What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Justice in the Age of Judgment: From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse and the Battle for Due Process in the Digital Age?
This book was inspired by several high profile criminal cases and our observations about how the media affects perception of these cases, including social media. We spent several years researching the cases in this book, and as we wrote new events unfolded, including the cases of George Floyd, Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery, that we felt were relevant and should be included as well.
Anne was personally involved in several of the cases, either as a personal attorney or in other ways, including Amanda Knox, Mary Kay LeTourneau, Rebecca Zahau, and Betty Broderick. She also attended the trials of Michael Jackson, Casey Anthony, and Scott Peterson, and covered these cases as an on-site analyst for national TV.
A central focus of the book is how the media, including social media, have an impact on high-profile criminal cases, and how they can influence and promote quick opinions that are often different than the facts as they are presented in a court of law.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Fiction, but I prefer writing nonfiction.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
History of Sienna.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
The opening chapter where my sister gets the call that leads her to become the lawyer for Amanda Knox.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I write at night when everyone is asleep.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Never give up.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
That our legal system is worth fighting for, that decisions about guilt or innocence need to be made in a court of law, not in the court of public opinion.
Read the full interview on the New In Books website.
Justice in the Age of Judgment is the #1 New Release in Media & the Law.