Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't

From the rise of the Internet and the 24-hour news cycle to the television ratings bonanza of the O.J. Simpson trial, a perfect storm of media coverage has given the public an unprecedented look inside the courtroom, kicking off popular courtroom shows and TV legal commentary that further illuminate how the criminal justice system operates. Or has it?

In Mistrial, Mark Geragos and Pat Harris debunk the myths of judges as Solomon-like figures, jurors as impartial arbiters of the truth, and prosecutors as super-ethical heroes.

Mistrial draws the curtain on the courts ugly realities—from stealth jurors who secretly swing for a conviction, to cops who regularly lie on the witness stand, to defense attorneys terrified of going to trial. Ultimately, the authors question whether a justice system model drawn up two centuries ago before blogs and television is still viable today.

In the aftermath of recent high-profile cases, the flaws in Americas justice system are more glaring than ever. Geragos and Harris are legal experts and prominent criminal defense attorneys who have worked on everything from celebrity media-circuses—having represented clients like Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, Scott Peterson, Chris Brown, Susan MacDougal, and Gary Condit—to equally compelling cases defending individuals desperate to avoid the spotlight.

Shining unprecedented light on what really goes on in the courtroom, Mistrial is an enjoyable, fun look at a system that rarely lets you see behind the scenes.

The American legal system changed dramatically when the O. J. Simpson trial became a television-ratings bonanza. Now its all crime, all the time, from tabloid news to police procedurals. Americans now know more about the criminal justice system than ever before. Or do they?

In Mistrial, Mark Geragos and Pat Harris argue precisely the opposite: In pursuit of sensationalism, the public sees only a small, distorted sample of what really happens in our courtrooms. Geragos and Harris debunk the myth of impartial American justice—from stealth jurors who secretly swing for a conviction to cops who regularly lie on the witness stand. Ultimately, the authors question whether a justice system model drawn up two centuries ago is still viable today.

Geragos and Harris are legal experts and prominent criminal defense attorneys who have worked on everything from celebrity media circuses to equally compelling cases defending individuals desperate to avoid the spotlight. Mistrial gives a behind-the-scenes peek that reveals their most fascinating cases, enthralling legal eagles and armchair litigators alike—as it blows the lid off what really happens in a courtroom.

Pat Harris is a leading criminal defense attorney and is a partner at Geragos and Geragos. He is a regular contributor on legal issues for shows on Fox and CNN, is the co-author of Susan McDougals New York Times bestselling memoir The Woman Who Wouldnt Talk, and speaks regularly at law schools across the country. He lives in Studio City, California with his wife.