Melanie’s Reviews > The Perfect Marriage > Status Update

And a cop is asking questions of a defendant after proceedings have started and he’s represented by an attorney??

Wait. Arraignment and then trial within two weeks, all within three days of the murder???? No no no no no

In Virginia, there needs to be a probable cause determination via preliminary hearing (or grand jury depending on the state) before they even get to trial phase. Look, if you’re going to write a legal thriller, you need to do basic research into criminal law. And discovery takes more than 2 weeks!!! Wtf!

So Adam is now arraigned and « court is scheduled to begin in two weeks ». if we’re talking a criminal jury trial, there’s no fucking way.

Also, there is no way DNA, even rushed, came back in less than 48hours to Adam.

Source: am criminal attorney.

I honestly don’t know if I can get over all of these legal mistakes and get through what would otherwise be a great thriller.

Also, a suspect cannot be arrested IN HIS OWN HOME without an arrest warrant signed by a freaking judge.

And if a suspect were beat up by an alternate suspect who’s a cop, you bet your ass that suspect would get released. Oh, and they have a right to be brought before a magistrate within a certain amount of turn. You don’t get to keep him in custody without a case being open ffs. Source:am criminal Atty

This is the most absurd book. Maybe because I’m a criminal lawyer? But oy.

- a defense attorney taking her husband’s murder case is a clear conflict of interest

- no cop would allow a defense attorney - especially the owner of the house and defendant’s wife - to go into a open crime scene to help find evidence.

- said defense attorney, within hours of taking the case, has a “moment” with the sheriff.