Crime Story Editor

In Part 83, Judge Mader considers the approaches that different judges take to setting the tone in their courtrooms, including strategies to manage difficult personalities and legal community politics. You can find links to all installments of Inside the Robe here. October 18 One of my favorite judges, “Uncle Charlie,” is widely considered one of the most decent and friendly judges in the building. He never gets upset, is extremely casual, and is liked by everyone. My staff was talking about the manner in which he starts court every morning. Judges have a choice whether or not to do a formal opening every day...

You can find links to all of CRIME STORY’S coverage of the Robert Durst trial here. On Tuesday September 14th, John Lewin concluded his rebuttal for the prosecution in the trial of Robert Durst. In this episode, "This Is Not Hard": Closing Arguments — Part 4, Host Kary Antholis and co-host Brittany Bookbinder dive into the dramatic last day of closing arguments, exploring Lewin's methodical disassembling of Durst's larger narrative: Durst is simply a person with terrible luck. Kary and Brittany are then joined by Charles V. Bagli — who is covering the Durst story for The New York Times and...

You can find links to all of CRIME STORY’S coverage of the Robert Durst trial here. On Monday September 13th, David Chesnoff finished closing arguments for the defense and John Lewin launched into rebuttal for the prosecution. In this two-part episode, "The Best You Can Get is Justice": Closing Arguments — Part 3, host Kary Antholis and co-host Brittany Bookbinder analyze the high-stakes final days of closing arguments and rebuttal.  

In Part 82, Judge Mader assesses the circumstances of potential juror misconduct in a murder trial, and then discusses the contemporary social dynamics of prosecuting sex trafficking cases. You can find links to all installments of Inside the Robe here. October 11 A defendant on my morning calendar has a corporate look and black-rimmed glasses. A college graduate from a family of attorneys, he makes his living breaking into vending machines on the upper floors of posh hotels. Carrying an expensive leather briefcase for stashing his loot, he faces four years in prison. He is already on felony probation for doing the same...

DYou can find links to all of CRIME STORY’S coverage of the Robert Durst trial here. In this breaking news episode of Jury Duty: The Trial of Robert Durst, host Kary Antholis presents the reading of the verdict in the Durst trial.

In Part 81, Judge Mader reflects on the care a judge must take when composing instructions to a jury. She also navigates a delicate situation with a disrespectful prosecutor. You can find links to all installments of Inside the Robe here. October 3 A murder trial was assigned to me. The defendant, a young, portly, light-skinned Latino with darting eyes, had a minor fender bender with a parked car outside the victim’s home. The random victim, a nice-looking, middle-aged Latino, came out of his house with a cell phone, presumably calling the police. The defendant, claiming he thought the victim’s cell phone was...