneys, the prosecutors, the defendants, the cops, and the victims. He comes up with tons of candid stories, and remains even-handed, objective, and non-judgmental throughout. There were times while reading that I was totally gripped. In all honesty, I wanted to like this book; I bought it with the intention of liking it; I even tried talking myself into liking it. However, despite having all the right ingredients, the book as a whole never comes together.
Full disclosure: I'm a public defender (quite new). Fuller disclosure: my experience is nothing like that of the Cook County PD's office.
I think this is partially to blame for my reaction. I had much different expectations. I wanted to know what I'd be getting into. I wanted to get an idea of what it meant to have this job.
The problem, though, is that Cook County is inimitable, one-of-a-kind. It's like going to the Indy 500 to find out what it's like to drive. Cook County is one of the deadliest places in the US, and hundreds of murderers go through its system a year. The Cook County PD's Office has over 400 attorneys, a number of them members of a dedicated murder task force. Davis's decision to study Cook County, and specifically, to only follow the murder task force, means that the experience he relates is narrow and non-transferable. You won't gain any wider insight into the American justice system by reading this book, because most places aren't like Cook County.
Moreover, the focus on the murder task force ignores a simple fact: the injustices of our system don't usually occur at this level, for the reason that murders are high publicity and high priority. In most cases, they are given due attention for these reasons. The injustices occur at the lower levels, at county court, where public defenders and prosecutors process pleas like they're in a factory. Try finding justice at a county court cattle call. You won't.
The other problem I had with this book is structural. There is no real coherence. Davis tries to pin the narrative to the murder trial of Aloysius Oliver, an alleged cop killer who is defended by the colorful PD (and main character) Marijane Placek (she also turns up in Steve Bogira's Courthouse 302, which is also about Cook County justice). This is fine, as far as it goes, but Davis never gets really in-depth into the trial. Instead, his treatment is a little facile, and used as a jumping off point to numerous digressions. Some of these digressions were interesting (the history of public defender's for instance), some were gruesome (the dismembered baby that was battered and fed to a dog), and some were repetitive (the oft-iterated stories of defending death penalty cases).
Davis takes no strong positions in his writing. Clearly, he respects the public defenders that he followed, and admits he became friends with some of them. However, he doesn't let that color his judgment. He presents the public defenders as they present themselves. At times, it's probably off-putting for those outside the legal system to hear these guys talk, and to see what motivates them.
I don't like polemics, but at the same time, I like a little passion. My ideal book is one that balances a strong point-of-view with reasoned, logical arguments. This book could have used a little more oomph, and I'm not just saying that as an attorney who sometimes pretends to be a ninja just to avoid the look people give.
Every PD gets asked the same loaded question: "how can you defend a guilty man." The answer, of course, is another question: "how do you know they're guilty?" There's a great scene in the movie Witness, with Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. In this scene, the old Amish grandfather is chastising his young grandson for touching a gun:
It would've been helpful to have Davis, who spent so much time with these guys, re-frame the issue and show why alleged defendants need to be defended vigorously. It's not to let the guilty go free, it's to make the State prove that the person is actually guilty.
The reality is the State makes mistakes; that there are bad cops; that there are good cops who lie; that the State often has trouble shaking a notion that gets in its head; that nothing is black and white.
Until we have advanced super robot judges (which I'm working on in my basement), we will have to rely on the tried-and-true adversarial process. In order for that process to be something less than a joke, there needs to be defense attorneys. And since most people who commit crimes aren't swimming in gold coins like Scrooge McDuck, those defense attorneys will often be public defenders.
By defending an alleged criminal, a good public defender can give all of us confidence that a conviction means something. That has immeasurable value, so it would've been nice to have a strong defense of those defenders. This isn't it.
One of the first things a lawyer learns is that no matter who you represent as a client, you will spend the balance of your career defending the profession. In social situations, whenever you tell people what you do, it's sure to get a response. To avoid this, I tell new acquaintances that I am a ninja.
Defending the Damned is a book about the most maligned lawyers in a much maligned profession: public defenders. Journalist Kevin Davis had incredible access to the Cook County PD's office, and he spent a great deal of time talking to the defense attorneys, the prosecutors, the defendants, the cops, and the victims. He comes up with tons of candid stories, and remains even-handed, objective, and non-judgmental throughout. There were times while reading that I was totally gripped. In all honesty, I wanted to like this book; I bought it with the intention of liking it; I even tried talking myself into liking it. However, despite having all the right ingredients, the book as a whole never comes together.
Full disclosure: I'm a public defender (quite new). Fuller disclosure: my experience is nothing like that of the Cook County PD's office.
I think this is partially to blame for my reaction. I had much different expectations. I wanted to know what I'd be getting into. I wanted to get an idea of what it meant to have this job.
The problem, though, is that Cook County is inimitable, one-of-a-kind. It's like going to the Indy 500 to find out what it's like to drive. Cook County is one of the deadliest places in the US, and hundreds of murderers go through its system a year. The Cook County PD's Office has over 400 attorneys, a number of them members of a dedicated murder task force. Davis's decision to study Cook County, and specifically, to only follow the murder task force, means that the experience he relates is narrow and non-transferable. You won't gain any wider insight into the American justice system by reading this book, because most places aren't like Cook County.
Moreover, the focus on the murder task force ignores a simple fact: the injustices of our system don't usually occur at this level, for the reason that murders are high publicity and high priority. In most cases, they are given due attention for these reasons. The injustices occur at the lower levels, at county court, where public defenders and prosecutors process pleas like they're in a factory. Try finding justice at a county court cattle call. You won't.
The other problem I had with this book is structural. There is no real coherence. Davis tries to pin the narrative to the murder trial of Aloysius Oliver, an alleged cop killer who is defended by the colorful PD (and main character) Marijane Placek (she also turns up in Steve Bogira's Courthouse 302, which is also about Cook County justice). This is fine, as far as it goes, but Davis never gets really in-depth into the trial. Instead, his treatment is a little facile, and used as a jumping off point to numerous digressions. Some of these digressions were interesting (the history of public defender's for instance), some were gruesome (the dismembered baby that was battered and fed to a dog), and some were repetitive (the oft-iterated stories of defending death penalty cases).
Davis takes no strong positions in his writing. Clearly, he respects the public defenders that he followed, and admits he became friends with some of them. However, he doesn't let that color his judgment. He presents the public defenders as they present themselves. At times, it's probably off-putting for those outside the legal system to hear these guys talk, and to see what motivates them.
I don't like polemics, but at the same time, I like a little passion. My ideal book is one that balances a strong point-of-view with reasoned, logical arguments. This book could have used a little more oomph, and I'm not just saying that as an attorney who sometimes pretends to be a ninja just to avoid the look people give.
Every PD gets asked the same loaded question: "how can you defend a guilty man." The answer, of course, is another question: "how do you know they're guilty?" There's a great scene in the movie Witness, with Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. In this scene, the old Amish grandfather is chastising his young grandson for touching a gun:
ELI: Would you kill another man?
SAMUEL: I would only kill the bad man.
ELI: Only the bad man. I see. And you know these bad men by sight? You are able to look into their hearts and see this badness?
It would've been helpful to have Davis, who spent so much time with these guys, re-frame the issue and show why alleged defendants need to be defended vigorously. It's not to let the guilty go free, it's to make the State prove that the person is actually guilty.
The reality is the State makes mistakes; that there are bad cops; that there are good cops who lie; that the State often has trouble shaking a notion that gets in its head; that nothing is black and white.
Until we have advanced super robot judges (which I'm working on in my basement), we will have to rely on the tried-and-true adversarial process. In order for that process to be something less than a joke, there needs to be defense attorneys. And since most people who commit crimes aren't swimming in gold coins like Scrooge McDuck, those defense attorneys will often be public defenders.
By defending an alleged criminal, a good public defender can give all of us confidence that a conviction means something. That has immeasurable value, so it would've been nice to have a strong defense of those defenders. This isn't it.
December 31, 2025
Long review incoming:
This is definitely a book that will stick with me forever. Media is filled with tales of prosecutors and cops, but nothing details the story of humble public defenders. The book follows the true story of the Cook County PD’s office when they are in the middle of a high profile case of the shooting of a CPD officer. Although this took place 20 years ago and long before I was a Chicagoan, I felt like I was there with them. I loved that other cases were peppered in between the main story to paint a broader picture of the PD office and the lives of the individuals in the office. It was eye opening that some public defenders are not just in it because they are idealists (even though many are) but some are in it because they love the competition and thrill of the profession. I’ve always had a respect for PDs, because even though they see some of the worst crimes - and potentially people - they are committed to giving everyone a chance and upholding a pillar of democracy.
This book is not for the faint of heart (aka me). It details gruesome crimes and the often disturbing and tragic lives of the people who commit them. Though the author approaches this with a journalist’s professionalism and objectivity, my one critique of this book is indeed the inclusion of these details in one of the earlier chapters. I understand that author includes these in a chapter detailing just the regular day-in-the-life of a PD and the intensity of the cases they see, but I think it needed more censoring. Specifically, the crimes against children should not have been detailed the way they were. I did have to put the book down several times before I could get through the chapter. Thankfully that was not the core of the book, but it was enough for me to call that out for others who may be sensitive to that.
TLDR: Fascinating, suspenseful, gripping, gruesome, and disturbing.
This is definitely a book that will stick with me forever. Media is filled with tales of prosecutors and cops, but nothing details the story of humble public defenders. The book follows the true story of the Cook County PD’s office when they are in the middle of a high profile case of the shooting of a CPD officer. Although this took place 20 years ago and long before I was a Chicagoan, I felt like I was there with them. I loved that other cases were peppered in between the main story to paint a broader picture of the PD office and the lives of the individuals in the office. It was eye opening that some public defenders are not just in it because they are idealists (even though many are) but some are in it because they love the competition and thrill of the profession. I’ve always had a respect for PDs, because even though they see some of the worst crimes - and potentially people - they are committed to giving everyone a chance and upholding a pillar of democracy.
This book is not for the faint of heart (aka me). It details gruesome crimes and the often disturbing and tragic lives of the people who commit them. Though the author approaches this with a journalist’s professionalism and objectivity, my one critique of this book is indeed the inclusion of these details in one of the earlier chapters. I understand that author includes these in a chapter detailing just the regular day-in-the-life of a PD and the intensity of the cases they see, but I think it needed more censoring. Specifically, the crimes against children should not have been detailed the way they were. I did have to put the book down several times before I could get through the chapter. Thankfully that was not the core of the book, but it was enough for me to call that out for others who may be sensitive to that.
TLDR: Fascinating, suspenseful, gripping, gruesome, and disturbing.
December 15, 2023
This book challenged me in the best possible way. The author offers a very sympathetic but objective view of the world of public defenders, without shying from the grisly details of the crimes perpetrated by (some of) the people they defend in court. It ultimately tackles the idea of capital punishment, showing the issue from the side of the accused and the victims, as well as the professionals whose job it is to decide whether the defendant lives or dies. My thoughts and emotions bounced all over the place while making my way through this book. It was a wild ride.
March 10, 2019
This book is about the Cook County Public Defender's Office Murder Task Force, i.e., the lawyers who defend indigent murder suspects. Davis interviews a number of the lawyers, who tell him stories of their worst and best cases, and he follows one case, the shooting of Officer Eric Lee, from beginning to as much of an end as it looks likely to have, which is basically a giant question mark. It's not even certain that the man convicted of Lee's murder fired the bullets that killed him. I give Davis kudos for interviewing both sides, both the prosecutor and the defense team, both the widow and the alleged murderer. And I don't know whether I think the alleged murderer is the actual killer or not.
This is also a book about ethics, and about some of the ugliest questions ethics can bring you face to face with. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty; everyone has the right to an adequate defense. Even a man who raped two little girls and then threw them out a window. Even a man who raped his own daughter and beat her to death when she got pregnant. Even a man who tortured his seven year old stepson to death over the course of several months. And of course there's the looming question of the death penalty. Not all of the Murder Task Force are against the death penalty in general; as one of them says, it's wrong when it's MY CLIENT you're trying to kill. But, as with Defending Gary, written by Gary Ridgway's defense team, the defense lawyers' view of the death penalty--of the legal process in general--is starkly different from the ordinary view, and I think this Alice through the Looking-Glass perspective is a good one to have, a good reminder that (a) the American legal process is not infallible and (b) abstract ethics are all well and good, but applying them to non-abstract people is . . . tricky.
This is a good book, but not a great one, and I've been trying to figure out what it is that didn't quite satisfy me about it. It wasn't the ambiguity of the central case; that doesn't bother me and it's not something Davis could control anyway. But I feel as if he could have dug deeper, somehow, as if there's some dimension he left unexplored. This is certainly a great piece of journalism; his coverage of the Lee case is excellent. But as a book, it just didn't quite hang together for me.
This is also a book about ethics, and about some of the ugliest questions ethics can bring you face to face with. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty; everyone has the right to an adequate defense. Even a man who raped two little girls and then threw them out a window. Even a man who raped his own daughter and beat her to death when she got pregnant. Even a man who tortured his seven year old stepson to death over the course of several months. And of course there's the looming question of the death penalty. Not all of the Murder Task Force are against the death penalty in general; as one of them says, it's wrong when it's MY CLIENT you're trying to kill. But, as with Defending Gary, written by Gary Ridgway's defense team, the defense lawyers' view of the death penalty--of the legal process in general--is starkly different from the ordinary view, and I think this Alice through the Looking-Glass perspective is a good one to have, a good reminder that (a) the American legal process is not infallible and (b) abstract ethics are all well and good, but applying them to non-abstract people is . . . tricky.
This is a good book, but not a great one, and I've been trying to figure out what it is that didn't quite satisfy me about it. It wasn't the ambiguity of the central case; that doesn't bother me and it's not something Davis could control anyway. But I feel as if he could have dug deeper, somehow, as if there's some dimension he left unexplored. This is certainly a great piece of journalism; his coverage of the Lee case is excellent. But as a book, it just didn't quite hang together for me.
March 7, 2016
I wouldn't recommend the book for those with quesy stomachs (several homicide stories prominently feature torture and dismembered babies) or for someone looking for a romantic vision of what it's like to be a public defender. As Davis both says and shows in many cases, many of the most successful PDs do good work on a daily basis not out of a bleeding-heart sensibility for their clients who have often done shocking and disturbing crimes, but on a more personal drive for "victory" against stacked decks--keeping in mind that "victory" might just mean keeping your client off of death row in a case with several eyewitnesses and a signed confession. I'd think that anyone who read the book carefully would have both a more sympathetic and realistic view of what it's like to do this kind of work. One of the biggest detractions from the work is that Davis gets a bit showy in his descriptions of people and events, doing the thing that great nonfiction works don't do: call attention to the writer rather than the people and events. I think a great counter-book to this one is Ghettoside by Jill Leovy. Just as this book focused on PDs who are on a special homicide task force team as that gets revealed through her work as an embedded investigator who takes the reader through many small stories while focusing especially on one long and complicated one, so does Ghettoside explore the intricacies of being an LA murder detective (though Leovy's book is one of the best I read last year, something I doubt I'll say about this one). Overall, I'd say I'm glad I read this book, though I'd like to read others in the genre to get a better idea of where Davis may be exaggerating or thinking that he has found something especially revealing and generalizable in the case of characters he outlines here.
November 16, 2021
To be perfectly honest: I read this book because I was about to interview with the Cook County Public Defender. Did I end up getting the job? No. Is it a good book? Well...
I wrote this review below shortly before working for the City of Chicago, and the "plot" hinges on the "main character," Marijane Placek, unquestionably a badass, forced to look bad by dint of representing some very bad people (see review below for an account of what may be the most odious crime I could ever possibly imagine), defending a young man charged with the murder of a CPD officer. The circumstances of the crime are murky, but it seems the murder is more accidental than intentional. By the time the case goes to trial, I couldn't tell what was going to happen, and I would imagine most readers will not, either. In any case, it was a surprise to me, and it is to the author's credit that he can maintain the tension and mystery in the situation.
Yes, it is a good book, especially for public defenders or law students or the people that want to be either. It would also be useful for anyone in custody and awaiting trial. Such individuals should read books like these to get themselves out of their head and realize what is important. One of the attorneys featured in this book goes on to civil practice, and comments that everything feels low stakes after being an Assistant Public Defender, because the worst that can happen is a client can lose money, not their life. Which is an important thing to remember whenever the stress of litigating, or living, becomes too great.
http://flyinghouses.blogspot.com/2014...
I wrote this review below shortly before working for the City of Chicago, and the "plot" hinges on the "main character," Marijane Placek, unquestionably a badass, forced to look bad by dint of representing some very bad people (see review below for an account of what may be the most odious crime I could ever possibly imagine), defending a young man charged with the murder of a CPD officer. The circumstances of the crime are murky, but it seems the murder is more accidental than intentional. By the time the case goes to trial, I couldn't tell what was going to happen, and I would imagine most readers will not, either. In any case, it was a surprise to me, and it is to the author's credit that he can maintain the tension and mystery in the situation.
Yes, it is a good book, especially for public defenders or law students or the people that want to be either. It would also be useful for anyone in custody and awaiting trial. Such individuals should read books like these to get themselves out of their head and realize what is important. One of the attorneys featured in this book goes on to civil practice, and comments that everything feels low stakes after being an Assistant Public Defender, because the worst that can happen is a client can lose money, not their life. Which is an important thing to remember whenever the stress of litigating, or living, becomes too great.
http://flyinghouses.blogspot.com/2014...
April 4, 2022
Here’s the thing - this book is hard to rate. I work for a Public Defender (with the important caveat that I am a Mitigation Specialist, not an attorney), and I am always excited about books exploring the true nature of the field. One of my clients actually loves this book and recommended it to me.
I liked the way this book delved into the emotional trauma of the work, and the complete devotion it takes to be good at it. I found it interesting to see the different perspectives attorneys could have on the same topic (I was surprised that Marijane was still pro-death penalty). However, the Cook County PD is such an anomaly that I think some of the experiences described are less than universal. An office with 400 PDs is unheard of. For reference, Cook County has a rough population of 5 million. My jurisdiction has a little under 1.2 million, and we have about 25 PDs. If the scales were balanced, we would have around 80. I think the big cases, like the ones detailed in this book, are important for people to know about. But, I think the overarching and most common day to day miscarriages of justice happen on the smaller cases, the ones that don’t make the news. The ones that happen behind closed doors. It’s a compelling picture of public defense, but not an all encompassing one.
I liked the way this book delved into the emotional trauma of the work, and the complete devotion it takes to be good at it. I found it interesting to see the different perspectives attorneys could have on the same topic (I was surprised that Marijane was still pro-death penalty). However, the Cook County PD is such an anomaly that I think some of the experiences described are less than universal. An office with 400 PDs is unheard of. For reference, Cook County has a rough population of 5 million. My jurisdiction has a little under 1.2 million, and we have about 25 PDs. If the scales were balanced, we would have around 80. I think the big cases, like the ones detailed in this book, are important for people to know about. But, I think the overarching and most common day to day miscarriages of justice happen on the smaller cases, the ones that don’t make the news. The ones that happen behind closed doors. It’s a compelling picture of public defense, but not an all encompassing one.
March 1, 2017
Being a criminal defense attorney in Cook
County, I assume I read this with a different perspective than others. When I first started , the death penalty was still around in Illinois. Thankfully, I never had a case end with a death penalty sentence and now there is no death penalty in Illinois, so
The murder task force no longer exists but this book gives a good look into what we do and struggle with even with no possibility of death penalty. Marijane is quite a character but definitely has a different view of the job than myself or others in our field. I think this book does a pretty good job of what was going on in the Murder Task Force in Chicago back then. An updated version would be good for current and future generations.
County, I assume I read this with a different perspective than others. When I first started , the death penalty was still around in Illinois. Thankfully, I never had a case end with a death penalty sentence and now there is no death penalty in Illinois, so
The murder task force no longer exists but this book gives a good look into what we do and struggle with even with no possibility of death penalty. Marijane is quite a character but definitely has a different view of the job than myself or others in our field. I think this book does a pretty good job of what was going on in the Murder Task Force in Chicago back then. An updated version would be good for current and future generations.
April 20, 2013
A fascinating look at the public defense system in Cook County, Illinois, centered around a murdered cop case and the defenders that represented the accused. My friend Huma, herself a criminal defense attorney in Chicago, recommended this book to me, and I'm so glad she did. Getting an inside look into how the courts work, especially with these capital offense cases, and the history of this department in Chicago was engrossing. The lawyers who work as public defenders have a pretty thankless job, with unbelievable stress, and I now have a greater sense of respect for their jobs. Now, this book is not necessarily for those who are sensitive to the horrors in the world. The author does not shy away from discussing the realities of the cases, and many of them were intensely brutal. But this is why public defenders and a balanced legal system are so important, as profiled in this book. Everyone, regardless of crime, situation, or quality of character, deserves a fair trial.
So I would definitely recommend this book to those who are fascinated by the legal system, and who can handle the bits of unsettling true life cases. Truly, a great read.
So I would definitely recommend this book to those who are fascinated by the legal system, and who can handle the bits of unsettling true life cases. Truly, a great read.
June 11, 2013
Read this book. Just drop whatever you're reading (or quickly finish it) and read this book.
Seriously. This is what you call the hard, gritty side of justice, the in depth and up close facts that no one wants to know, but secretly does. You would assume by all the stories in this that book could fall into fiction, but it's real. Every detail is a fact, and every event actually occurred. The main plot line consists of a public defender working a murder case, and if she loses her client faces the death penalty. I don't want to give too much away because you'll yell at me for spoiling it, but if you want you can preview the book on Google books. But NOTE, there is pretty gruesome stuff in here (very detailed rape and murder cases) so this may not be so easy for queasy readers.
(But DAMN did it increase my respect for public defenders ten fold. Not that I didn't respect them before, but after "seeing" what they will build their lives around, my hat goes off to each one of 'em.)
Seriously. This is what you call the hard, gritty side of justice, the in depth and up close facts that no one wants to know, but secretly does. You would assume by all the stories in this that book could fall into fiction, but it's real. Every detail is a fact, and every event actually occurred. The main plot line consists of a public defender working a murder case, and if she loses her client faces the death penalty. I don't want to give too much away because you'll yell at me for spoiling it, but if you want you can preview the book on Google books. But NOTE, there is pretty gruesome stuff in here (very detailed rape and murder cases) so this may not be so easy for queasy readers.
(But DAMN did it increase my respect for public defenders ten fold. Not that I didn't respect them before, but after "seeing" what they will build their lives around, my hat goes off to each one of 'em.)
February 13, 2012
The setting is Chicago; to be precise, a setting I know all too well, the Cook County Courthouse at 26th and California. The characters are members of the Cook County Public Defenders Office; to be precise, the 'Murder Task Force'. This group is reviled by many (how can you defend such Monsters!), but they are also credited as being among the best Capital Crime Defense Attorneys there are. Devoted, fierce in the fight . . . they are a match for crime fiction writer's best litigators, comparable to Michael Connelly's and John Grisham's defense attorneys at their best.
Follow up on PD Marijane Placek and convicted murderer, Aloysius Oliver. Relate to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald; Public corruption re. former IL Gov George Ryan & corrupt cops in Chicago's Englewood District.
Follow up on PD Marijane Placek and convicted murderer, Aloysius Oliver. Relate to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald; Public corruption re. former IL Gov George Ryan & corrupt cops in Chicago's Englewood District.
February 9, 2009
My gf gave me this book so that I could see who I might encounter later on in my career. At one point I wanted to be a States Attorney and prosecute all of the "bad guys" thinking how much of a relief I would feel putting these individuals away. However, after reading this book I admit, I think I will be joining the dark side. A lot of the characteristics that she Public Defenders have I feel I also have those too. Granted that these Public Defenders do thier jobs pretty much for the sake of thier own euphoria, I feel that I might be doing this job for that same purpose. Many might critize thier motives and mine as well but just how Davis mentioned, these individuals do not seek approval. They rattle cages and do not care what the majority of people think about thier battles. However, by doing so they preserve justice.
March 27, 2008
The subtitle pretty much sums up the aim of this book, which is to provide an inside look at the activities, motivations, and personalities of the public defenders in the homicide division of the Chicago courts. Personalities are a big focus as the author traces the tail of Aloysius Oliver, an accused cop-killer, and his flamboyant and skilled public defender, Marijane Plaeck.
Davis is a little too pro-law-and-order for my tastes and, I feel, wastes time continually describing different horrific child-killings, rape-homicides, and drug-profit-motivated murders. Despite this, there is a descriptive atmosphere that allows many perspectives to be presented and I learned a great deal about the legal, judicial, and police system here in Chicago through this book soon after I moved here.
Davis is a little too pro-law-and-order for my tastes and, I feel, wastes time continually describing different horrific child-killings, rape-homicides, and drug-profit-motivated murders. Despite this, there is a descriptive atmosphere that allows many perspectives to be presented and I learned a great deal about the legal, judicial, and police system here in Chicago through this book soon after I moved here.
August 21, 2007
This intense story is a fascinating look inside the Cook County Public Defenders office that really gives readers a different persepctive of our criminal justice system. The story of Officer Eric Lee that frames the information provided by the author is a gripping tale that invites you to critically look at all situations before jumping to a conclusion. This should be required reading for all people serving on a jury so they can understand not only the Hollywood like prosecution but also the defense.
August 25, 2008
I really liked this book. It gave great insight to the Cook County's defense office. I feel sorry for these public defenders since they have to defend some of the worst crime commiters. They get berated by the press and the prosecuters. The crimes they talk about in here are heinous, and are nothing like Law & Order. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to know what it's like to defend hardcore criminals that are guilty.
November 16, 2009
Anyone who believes in the rights of the accused - and everyone's right to legal representation - should read this book. Kevin Davis, a veteran Chicago journalist who I'm proud to say is also a former teacher of mine, gets nearly unlimited access inside the Cook County Public Defender's Murder Task Force - a bit gruesome yes, but fascinating nonetheless. In his words, "By raising hell, these lawyers honor the law."
March 17, 2009
One of the most gripping books I have read in years. I am a slow reader & I finished the book in 6 days, which is lightning speed for me. A devastating depiction of the Cook County Criminal Court by a journalist who followed public defenders around for a year. I must caution that this is not a book for weak stomachs - the depictions of some truly abominable murders are depicted quite graphically.
March 17, 2009
Incredibly graphic but so incredibly interesting and such a strange but vital part of the world...or at least the justice system. I really loved this book and thought it was WELL worth reading even with the horrible language!!
April 13, 2013
While the book was well written the author was taken in by the book's primary character, a former colleague of mine. Consequently for me, the book's value suffered greatly and an opportunity to achieve something worthwhile was missed because of a lawyer's love of the spotlight.
January 10, 2012
Amazing stories of those dedicated lawyers who defend those who cannot afford to hire a lawyer to defend them in court. If the ugly side of life offends you, this is not a good read for you.
September 26, 2018
"'I'm on my third marriage,' Woody Jordan said when I asked whether the job has taken a toll on him. 'What does that tell you?' That was the price for the life he chose. Woody had been in the task force for fifteen years, a public defender for more than twenty. The world that Woody lived in, a world populated by killers and gang members, junkies and thieves, was not easy to share. At times, he was so immersed, so sealed off from others that he didn't even know it. Woody realized one day just how far removed he had become. He was walking around downtown Chicago on a busy afternoon: men and woman in business suits, hoppers carrying bags from department stores, tourists strolling along Michigan Avenue. Woody remembered feeling strangely out of place. 'Then it struck me,' he said. 'I'm around normal human beings. They're dressed appropriately. They're police. I thought, what am I doing here?'"
January 17, 2024
I really enjoyed this book and I think if you like the Criminal Justice system and following criminal cases during court proceedings, you will enjoy it too. I also like how it humanized every human in this book including some offenders who were allegedly committing horrendous crimes against humanity. As a social worker and trauma therapist, it was hard at time to see the hurt child within a murdering adult, but so often I see these kids who have been the ones hurt and victimized. It was definitely hard at times for me to justify or attempt to justify some of these alleged crimes.
May 20, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The people felt very real to me. Obviously, they are real people but the author made them three-dimensional. Obviously, they are three-dimensional because they are real people.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
August 5, 2018
Intimate look
An intimate look at the inner workings of one the most difficult jobs in perhaps the nation's most desolate city.
An intimate look at the inner workings of one the most difficult jobs in perhaps the nation's most desolate city.
January 3, 2019
I enjoyed this. As a teacher of a high school law class in Chicago this gave some helpful insights. It was a little long in some places but overall really interesting even for a layperson.
March 29, 2019
Extremely interesting book about defense of heinous people.
May 23, 2019
Some crimes described are so heinous, this book can be hard to read—but detailed account of how one public defenders office is run. It’s not often that we are given this perspective.
December 29, 2020
Good glimpse into the circus at 26th and Cal
March 28, 2024
A thought provoking book that shows the human side to good and evil. This book challenged the way I think and feel about victims and perpetrators.
October 7, 2007
I picked out and read this book for an independent study course I am taking about mitigation in criminal sentencing. I had to write a review/paper on it for my course, so instead of writing a fresh review, I'm just copying my old one (severely edited) here:
The members of the Cook County Public Defender’s office Murder Task Force routinely face scenarios that would disgust and repel many other lawyers: They fight for the rights and lives of vicious, violent killers. The task force, showcased by journalist and author Kevin Davis in his book, “Defending the Damned,” is composed of highly experienced criminal defense attorneys, who, Davis writes, are “the lawyers for the damned, paid by the people to represent the enemies of the people, working to thwart prosecution of those accused of some of the most vile, repulsive and cold-blooded killings in Chicago, and [who,] in doing so, … ask for a measure of mercy for those who were not [merciful themselves]” (p. 4). By a sort of lottery, these lawyers are assigned cases in which babies’ bodies are dismembered, fried and fed to dogs; cases in which women are raped and tortured for days on end before being sodomized and killed with the same shotgun; cases in which police officers are gunned down before their brethren. “Defending the Damned” not only memorializes the plights of these public defenders and their clients; it also explores what motivates the men and women of the task force to take on such a thankless – not to mention gruesome, stressful and unpopular – job.
..I had to cut about 5 pages here because it was too long..
In all, “Defending the Damned” is a fascinating look at the world of the public defender’s office, but probably only those interested in the criminal justice system would enjoy it. While the reporting and organization are excellent, the writing and copy-editing are sub-par. (I actually began to line-edit halfway through the book because I couldn’t stand all the grammatical and spelling errors.) Davis’s character development is also lacking, even though he seems to make a point of describing Placek and her wild wardrobe and personality. Even with whole chapters dedicated to the development of her character, I still couldn’t picture her – Davis should have included a photograph. Even with these obvious flaws, “Defending the Damned” is an important look at an often overlooked profession, and it lauds a group of people who seldom receive thanks for their painstaking, desperate work.
The members of the Cook County Public Defender’s office Murder Task Force routinely face scenarios that would disgust and repel many other lawyers: They fight for the rights and lives of vicious, violent killers. The task force, showcased by journalist and author Kevin Davis in his book, “Defending the Damned,” is composed of highly experienced criminal defense attorneys, who, Davis writes, are “the lawyers for the damned, paid by the people to represent the enemies of the people, working to thwart prosecution of those accused of some of the most vile, repulsive and cold-blooded killings in Chicago, and [who,] in doing so, … ask for a measure of mercy for those who were not [merciful themselves]” (p. 4). By a sort of lottery, these lawyers are assigned cases in which babies’ bodies are dismembered, fried and fed to dogs; cases in which women are raped and tortured for days on end before being sodomized and killed with the same shotgun; cases in which police officers are gunned down before their brethren. “Defending the Damned” not only memorializes the plights of these public defenders and their clients; it also explores what motivates the men and women of the task force to take on such a thankless – not to mention gruesome, stressful and unpopular – job.
..I had to cut about 5 pages here because it was too long..
In all, “Defending the Damned” is a fascinating look at the world of the public defender’s office, but probably only those interested in the criminal justice system would enjoy it. While the reporting and organization are excellent, the writing and copy-editing are sub-par. (I actually began to line-edit halfway through the book because I couldn’t stand all the grammatical and spelling errors.) Davis’s character development is also lacking, even though he seems to make a point of describing Placek and her wild wardrobe and personality. Even with whole chapters dedicated to the development of her character, I still couldn’t picture her – Davis should have included a photograph. Even with these obvious flaws, “Defending the Damned” is an important look at an often overlooked profession, and it lauds a group of people who seldom receive thanks for their painstaking, desperate work.
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