Description

Ten Great American Trials: Lessons in Advocacy Faust F Rossi ISBN 9781634255929

Ten Great American Trials offers detailed, chapter-length narratives of some of the most high-profile and compelling court cases of the twentieth century. Each account examines how prosecutors and defense attorneys employed trial advocacy techniques—ranging from discovery and pre-trial motions to jury selection, direct and cross-examination, the introduction of forensic evidence, and closing arguments—to construct persuasive stories about what occurred. The book also explores how cultural, social, and political values shaped both the proceedings and the outcomes.

These cases, several famously labeled “the crime of the century,” were selected for their drama, suspense, emotional intensity, and intellectual impact, all of which have cemented them in the fabric of American culture. Many of these trials continue to provoke debate over motives, guilt, or innocence, and nearly all have inspired feature films, television series, or documentaries.

Together, the ten trials illuminate key “hot-button” issues, including xenophobia, the death penalty, race, anti-communism, free speech, LGBTQ+ rights, and child abuse. The cases included are:

• Sacco and Vanzetti

• Leopold and Loeb

• The Scottsboro Boys

• United States v. Alger Hiss

• Village of Skokie v. National Socialist Party of America

• Dan White (the killings of Harvey Milk and George Moscone)

• Claus von Bülow

• The McMartin Preschool Sexual Abuse Case

• O. J. Simpson

Richly detailed and thoughtfully analyzed, Ten Great American Trials provides a captivating look at the intersection of law, society, and culture through some of the most unforgettable trials in American history.

Ten Great American Trials: Lessons in Advocacy Faust F Rossi ISBN 9781634255929, 978-1634255929 & 9781634255936

Authors
Faust F Rossi
Glenn C Altschuler