An Open Letter to Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey* — Dear Madam District Attorney Jackie Lacey, When news of your $950,000 settlement with Senior D.A. Investigator Regina Crenshaw came out, I was disappointed that you refused to comment on the horrible treatment she received in the Office that you lead. If you are going to use precious tax-payer dollars to…

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Third Series) — For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. For Part 3, click here. (Part 4 of 4)* Where’s the File, Wendell? While Wendell was on vacation, I decided to take the case file to my boss, a white man, and explain the situation to him. …

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Third Series) — For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. (Part 3 of 4)* It Doesn’t Look Like Him, Man “You must be blind, Wendell. The guy in the video is not my client!” I was sitting in court waiting for my case to be called when I heard this argument between Wendell — a deputy…

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Third Series) — For Part 1, click here. (Part 2 of 4)* Can We Talk for a Minute? Right before the next court date, I listened to another batch of jail calls between Daniel and his mother. Once again, he was adamant about his innocence. To prove it, he asked her to obtain video from a check cashing location…

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Third Series) — (Part 1 of 4)* When You ‘Fit the Description’ “Momma, I’m telling you I ain’t do it. I rob cars, but I don’t rob houses.” I immediately stopped what I was doing when I heard that. I was listening to a bunch of jail calls in preparation for a handoff jury trial. I was anxious…

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Second Series) — For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. For Part 3, click here. (Part 4 of 4)* Playing a Little Poker I thought about going to my boss about this, but quickly discarded that idea after the situation that happened with Byron’s case. …

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Second Series) — For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. (Part 3 of 4)* What the Fuck Happened to the Phone? I quickly opened Gabriel’s case file while I was still in court. I found and examined Gabriel’s rap sheet and saw no history of serious violence. …

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Second Series) — For Part 1, click here. (Part 2 of 4)* Get That 911 Call I decided to keep the case, wanting to at least control my own destiny by handling any initial complaints myself. Plus, I was sick and tired of colleagues kicking the can on difficult cases that they didn’t want to handle. …

The Testimony of Spooky Brown, Esq. (Second Series) — For the start of the First Series, click here. (Part 1 of 4)* I Will End You! “What are you doing to represent us?” A chubby Latino uttered these words to me as he repeatedly jabbed his right index finger into my chest. The last jab forced me to step back a bit. …