Michael Heiskell interviews a law school professor and former student who were part of a team that was instrumental in convincing the U.S. Army to overturn the 100-year-old convictions of 110 Black soldiers that stemmed from the Camp Logan riots.

That Pressure Almost All Defendants to Plead Guilty

Criminal defense lawyers should think about how their representation changes depending upon whether the prosecutor’s evidence is overwhelming, whether they believe the client is guilty but the prosecutor’s case is shaky, or they believe the client is innocent of the charges.

Issues that resonated in the 1950s – including the struggle for civil rights and racial justice – still occupy us today. One of the things that inspires us to continue fighting for justice is our confidence in the power of redemption.

(But First, Let’s Define What This Means)

The criminal legal system is broken and will remain so until those with power to effect change listen to the people who, for decades, have been marginalized, abused, and victimized by this financially segregated and socially biased system.

Many defense lawyers have experienced prosecutorial misconduct. In confronting the misconduct of prosecutors, defense lawyers must be up to the task of litigating it and making the necessary record to preserve it.

Noted Fort Worth Attorney Michael Heiskell Installed as President of Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar – Washington, DC (Aug.  7, 2023) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) swore in noted Fort Worth, Texas Attorney Michael “Mike” Heiskell as its 65th President at the Association’s annual meeting in Chicago.

Statement from the Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar on the Killing of Tyre Nichols – Washington DC (Jan. 28, 2023) – In the wake of the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols at the hand of the Memphis police, NACDL leaders issued the following statements.

Baylor Law Honors NACDL President Elect Michael Heiskell with Lawyer of the Year Award – Washington, DC (Sept. 15, 2022) – NACDL President Elect Michael Heiskell received Baylor School of Law's 2022 Lawyer of the Year Award at a ceremony on September 15 at the Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, TX. The law school presents the annual award to an outstanding alumnus who has brought honor and distinction to the Law School and to the legal profession.