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Reviewed: Amy Bach's Ordinary Injustice: How America Holds Court
Bach pondering whether or not to let sleeping lawyers lie

Book Reviews By Eve Ottenberg

When Joe Frank Cannon slept through a client’s capital murder trial—and the man he was paid to defend was sentenced to death—the attorney’s conduct raised the question of whether or not a sleeping attorney can provide adequate representation. How much sleep was permissible on the part of a murder defendant’s counsel? How deep could that slumber be? Would mere dozing mean that the man had not been properly defended, or would it take sprawling out on the floor before the jury and snoring? Variations of these questions were wrestled with by an appellate court, but there was one glaring omission: As Amy Bach asks at the outset of Ordinary Injustice: How America Holds Court: “How was it possible that a defense lawyer could fall asleep during a murder trial, and yet no judge, defendant, juror, or member of the bar sitting in the courtroom, no witness, not even the prosecutor objected?” The answer seems to boil down to low expectations. Bach, a lawyer as well as a reporter, demonstrates with one appalling anecdote after another that defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges often consider themselves too overburdened and harried to attend to constitutional niceties like staying awake. Bach illustrates these problems by presenting three case studies—an overwhelmed and deficient defense attorney for the poor, a prosecutor who avoided trials (especially for certain classes of crimes deemed too dicey, such as domestic violence), and a show trial with racial overtones in which two boys in Chicago were railroaded for a heinous crime they did not commit. Although Bach doesn’t emphasize them in Ordinary Injustice, statistics remain a key part of the debate: The United States has the highest incarceration rate i... Continued

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Books Picks

  • David Henry Sterry at Busboys and Poets
    Tuesday, November 10
    In the preface to the sex-work essay compilation Hos, Hookers, Call Girls, and Rent Boys, prostitute-turned-author David Henry Sterry recalls his dubious introduction to the world of publishing. He’s...

Event Calendar: This Week in Books

Fri. Nov. 6, 2009 - Thu. Nov. 12, 2009

  • NANCY BACHRACH
    Discusses and signs copies of The Center of the Universe.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Tue., 11/10, at noon. $8. (301) 881-0010.
  • NEAL BASCOMB
    Discusses and signs copies of Hunting Eichman: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World’s Most Notorious Nazi.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Sun., 11/8, at 7:30 p.m. $15. Members $12. (301) 881-0010.
  • CHARLES BRONFMAN
    Discusses and signs copies of The Art of Giving: Where the Soul Meets a Business Plan.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Tue., 11/10, at 8:15 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • DR. ERICA BROWN
    Discusses and signs copies of Spiritual Boredom: Rediscovering the Wonder of Judaism.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Sun., 11/8, at 2 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • ALISON BUCKHOLTZ
    Discusses and signs copies of Standing By: The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Wed., 11/11, at noon. $8. (301) 881-0010.
  • DAVID CARTER
    Discusses and signs copies of White Noise.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Mon., 11/9, at 10:30 a.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • BENYAMIN COHEN
    Discusses and signs copies of My Jesus Year.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Thu., 11/12, 7 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • STEPHEN P. COHEN
    Discusses and signs copies of Beyond America’s Grasp.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Tue., 11/11, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • JEFF CORWIN
    Discusses and signs copies of 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth’s Most Endangered Species.
    National Museum of Natural History,, 10th & Constitution Ave., NW. Thu., 11/12, at 6:45 p.m. $25. Members $15. (202) 633-3030.
  • TINESHA DAVIS
    Discusses and signs copies of Holler at the Moon.
    Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Sun., 11/8, at 5 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
  • BOBBY DEEN AND JAMIE DEEN
    Discuss and sign copies of The Deen Bros. Take It Easy: Quick and Affordable Meals the Whole Family Will Love.
    Barnes & Noble Tysons Corner,, 7851 L. Tysons Corner Center, McLean. Fri., 11/6, at 7 p.m. Free. (703) 506-2937.
  • BROOKE AND KEITH DESSERICH
    Discuss and sign copies of Notes Left Behind.
    Borders Fairfax,, 11054 Lee Hwy. Sat., 11/7, at 7 p.m. Free. (703) 359-8420.
  • CHERYL DONOVAN
    Discusses and signs copies of The Ministry of Motherhood.
    Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Sat., 11/7, at 1 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
  • LAURA ELLIOTT
    Discusses and signs copies of A Troubled Peace.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Tue., 11/10, at 10:30 a.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • DAVID FINKEL
    Author event with David Finkel.
    Busboys and Poets 14th & V,, 2021 14th St., NW. Sat., 11/7, at 5 p.m. Free. (202) 387-7638.
  • AL GORE
    Discusses and signs copies of Our Choice.
    Lisner Auditorium,, 730 21st St., NW. Thu., 11/5, at 7 p.m. $10. (202) 994-6800.
  • TEMPLE GRANDIN
    Discusses and signs copies of Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals.
    Barnes & Noble Bethesda,, 4801 Bethesda Ave. Fri., 11/6, at 7 p.m. Free. (301) 986-1761.
  • DANIEL GRISWOLD
    discusses and signs copies of Mad About Trade.
    Cato Institute,, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Fri., 11/6, at noon. Free. (202) 789-5229.
  • DAVID HENRY STERRY AND CONTRIBUTORS
    Discuss and sign copies of Hos, Hookers, Call Girls and Rent Boys: Professionals Writing on Life, Love, Money, and Sex.
    Busboys & Poets 5th & K,, 1025 5th St., NW. Tue., 11/10, at 5:30 p.m. Free. (202) 789-2227.
  • HENDRIK HERTZBERG
    Discusses and signs copies of ¡Obámanos!
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Mon., 11/9, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • GWEN IFILL
    Discusses and signs copies of The Breakthrough.
    National Museum of the American Indian,, 4th St. & Independence Ave., SW. Thu., 11/12, at 7:30 p.m. $35. Members $25. (202) 633-3030.
  • KATHERINE JANUS KAHN
    Discusses and signs copies of Sammy Spider’s First Day of School.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Wed., 11/11, at noon. Free. Tickets required. (301) 881-0010.
  • CARRIE JERRELL
    Discusses and signs copies of After the Revival.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sat., 11/7, at 6 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • HAYNES JOHNSON
    Discusses and signs copies of Herblock.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Thu., 11/12, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • SHEILAH KAST AND JIM ROSAPEPE
    Discuss and sign copies of Dracula Is Dead.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sun., 11/8, at 1 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • DR. DAVID KESSLER
    Discusses and signs copies of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Wed., 11/11, 8:15 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • BARBARA KINGSOLVER
    Discusses and signs copies of The Lacuna.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Fri., 11/6, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • HAROLD KUSHNER
    Discusses and signs copies of Conquering Fear: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Mon., 11/9, at 8:30 p.m. $20. Members $15. (301) 881-0010.
  • HASAN KWAME JEFFRIES
    Discusses and signs copies of Bloody Lowndes, Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt.
    Busboys and Poets 14th & V,, 2021 14th St., NW. Tue., 11/10, at 5:30 p.m. Free. (202) 387-7638.
  • DAVID LEHMAN
    Discusses and signs copies of A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Mon., 11/9, at 1:30 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • TOBY LESTER
    Discusses and signs copies of The Fourth Part of the World.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Thu, 11/5, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • JAMES LOEWEN
    Discusses and signs copies of Teaching What Really Happened: How To Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited About Doing History.
    Busboys and Poets 14th & V,, 2021 14th St., NW. Mon., 11/9, at 5:30 p.m. Free. (202) 387-7638.
  • CHARLES LONDON
    Discusses and signs copies of Far From Zion: In Search of a Global Jewish Community .
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Tue., 11/10, at 7 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • MIKE LUPICA
    Discusses and signs copies of Million-Dollar Throw.
    Borders Fairfax,, 11054 Lee Hwy. Thu., 11/12, at 6 p.m. Free. (703) 359-8420.
  • DAVID MAKOVSKY
    Discusses and signs copies of Myths, Illusions, & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Wed., 11/11, 7 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • ALIA MALEK
    Discusses and signs copies of A Country Called Amreeka.
    Busboys & Poets 14th & V,, 2021 14th St., NW. Thu., 11/5, at 5 p.m. Free. (202) 387-7638.
  • KATI MARTON
    Discusses and signs copies of Enemies of the People.
    Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sun., 11/8, at 5 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
  • JAMES R. MIHELCIC AND CONTRIBUTORS
    Discuss and sign copies of Field Guide to Environmental Engineering for Development Workers: Water, Sanitation, and Indoor Air.
    Reiter's,, 1990 K St., NW. Mon., 11/9, at 6:30 p.m. Free. (202) 296-9103.
  • KATHERINE NEVILLE
    Discusses and signs copies of The Gift.
    Borders Baileys Crossroads., 5871 Crossroads Center Wy. Thu., 11/5, at 7:30 p.m. Free. (703) 998-0404.
  • PATRICK O'DONNELL
    Discusses and signs copies of They Dared Return.
    Borders Baileys Crossroads., 5871 Crossroads Center Wy. Tue., 11/10, at 7:30 p.m. Free. (703) 998-0404.
  • HANNAH PAKULA
    Discusses and signs copies of The Last Empress.
    Letelier Theater,, 3251 Prospect St., NW. Thu., 11/5, at 6 p.m. $12. (301) 229-1128.
  • SUZETTA PERKINS
    Discusses and signs copies of Deja Vu.
    Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Sat., 11/7, at 1 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
  • NANCY TRINGALI PIHO
    Discusses and signs copies of My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus.
    Barnes & Noble Clarendon,, 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington. Sat., 11/7, at 10 a.m. Free. (703) 248-8244.
  • DAVID PLOUFFE
    Discusses and signs copies of The Audacity to Win.
    Borders L St.,, 1801 K St. NW. Fri., 11/6, at 12:30 p.m. Free. (202) 466-4999.
  • NORMAN PODHORENTZ
    Discusses and signs copies of Why Are Jews Liberals?
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Sun., 11/8, at noon. $15. Members $12. (301) 881-0010.
  • ABIGAIL POGREBIN
    Discusses and signs copies of One and the Same.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Thu., 11/12, noon. $8. (301) 881-0010.
  • ROBERT POZEN
    Discusses and signs copies of Too Big To Save? How to Fix The U.S. Financial System.
    Cato Institute,, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Thu., 11/12, at 12:30. Free. (202) 789-5229.
  • ROMESH RATNEZAR
    Discusses and signs copies of “Tear Down this Wall! Reagan and the Berlin Wall.
    National Archives,, 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. Mon., 11/9, at noon. Free. (202) 357-5400.
  • STEVE ROBERTS
    Discusses and signs copies of From Every End of This Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They Made in America.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Thu., 11/5, at noon. $8. (301) 881-0010.
  • MICHAEL ROSEN
    Discusses and signs copies of What Else But Home: Seven Boys and an American Journey Between the Projects and the Penthouse.
    University of the District of Columbia,, 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW. Thu., 11/12, at 2:30 p.m. Free. (301) 229-1128.
  • LUCINDA SCALA QUINN
    Discusses and signs copies of Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys.
    Zola Wine and Kitchen,, 505 9th St., NW. Thu., 11/12, at 6 p.m. $80.12. Includes appetizers, two glasses of wine and a copy of the book. (301) 229-1128.
  • DANNY SCHEINMANN
    Discusses and signs copies of Random Acts of Heroic Love.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Sun., 11/8, at 6:30 p.m. $15. (301) 881-0010.
  • B. SMITH
    Discusses and signs copies of B. Smith Cooks Southern Style.
    Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Tue., 11/10, at 7:30 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
  • AMBER TAMBLYN
    Discusses and signs copies of Bang Ditto.
    Borders L St.,, 1801 K St. NW. Sat., 11/7, at 2 p.m. Free. (202) 466-4999.
  • LAURA VAN DEN BERG AND WILLIAM HEATH
    Discuss and sign copies of What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us and Blacksnake’s Path.
    Writer's Center,, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda. Sun., 11/8, at 2 p.m. Free. (301) 654-8664.
  • HELENE VERIN
    Discusses and signs copies of Beth Levine Shoes.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Fri., 11/6, at noon. $35. Members $30. (301) 881-0010.
  • SHUSHANNAH WALSHE
    Discusses and signs copies of Sarah From Alaska.
    Borders L St.,, 1801 K St. NW. Thu., 11/5, at 6:30 p.m. Free. (202) 466-4999.
  • MICHAEL WEX
    Discusses and signs copies of How To Be a Mensch (And Not A Schmuck: Secrets of the Good Life from the Most Unpopular People on Earth).
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Thu., 11/12, 8:15 p.m. $12. Members $10. (301) 881-0010.
  • JEN YATES
    Discusses and signs copies of Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong.
    Barnes & Noble Bethesda,, 4801 Bethesda Ave. Thu., 11/5, at 7 p.m. Free. (301) 986-1761.
  • JEFFREY ZASLOW
    Discusses and signs copies of The Girls From Ames: A Story of Women & A Forty Year Friendship.
    Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville. Mon., 11/9, at 7 p.m. $20. Members $15. (301) 881-0010.
  • LEONARD ZESKIND
    Discusses and signs copies of Blood and Politics: The History of the White Nationalist Movement from the Margins to the Mainstream.
    Busboys & Poets 5th & K,, 1025 5th St., NW. Thu., 11/5, at 5 p.m. Free. (202) 789-2227.
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