Guilty People

“Extraordinary, profoundly, moving…. I know of no other book that says as much about a defense lawyer’s motivations, self-doubt, frustrations. I finished it with tears in my eyes.“— Anthony Lewis, on Case of a Lifetime
“Smith movingly details how she has worked with clients to get them the help they need and followed up with them in hopes that they will succeed. Through her compassionate advocacy, Smith exemplifies how an effective defense lawyer’s role is premised on recognizing the basic human dignity of her clients….Guilty People…provides a bold lens through which to view criminal justice work.“— Clause 40 Foundation Blog
“In her instructive descriptions of her defense work with petty criminals, ordinary felons, rapists, and murderers, Smith actively engages with thematic characteristics of the American system of crime and punishment.“— The ICAA Journal
“Guilty People takes the ordinary and doe the careful, thoughtful, deeply human work of making it extraordinary.” — The Champion
“In discussing her individual clients’ circumstances, Smith transmits a simple message that seeing ourselves, or parts of ourselves, in people who commit crime may be the first step to exacting change in our justice systems. If that be her primary objective, Guilty People meets the mark.“— Law 360
“Inspiring and motivational, Guilty People is unique in poignantly capturing the frailties of the law and of humans, and doing so with hope and optimism. Recommended.“— Choice
“A substantial work…. Smith examines a range of complex issues with insight and wit… In the end, the book transcends lawyers and clients, guilt and innocence, crime and punishment. It is a testament to what can happen when one person reaches out to another in need.“— Sister Helen Prejean, on Case of a Lifetime
“A captivating, emotionally intense investigation of the complicated relationship between truth and the justice system.“— Kirkus Review, on Case of a Lifetime

ABBE SMITH is an American criminal defense attorney, professor of law at Georgetown University, Washington D.C., and director of Georgetown’s Criminal Defense & Prisoner Advocacy Clinic and E. Barrett Prettyman Fellowship Program. She is the author of Case of a Lifetime: A Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Story and Carried Away: The Chronicles of a Feminist Cartoonist.

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