On october 28, 2009, professor paul butler of george washington university law school discussed his recent book, lets get free. Marcia chatelain associate professor of history professor chatelain conducts research on a wide array of issues in africanamerican history and. Abbe smith like a lot of prosecutors, i possess a zeal that can border on the bloodthirsty i. A hiphop theory of justice after dead prezs debut album because he wanted. That question served as the topic of the october 28 installment of the nyu law forum. The volokh conspiracy calls butlers account of his trial the most riveting first chapter i have ever read.
Destined to make us all think in new ways about the concept of justice, the role of hiphop in american culture, and the power that everyday people have to shape and influence their environment. Jul 06, 2009 i didnt go to law school to put anyone in prison who it wouldnt do himand those on the outsideany good, said paul butler, author of lets get free. His arrest for threatening an old lady raises eyebrows, but is a great device for getting the rest of us involved in the primary thesis of let s get free. Professor paul butler talked about his book, lets get free. Faculty advisory board prisons and justice initiative. Since lets get frees publication in spring 2009, butler has become the goto person for commentary on criminal justice and race relations. Lets get free by paul butler book read online scribd. Paul butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a harvard law grad who gave up his corporate law salary to fight the good fight until one day he was arrested.
A hiphop theory of justice large print 16pt paul butler. A hiphop theory of justice, in which he details how ordinary citizens interact with the justice system, and examines the systems overall. A hip hop theory of justice the end did we like it. A hiphop theory of justice by butler at over 30 bookstores. Paul butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a harvard law grad who gave up his corporate law salary to fight the good fightuntil one day he was arrested on the street and charged with a crime he didnt commit. Paul butler is a harvard law grad and former federal prosecutor who believes that the american criminal justice system is broken. A hiphop theory of justice is a controversial analysis of americas incarceration culture that combines butlers own experiences as a black prosecutor in. The book didnt say anything groundbreaking about how hiphop culture relates toreflects our current system.
A law professor at georgetown university, he is the author of lets get free. Jan 10, 2014 paul butler talked about his book, lets get free. Butler and barkow discuss the role of prosecutors in social. A hiphop theory of justice after dead prezs debut album because he wanted to send. A hiphop theory of justice is a controversial analysis of americas incarceration culture that combines butlers own experiences as. It surprised us that over 500,000 people are locked up on non violent drug. Lets get free a hiphop theory of justice paul butler. The idea, according to butler, is not to be tough on crime, but to be smart on crime. It explains why being tough on crime has not worked and proposes ways the average citizen can push for justice. A hip hop theory of justice, and his vision for justice policy. A hiphop theory of punishment, published by the new press, he offers a vision of justice that he hopes would lead to fewer inmates and.
Paul butler is a former federal prosecutor and the author of lets get free. A hiphop theory of justice, in which he details how ordinary citizens interact with. A hiphop theory of justice, nullification has a long, rich history grounded in the original purpose of. Former prosecutor pens a hiphop theory of justice george washington university law professor and former prosecutor paul butler believes that, in order to fight for justice, americans must sometimes fight the power of the justice system. Despite its subtitle, this book is only peripherally about hiphop, and it doesnt offer a theory of justice.
If they dont like the statute they are supposed to enforce, or if they. A hiphop theory of justice best seller books best seller. He argues that hiphop teaches us two overarching points. A hiphop theory of justice by paul butler goodreads. He is a leading criminal law scholar, particularly in the area of race and jury nullification. Butler, associate dean for faculty development and carville dickinson benson research professor of law at the. Nov 02, 2009 in paul butlers 2009 book, lets get free. A hiphop theory of justice, and a frequent media commentator on criminal justice issues. Marcia chatelain associate professor of history professor chatelain conducts research on a wide array of issues in africanamerican history. Professor butler is one of the nations most frequently consulted scholars on issues of race and criminal justice. Paul butler is a law professor at georgetown university and a former united states department of justice prosecutor. Jan 28, 2014 book tv interviewed georgetown law center professor paul butler about his book, lets get free.
Paul butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a harvard law grad who gave up his corporate law salary to fight the good fight. A former federal prosecutor, paul butler provides legal commentary for cnn, msnbc, and npr and has been featured on 60 minutes and profiled in the washington post. It all starts out with paul butler being arraigned in court despite the fact that he s a federal prosecutor there in the district of columbia. Brain science behind youth life sentence ruling life sentences for juveniles who commit murder are now considered cruel and. A hiphop theory of justice, in particular, a chapter entitled, should good people be prosecutors. Jul 16, 2014 since lets get frees publication in spring 2009, butler has become the goto person for commentary on criminal justice and race relations. A hiphop theory of justice, awardwinning law professor and former federal prosecutor paul butler goes in. Book tv interviewed georgetown law center professor paul butler about his book, lets get free. Clarence darrow, attorney for tile damned 27 arthur weinberg ed. A hiphop theory of justice, criminal justice system, criminalization of drug offenders. In lets get free, a hiphop theory of justice, butler theorizes that hiphop can be used to inform a theory of criminal justice. Rather than writing a thoughtful critique of our current policies using hiphop as a.
Lets get free, a hiphop theory of justice by paul butler is such a book. As georgetown law professor paul butler writes in his groundbreaking work lets get free. Law professor paul butler drops serious science for the. Butler and barkow discuss the role of prosecutors in. Apr 06, 2014 capital punishment is the most unusual its ever been.
A hiphop theory of justice, which received the harry chapin media award. Let s get free paperback a hip hop theory of justice. Form united states attorney and now law professor paul butler writes about the treatment of blacks in our justice system and tells all what they can do about it. A hiphop theory of justice full ebooks best seller. An expert in criminal law and in the study of the effects of race upon jury decisions, he published a number of pieces such as rehnquist, racism, and race jurisprudence and the gates case and racial profiling. Gates gets arrested and in may, before it happened, paul butler writes about it. Paul butler is a professor at georgetown university law center. I didnt go to law school to put anyone in prison who it wouldnt do himand those on the outsideany good, said paul butler, author of lets get free. His scholarship has been the subject of much attention in the academic and popular media. May 25, 2011 paul butler is a former federal prosecutor and the author of lets get free.
Awardwinning law professor paul butler titled his inspirational and somewhat subversive book, lets get free. Paul butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a harvard law grad. This program was produced by chicago access network television can tv. In a book library journal calls required reading for all concerned about their neighborhoods and our. Paul butler, former federal prosecutor and harvard university graduate, discusses his book, lets get free, which tells of his own false arrest. His work has been profiled on 60 minutes, nightline, and the abc, cbs and nbc evening news, among other places.
Butler talked about his life as a federal prosecutor and his. He speaks with host michel martin about his new book, lets get free. A hiphop theory of justice kindle edition by butler, paul. Senator, three fbi agents, and several other law enforcement officials. The book is thoughtful and is an effective indictment of the current system. A former federal prosecutor, paul butler provides legal commentary for msnbc and npr and has been featured on 60 minutes and profiled in the washington post. He also published a fulllength work titled lets get free. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. In a book harvard law professor charles ogletree calls a must. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading lets get free. Paul butler professor of law professor butler is a former federal prosecutor, the author of the awardwinning book, lets get free. A hiphop theory of justice, winner of the harry chapin media award, and chokehold.
December 16, 20 clip of lets get free this clip, title, and description were not created by cspan. Capital punishment is the most unusual its ever been. A hiphop theory of justice 2009, which received the harry chapin media award, and. Paul butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a harvard law grad who gave up his corporate law salary to fight the good fight until one day he was arrested on the street and charged with a crime he didnt. This event was offered as a part of nyu school of laws the forum. May 01, 2009 he provides legal commentary for cnn, npr, and the fox news network and has been featured on 60 minutes and profiled in the washington post. A hiphop theory of justice by paul butler author paul butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a harvard law grad who gave up his corporate law salary to fight the good fightuntil one day he was arrested on the street and charged with a crime he didnt commit. Paul delano butler born january 15, 1961 is an american lawyer, former prosecutor, and current law professor of georgetown university law center. A hiphop theory of justice, that despite the apparent divide between socially conscious rap and gangsta rap, the hiphop artists and culture agree profoundly on one thing. Read lets get free by paul butler for free with a 30 day free trial.
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