Expert Witness
The Weight of Our Testimony When Justice Hangs in the Balance
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- USD 15.99
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- USD 15.99
Descripción editorial
From the author of the critically-acclaimed true crime account, A Killer By Design (the inspiration behind Hulu's original docuseries, Mastermind), a groundbreaking look into the crucial role played by expert witnesses in the most high-profile criminal cases, based on Dr. Ann Burgess’ personal experiences within the criminal justice system.
Written through Burgess’ singular lens of compassion and lived experience, Expert Witness pulls back the curtain on some of the biggest cases in the last thirty years—from Bill Cosby to the Menendez brothers to Larry Nassar—to reveal the deeply human stories behind the trials that have captivated a nation. The book explores the role of expert witnesses in high stakes court cases, offering first-hand accounts and never-before-seen interviews with attorneys, victims, and offenders.
Expert Witness places readers inside the mind of the nation’s most prominent courtroom expert, following Burgess as she takes on one seismic case after the next. Throughout the narrative, each case deepens the reader’s understanding of the art and science of expert testimony, taking readers from the women’s movement of the 1970s to the #MeToo movement of today—one of the largest social reckonings in recent history. At its core, Expert Witness is a story of empowerment. It’s a story of compassion and the ever-increasing need for individuals to stand up and speak truth to power or to popular opinion. And it's ultimately a story of how revolutionary one voice can be.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this fascinating memoir, psychiatric nurse Burgess (A Killer by Design) delves into her experiences as an expert witness in some of the most high-profile criminal cases of the past 30 years. With a robust background in researching trauma and the effects of sexual abuse at Boston hospitals, Burgess began tangling with the court system in the 1970s, when she advocated for rape victims, who, if they spoke out at all, were often treated as criminals. While most of Burgess's work was with women, her profile as an expert witness rose during the trial of the Menendez brothers, where her testimony corroborated chilling details of the abuse they suffered as children at the hands of their father. Burgess also recalls helping the FBI pioneer the practice of criminal profiling, and interviewing and providing professional mental health assessments for accusers of Bill Cosby and Larry Nassar. Throughout, she's an empathetic, matter-of-fact guide, chronicling the growing acceptance of testimony about psychological responses to trauma from a front-row perspective. True crime fans should take a look.
