Most Americans believe that the jury trial is the backbone of our criminal justice system. But in fact, the vast majority of cases never make it to trial: almost all criminal convictions are the result of a plea bargain, a deal made entirely out of the public eye.
Our guest today is Dan Canon, author of Pleading Out: How Plea Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class. Dan Canon is a civil rights lawyer, teacher, writer, and educator based primarily in Indiana and Kentucky. He is a professor of law at the Louis D Brandeis School of Law, and served as lead counsel for the Kentucky plaintiffs in the landmark Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges. He focuses his lawyering work on defending the rights of incarcerated people, and challenging wrongful convictions, abuse and overreach by law enforcement.
In his book, Dan Canon argues that plea bargaining may swiftly dispose of cases, but it also fuels an unjust system. This practice produces a massive underclass of people who are restricted from voting, working, and otherwise participating in society. And while innocent people plead guilty to crimes they did not commit in exchange for lesser sentences, the truly guilty can get away with murder.
Follow Dan Canon on his website: https://www.dancanonlaw.com/
This week’s Resistance in Residence Artist is multitalented Danish performance artist Annika Lewis, whose piece “The Soul Catcher: Unmasking the Modern Predator” will open the 2024 San Francisco Interntional Arts Festival.
Check out Annika Lewis‘ website: http://www.annikalewis.dk/english/
Follow Annika Lewis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anniqalewis/
*KPFA listeners get an exclusive discount code for tickets to Annika Lewis’ performance and for passes to the entire festival. Enter the code KPFA20 to receive 20% off on your tickets, and you can find tickets at the 2024 San Francisco International Arts Festival website: www.sfiaf.org
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