Reviews
Federal prosecutor Wise delivers a riveting inside account of the yearslong investigation he led to take down a corrupt Baltimore police unit. Wise expertly balances detail and accessibility, writing lucidly about the case's legal intricacies and the challenges of getting jurors to view cops as criminals. This is a treat for true crime fans.
With his memoir of the federal investigation into one of the most corrupt police units in our nation, veteran prosecutor Leo Wise has delivered a precise and prescriptive verdict on our drug war and what it has wrought. Where once 'protect and serve' was the claimed purpose of American law enforcement, what remains now is a predatory and profiteering culture that brings the worst police to their worst moments. The pages of Who Speaks for You? make clear we must change the mission.
With punchy writing and salient snippets from wiretaps, prosecutor Leo Wise examines how he and his federal team won convictions against a corrupt posse of Baltimore detectives. Wise's discussion of the decisions and actions his team took during the investigation, prosecution, and trial give valuable insights into this courtroom battle.
This book is a cross between a legal thriller and Shakespearean tragedy. A must-read for anyone who seeks to understand police corruption and to learn how our legal system can sometimes work to deliver justice, even for victims who are themselves less than perfect.
Book Details
Author's Notes
Cast of Characters
Prologue: Our Foreperson
Part One: Investigation
1. The Barn
2. The Alameda
3. East 25th Street
4. North Longwood Street
5. The Winnebago Caper
6. Westminster and the U-Store
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Author's Notes
Cast of Characters
Prologue: Our Foreperson
Part One: Investigation
1. The Barn
2. The Alameda
3. East 25th Street
4. North Longwood Street
5. The Winnebago Caper
6. Westminster and the U-Store
7. East Baltimore
8. West Baltimore
9. They're Stealing from Everybody
Part Two: Prosecution
10. Indictment
11. The Legacy Task Force Members
12. The Newcomers
13. New Charges, New Defendants
14. Middle River
Part Three: Trial
15. Getting Started
16. Cops Testifying Against Cops
17. Drug Dealers Testifying Against Cops
18. Geography is Destiny
19. Choices
Afterword
Index
Notes