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Trying Cases in the Court of Public Opinion
Prometheus Books
September 2010
On Sale: September 7, 2010
404 pages ISBN: 1616142103 EAN: 9781616142100 Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
High-profile courtroom dramas fascinate our nation,
especially when they concern the rich and famous. And while
the American public has come to realize that the spin factor
is a prime ingredient in political tactics and marketing
campaigns, many are unaware of the strategies for shaping
public opinion when it comes to major courtroom battles. This behind-the-scenes analysis of media strategies presents
an intriguing, often entertaining curriculum that they do
not teach in law school or journalism classes. As the lead
counsel in some of the country's most notable cases and a
savvy legal commentator with hundreds of television
appearances, author Kendall Coffey brings a distinctive
combination of depth as a legal practitioner and experience
as a media analyst to this insightful, provocative, and
practical book. He begins with an historic election fraud trial, relying on
his personal experience with the basics of law spin. He then
guides the reader through an abbreviated, engrossing tour of
spinning cases through the ages--including Socrates and Joan
of Arc, as well as the Charles Lindbergh kidnapping case.
Modern cases include the O. J. Simpson trial, the author's
own experiences in the international Elian Gonzalez
controversy--and his thoughts on the possible overwhelming
effect that that controversy had on Florida in the 2000
presidential election between Gore and Bush. Coffey also examines the most famous cases of recent
times--those of Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Martha
Stewart, Scott Peterson, Gordon "Scooter" Libby, and the
shenanigans of impeached former Governor Rod Blagojevich. Along the way, the author exposes many of the myths
associated with the law, debunking assumptions about legal
concepts ranging from circumstantial evidence and
cooperating witnesses to so-called prosecutors' vendettas. Coffey's many entertaining examples and explanations make
this book ideal reading for everyone fascinated by celebrity
legal problems but must reading for lawyers, public
relations professionals, journalists, and media students.
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