Nonfiction

Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor's Fight for Fairness

Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor's Fight for Fairness

  • Downloads：1833
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-01-01 00:19:17
  • Update Date：2025-09-08
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Laura Coates
  • ISBN：1982173769
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Alyssa Bernhardt ，

Just Pursuit provides an insiders look into the justice system。 The juxtaposition of Coates as a Black prosecutor is eye opening and complex。 It is clear that Coates served her time with the Department of Justice dutifully and honorably but not without carrying pain and heartache。 Each case helps the reader understand how the justice system works and who the people are on the “inside。”

Kat ，

This book is well-written， very accessible， and very sad。 It should be on everyone's anti-racism reading list。 I can see a crossover appeal for fans of true crime， as each chapter has a different courtroom scenario that Coates describes in vivid detail。 On the whole， it is a more personal illustration of many of the issues and dilemmas raised in Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow。 A very powerful book。 This book is well-written， very accessible， and very sad。 It should be on everyone's anti-racism reading list。 I can see a crossover appeal for fans of true crime， as each chapter has a different courtroom scenario that Coates describes in vivid detail。 On the whole， it is a more personal illustration of many of the issues and dilemmas raised in Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow。 A very powerful book。 。。。more

Cori ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Let me start with I absolutely needed this book。 As someone who had an interest in working in the legal system， with the same ambitions to help people of color and work with justice in mind。 Coates' storytelling really paints a picture that sometimes is easy to stuff down in the depths of our minds， about the "justice" system of America。 Some of the cases she speaks about are cases that she was the prosecuting attorney for and some are incidents that she witnessed as a member of the gallery in a Let me start with I absolutely needed this book。 As someone who had an interest in working in the legal system， with the same ambitions to help people of color and work with justice in mind。 Coates' storytelling really paints a picture that sometimes is easy to stuff down in the depths of our minds， about the "justice" system of America。 Some of the cases she speaks about are cases that she was the prosecuting attorney for and some are incidents that she witnessed as a member of the gallery in a particular court room that day。 She touches on her experience as a Black Woman having to report a victim in her case， due to his illegal status in this country （though he had more than contributed to the community he and his family rooted into）。 She touches on the impact of sentencing for Black/Brown people and the preconceived notions that sometimes shows up loudly， as well as， implicitly。 The privilege that is taken when our own assumptions are allowed into the decision-making process。 I appreciated that she even spoke about the weird enemy lines that arbitrarily happen between prosecutors and defense attorneys。 Definitely a good read。 And worth reading when it comes out in January。 。。。more

Michelle ，

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC！I heard this author speak in a session on books on social justice and knew right away I wanted to read it。 And it is good！ The stories the author tells of the cases she has been involved in tell us a lot about our "justice" system and the work that must be done to fix it。 Very well done。 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC！I heard this author speak in a session on books on social justice and knew right away I wanted to read it。 And it is good！ The stories the author tells of the cases she has been involved in tell us a lot about our "justice" system and the work that must be done to fix it。 Very well done。 。。。more

Hannah • _readwithhannah ，

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir by Laura Coates。 I enjoy watching and listening to Laura's contributions on CNN and as a new lawyer myself， I was very excited to read this。 As a black prosecutor， her insight is crucial to fighting systematic racism。 In the introduction。 she mentions that out of the hundreds of criminal matters her office prosecuted， she could count the number of white defendants on one hand。 Throughout the book， Laura shares countless stories of what it means to be a black woma I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir by Laura Coates。 I enjoy watching and listening to Laura's contributions on CNN and as a new lawyer myself， I was very excited to read this。 As a black prosecutor， her insight is crucial to fighting systematic racism。 In the introduction。 she mentions that out of the hundreds of criminal matters her office prosecuted， she could count the number of white defendants on one hand。 Throughout the book， Laura shares countless stories of what it means to be a black woman working in the legal system。 This should be a must-read for all prosecutors。 It was thought-provoking and tragic。 I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy of this book to add to my shelf in my office。 。。。more

Fon | movedbyprose ，

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC。 *This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 I admire the honesty in this memoir。 The many stories Coates included were insightful in understanding the weaknesses of the criminal justice system - and Coates' perspective as a POC adds to the memoir's significance。 However， in the end， I can't help but feel like this was a collection of disjointed stories from Coates' career but not much more。 I'd lo Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC。 *This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 I admire the honesty in this memoir。 The many stories Coates included were insightful in understanding the weaknesses of the criminal justice system - and Coates' perspective as a POC adds to the memoir's significance。 However， in the end， I can't help but feel like this was a collection of disjointed stories from Coates' career but not much more。 I'd loved to have more of the nuanced discussions of race and justice that appeared in the last chapter of the book; the stories would have a greater impact if more pages were dedicated to Coates' thought process， whether in the moment or after。 。。。more

Scott J Pearson ，

For four years， Coates served as a federal prosecutor for the US Department of Justice （DOJ） in the District of Columbia。 This gave her an up-front view on social ills plaguing America。 As the title reveals， she， herself black， wrestles at length in this book with the dynamics of race and justice in the legal system。 Her analysis does not provide easy answers。 Someone surely is not guilty just because he/she is black， but neither is that person automatically innocent。 Justice and fairness lies s For four years， Coates served as a federal prosecutor for the US Department of Justice （DOJ） in the District of Columbia。 This gave her an up-front view on social ills plaguing America。 As the title reveals， she， herself black， wrestles at length in this book with the dynamics of race and justice in the legal system。 Her analysis does not provide easy answers。 Someone surely is not guilty just because he/she is black， but neither is that person automatically innocent。 Justice and fairness lies somewhere in between， and in her portrayal， it is difficult even for the best lawyers to tell the difference。In this book， Coates provides 16 short essays （along with an introduction and conclusion） that describe various cases she encountered as they intersect with events around her own life。 The cases are deeply embroiled in the details of life and legalities。 Likewise， her emotions are understandably involved with her personal life while she and her husband were starting a family。 She sees race and gender as heavy， inescapable realities through which the governing system must dimly search through towards justice。The stories she shares are profoundly tragic and can cause unease in many readers。 Only those who are willing to have their eyes opened should open this book。 Human nature does not come off as admirable， and errors lie not just in criminals but also in the “good people。” In the text， police， prosecutors， judges， and even the author have their actions questioned rigorously in pursuit of a better， fairer way。 Coates’ pursuit of justice is admirable but arduous。Not everything is about race; indeed， the middle of the book veers towards primarily other areas of injustice。 Racial topics begin and end the book， and the author is at her best when dissecting and describing these。 She tells stories about visiting rural Mississippi during the 2012 federal elections as a monitor。 She talks about identifying with black defendants while also identifying with the DOJ， her employer。 She wonders about the fates of her husband and children in our imperfect society。 Those involved in her cases sometimes walk around rather blind to racial matters and come off as not very self-aware。 Problems are readily acknowledged with no easy solutions forthcoming。This book contains no simple narratives， just a relentless contention for justice。 Obviously， those involved in the legal system can benefit from perusing this book as well as readers interested in racial matters and wider social issues。 This book is serious in tone and content， and potential audiences should include only mature readers。 I can only hope that other federal prosecutors approach their work with a similar seriousness that Coates pursues hers with。 She readily acknowledges her own faults and tries to imbue in readers the ability to acknowledge their own， whether racial or otherwise。 Rather than inspiring through lofty ideals， her narrative challenges readers to reflect on how their own actions fit in the historical arc towards justice。 。。。more