Michael D. Cicchini's Books

Anatomy of a False Confession

The Interrogation and Conviction of Brendan Dassey

By: Michael D. Cicchini

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Anatomy of a False Confession

The Interrogation and Conviction of Brendan Dassey

By: Michael D. Cicchini

When Teresa Halbach went missing and was presumed dead, the police targeted Steven Avery for the crime. But Avery’s 16-year-old nephew Brendan Dassey told the police that he saw Halbach driving away from Avery’s property the day she supposedly was murdered. This version of events would be devastating to the state’s case if it ever reached Avery’s jury. The police decided to interrogate young Dassey again. For their next go-around they questioned him four times in 48 hours—each time without an adult present and often without reading him his Miranda rights. During this process, the interrogators not only coerced the learning-disabled child into changing his story, but they also got him to confess to participating in the murder! Even though Dassey’s so-called confession was contradicted by all of the physical evidence, the jury believed it and found him guilty. Now, more than a decade after the trial, the saga lives on. Although a federal district court reversed Dassey’s conviction, a flip-flopping federal appeals court eventually reversed the reversal. Dassey remains convicted and incarcerated; the Supreme Court of the United States is his last hope. Anatomy of a False Confession: The Interrogation and Conviction of Brendan Dassey answers several questions, including: Why did Dassey agree to talk to his interrogators in the first place? Why weren’t they required to read him his Miranda rights? Most significantly, how did the interrogators get Dassey to confess to a crime he did not commit? If Dassey was innocent, where did he get the details for his so-called confession? Why did the jury ignore the physical evidence and convict Dassey of murder? And why did the federal courts reverse Dassey’s conviction, only to reverse their own reversal? Anatomy of a False Confession takes the reader inside the interrogation room and inside the courtroom to expose the interrogators’ tricks, the prosecutors’ ploys, and the judicial sleight of hand that conspired to put Dassey behind bars—probably for the rest of his life. The book also discusses several ways that the law should be reformed to avoid future injustices.

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Page Count

249

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Published Date

ISBN 10

1538117169

ISBN 13

9781538117163

Tried and Convicted

How Police, Prosecutors, and Judges Destroy Our Constitutional Rights

By: Michael D. Cicchini

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Tried and Convicted

How Police, Prosecutors, and Judges Destroy Our Constitutional Rights

By: Michael D. Cicchini

When an individual is accused of a crime he is provided, at least in theory, with numerous constitutional rights throughout the legal process. These constitutional rights, however, are soft and flexible, and are subject to a tremendous amount of manipulation by police, prosecutors, and judges. The result is that these government agents are easily able to bypass, and in fact destroy, our constitutional protections. This abuse of our fundamental rights is extremely dangerous. Far from being mere technicalities, constitutional rights benefit all citizens, not just the factually guilty, in ways that go unappreciated by most of us. In today’s hyper-vigilant, tough-on-crime climate, many good people from all walks of life find themselves charged with serious crimes for behaving in ways that most of us would be shocked to learn are criminal. For these reasons, it is in all of our interests to ensure strong constitutional safeguards for everyone. Tried and Convicted explains several individual constitutional rights that are intended to protect us from the vagaries of the criminal justice system, and gives detailed examples of how government agents routinely circumvent those rights. It also exposes the underlying problems that enable government agents to circumvent the constitution, and concludes by offering potential solutions to these problems. Using real life examples throughout, Cicchini provides a wake-up call for all of us.

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Page Count

175

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1442217197

ISBN 13

9781442217195

But They Didn't Read Me My Rights!

Myths, Oddities, and Lies About Our Legal System

By: Michael D.Cicchini, JD,Amy B. Kushner,Amy B. Kushner, Ph,D.

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But They Didn't Read Me My Rights!

Myths, Oddities, and Lies About Our Legal System

By: Michael D.Cicchini, JD,Amy B. Kushner,Amy B. Kushner, Ph,D.

Much of what we think we know about the law is actually a myth or misconception. This book debunks many of those myths and misconceptions by providing an entertaining yet educational tour of our American legal system, including its many oddities. In the process, the book answers many interesting legal questions about some of our most important, fascinating, and surprising laws in an array of areas. For example, the police do not have to read you your rights when they arrest you; in fact, sometimes they can even interrogate you without reading you your rights. Moreover, you can be charged and convicted of drunk driving for just turning the ignition key, even if you never drive the car or start the engine! While some contracts do have to be in writing to be enforceable, most don''t. The authors explain why. Written in a lively, appealing style, the book is composed of self-contained chapters, each addressing a distinct legal myth, oddity, question, or misconception. Select your favorite topic or enjoy the authors'' witty and very informative discussion of the law cover-to-cover. Either way, you are assured of being entertained, enlightened, and surprised!

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