David S. RudolfAmerican Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System

This book is quite difficult to read (in terms of the stories) but it is a great book to read. Hard to put down once you start! David did a fantastic job and is a phenomenal attorney!

I, like probably many, sought this book out after watching Rudolf’s defense in The Staircase. I think I probably got it with the intention of hearing more in depth from his perspective about that case. I am pleasantly surprised to say that wasn’t really the case at all. Aside from a small segment in regards to abuse of scientific evidence, it isn’t discussed much at all. In reality, this focuses on the various different types of abuses David has come across in his extensive criminal defense career. The book invokes every emotion from sadness to laughter (the latter which I didn’t expect), from empathy to anger. I found it to be a page turner and thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend this work if you were impressed by his defense in The Staircase.

This book is compelling reading for all criminal lawyers and any other person involved in the legal system. The author recounts numerous cases in which the defendant was imprisoned as a result of faulty evidence, prosecutorial malfeasance, police incompetence and junk science such as hair comparison, blood spatter evidence and other so called scientific forensic evidence. The miscarriages of justice recited in this book have resulted in millions of dollars in damages awarded to people improperly incarcerated. The shortcomings of the justice system recounted in this book cause one to question how many other hundreds or thousands of convicted defendants may be wrongfully incarcerated or executed. It is simply shocking to consider.

Thank you, Mr Rudolf. My heart is heavy for all those people that suffered unfair trials and convictions. I have watched The Staircase many times and I saw the devastation in your face when the jury returned with a guilty verdict. I'm not saying I believe Peterson is innocent. When anyone watches a documentary, it's important to separate the " hollywood" drama from the real reactions of the people involved. After reading this book, my opinion of your sincerity has been confirmed. I'm inspired by the work you have done. You are a hero and so are all those who share your passion for truth and justice for all.

Wow! This book is so interesting. I bought it after watching The Staircase documentary on Netflix. Rudolf has a sincere heart and impeccable writing style. I could not put this book down!

Rudolf's book is a must read not just for lawyers but American society as a whole. His riveting stories bring to the forefront the abuses of power that permeate our system of justice. Likely to become a classic and should inspire lawyers and criminal justice advocates for decades.

Excellent depiction of the state of the American Judicial system and process

David Rudolf started his law career as a public defender in New York. After several years there he moved to North Carolina where he has lived his life and made a name for himself as the defense attorney you want if you are innocent and being charged with a crime. In this book he exposes the errors of the justice system and how it is stacked against those being charged with a crime.Using real cases, he exposes the systemic problems. Many defendants agree to serve less time for a crime they didn't commit rather than face a jury and possibly serve much more time. Rudolf states that fewer and fewer cases are actually going before a jury and most are adjudicated by a deal before trial. Of those going to trial, there are many pitfalls facing the defendant.One issue is forced confessions. Most people say they would never confess to something they haven't done, but after hours of interrogation, lies from those in charge and horrible predictions of what will happen without a confession, many do confess. The most striking case of this would be the Central Park jogger case where five young men confessed to the rape of a victim they had nothing to do with. Another issue is confirmation bias where a police officer decides he knows who committed a crime and ignores any evidence to the contrary. Rudolf represented a doctor who came home to find his wife horribly murdered. The police decided he must have done it although there were witnesses to his whereabouts from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 that night as he rotated between three hospitals. There was plenty of evidence pointing to a more likely candidate but once the police found out the doctor had been having an affair, all other evidence was ignored.Another issue is forensic prejudice. Although such evidence should be scientifically based, the forensic examiners work every day with the police. There is a tendency to shade the evidence to help the police make a case. The most famous example readers will have heard of is the case of Michael Peterson where the medical examiner lied on the stand about his credentials and made statements of certainty that the victim was killed by blows to the head. This case was made into the series The Staircase. The medical examiner was later found to have lied on the stand and shaded evidence in multiple cases and lost his job. Although Rudolf's cases were based in North Carolina, this is not just a one state problem but rather the cases he had access to.Those readers interested in our justice system will find this book interesting but come away with a sour taste in their mouths about the abuses of power rife in the system. With the advent of DNA and its validity in finding both the innocent and guilty, there have been thousands of cases of people released from prison after being wrongfully convicted. This book is recommended for nonfiction readers.