DEFENDING A SERIAL KILLER: THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL

By Jim Potts
Vesuvian Books | July 20, 2021

The Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States guarantee the right against self-incrimination, the right to remain silent, and the right to counsel.

A crime wave swept California in the late 1970s. Several young girls were abducted, raped, and murdered. Michael Dee Mattson was convicted of these crimes and sentenced to death.

In 1982, Jim Potts—a brilliant, idealistic law student—is recruited to assist in writing a death penalty appeal on behalf of a serial killer. Potts discovers a loophole in the case that had been overlooked. One that could not only get Mattson off death row, but once presented to the Supreme Court of California, release him to rape and murder again. When Potts confides in his pregnant wife, she says if Mattson goes free, their marriage is over. But if Potts quits the case, or withholds information, he violates his duty to client and Constitution and risks his career before it even begins.

To avoid losing his family and releasing pure evil back into the world, Potts must be smarter than his options. He must find a way to keep his family together, fulfill his duties, and keep Mattson behind bars. But can he?

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About jim potts

Jim Potts, JD is a lawyer and author with a B.A. and Juris Doctorate Degree. He is a former Reserve Captain, a P.O.S.T. Certified Terrorist Investigator, a member of the Open Source Intelligence Team, and was with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for twenty years, achieving the rank of Captain. Potts is a certified Mediator through the Los Angeles County Bar Association and a former Master Teacher for the University of Phoenix (Southern California Campus), having taught undergraduate and graduate levels. His course curriculums included United States Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Ethics, Business Law, and Employment Law. He has represented over one thousand employers and industries regarding State & Federal employment law compliance for forty years.

PRAISE FOR DEFENDING A SERIAL KILLER

"Though Potts covers a lot of ground beyond the case itself, he skillfully summarizes complex legal arguments and reinforces that even people accused of the worst crimes are entitled to legal protections. VERDICT A deep dive into the research, ethics, and personal impact of defending the seemingly indefensible. This title will appeal to law students and others interested in the nuances of justice." ~Library Journal

"...highly recommended reading; especially for students of law, who will find it contains many vivid considerations of the underlying human impact of defending known killers in court and supporting the right to counsel that is an intrinsic cornerstone of the American justice system." - Midwest Book Review