Welcome back to Sanctuary in the Jungle. In this episode, we’re joined by Professor James E. Coleman Jr. From his first death penatly case through today, Professor Coleman endeavors to show that every human is worthy of dignity and a defense. That belief has shaped his approach to justice, from advocating for the wrongfully convicted to representing Ted Bundy as his final lawyer.

In an era of sensationalized case coverage and true crime, Coleman tells us what questions the media should be asking and how the public plays a role in accountability.

Even in the face of the heaviest cases, Professor Coleman remains what he calls a “happy warrior,” bringing hope wherever he goes. He is now a professor at Duke University Law School and co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic.

Sanctuary in the Jungle launches its first episode exactly where so many Wisconsin attorneys’ passion for criminal defense begins - with emeritus law professor Michele Lavigne. Join us as Michele and Aaron discuss why they’re so passionate about defense and how communication helps them best tell their clients’ stories.

At the University of Wisconsin Law School, Professor Lavigne led the UW Public Defender Program after serving as a public defender herself for many years. There, she researched the impact of deafness, language acquisition, and language impairments on individuals in the criminal justice system. In today’s episode, Michele shares this insight to show why effective communication is so important for attorney-client relationships, interactions with judges, and building a sanctuary. 

Mentioned Readings:

Michele LaVigne & Sally Miles, “Under the Hood: Brendan Dassey, Language Impairments and Judicial Ignorance,” 82 Albany Law Review https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3379727

Michele LaVigne & Gregory Van Rybroek, “ ‘He Got In My Face So I Shot Him’: How Defendants’ Language Impairments Impair Attorney-Client Relationships” 17 CUNY Law Review 69 (2013) http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2314546

Marlantes, Karl. Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. Atlantic Monthly Press, 2010.

Lewis, Anthony. Gideon’s Trumpet / by Anthony Lewis. Random House, 1964.

Welcome to Sanctuary in the Jungle with Aaron Nelson, a criminal defense podcast exploring the minds, stories, and resilience of attorneys who help to create sanctuary in the courtroom.