My Books

The People vs. O. J. Simpson ranks indisputably as one of the most notorious trials in American history. The case included a double murder, a celebrity defendant, a perjuring witness and a glove that didn't fit. The trial became a media circus of outrageous proportions that led the judge to sequester the jury, eject disruptive reporters and fine the lawyers thousands of dollars. As the Los Angeles Superior Court's director of public information and media liaison, Jerrianne Hayslett had unprecedented access to the trial, met with Judge Lance Ito daily and attempted to mediate between the court and members of the media, and balance their interests. Anatomy of a Trial, written by a court insider and former member of the media, includes perspectives of lawyers, judges, and print and broadcast journalists, and offers a blueprint for how the courts and the news media can better meet their responsibilities to the public.