Join Alliance for Justice for a virtual discussion with Abbe Smith and Paul Butler about Smith’s latest book Guilty People, which challenges the dangerous assumption that the guilty are a separate species, unworthy of humane treatment.   

In Guilty People, law professor and longtime criminal defense attorney Abbe Smith gives us a thoughtful and honest look at guilty individuals on trial. Each chapter tells a client’s story from her own cases, some guilty of only petty crimes and misdemeanors, while others committed offenses as grave as rape and murder. Through these narratives, Smith demonstrates how the defense must navigate through a complex criminal justice system that is not always equipped to recognize nuances. It is dedicated to guilty people—every single one of us  

Smith will be in conversation with Paul Butler, a former federal prosecutor, legal analyst for CNN, MSNBC, and NPR, and Professor at Georgetown University.  

Smith and Butler will tackle questions such as: how can you represent guilty people? Who are the people filling our nation’s jails and prisons? How did they get caught up in the system? And what happens to them there? 

Books will be available for purchase. A short Q&A will follow the moderated discussion on Zoom.