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October 9, 2006

"Objects In Rear View Mirror Are Truer Than They Appear."

S
ometime today, or tomorrow, or this week, anyway, take twenty-four minutes out of your busy schedule to listen to the first story from this past week's NPR radio program "This American Life." (Scroll to the show called "With Great Power" and click on the little blue icon on the left to start the audio. The story starts at about 4:05 and continues until about 28:30.)

It's one of the most remarkable stories I've heard in years. There's nothing I can tell you about the story to do it justice. Law types will be interested in its very powerful depiction of the horrors of plea bargaining, but that's really just a side note. It's a story about the power we have, or are maybe led by the powerful to believe that we don't have, over the lives of others, even strangers.

Listen and leave a comment here, if you're so inclined. It affected me deeply. Maybe it will you too.

Posted by Eric at October 9, 2006 7:48 AM

Comments

Great story -- thanks for the tip.

Kinda' brings home the significant risks inherent in what has become standard language in federal plea agreements in some districts -- that, not only must the defendant waive the right to appeal his sentence, he must also waive the right to file a 2255.

Posted by: Apu at October 11, 2006 11:18 PM

Eric,

It brought me almost to tears but why do you think it a good example of the evils of plea bargaining? Now, if he had TAKEN the plea offer . . .

Posted by: Barry Winston at October 12, 2006 12:10 PM