Identity Unknown: Forensic Science and Crime Forensic identification is a branch of forensic science that has played an increasingly significant role in crime solving over the past three decades. A body whose identity cannot be determined by next of kin is often confirmed by fingerprint, DNA, or dental records comparison. Presumptive identifications can result in […]

Of Prose, Professionals, and Politics You don’t spend twenty-five years as a Los Angeles trial lawyer without rubbing up against a few memorable characters. Some, in my case, were household names—Richard Pryor, for example, whom I represented for over a decade—but most you’ve never heard of and, in many cases, you should be grateful you […]

Jodi Arias and the Dilemma of Beautiful Killers One of the more interesting visuals in any criminal trial is how the defendant presents himself. As a prosecutor, I saw countless defense makeovers: brutish thugs who walked into the courtroom almost unrecognizable in pressed khakis, a neat haircut, and fake glasses plucked from a bin in […]