Lens of a Lawyer

What is the true purpose of prison? Sentencing sits at the absolute center of criminal justice, sparking fierce debate from every angle—whether it’s public outrage over lenient terms or the devastating, unintended consequences of mandatory minimums. This week, David sits down with Professor Sheldon Evans of Washington University in St. Louis, a leading expert on punishment theory, to break down the historical, social, a...

In American political rhetoric, immigration and crime are constantly fused together. From the deportation of violent offenders to the mechanics of border enforcement, the public conversation is heavily dominated by a criminal justice framework.

But there is a massive disconnect: immigration courts are actually civil courts, not criminal ones.

How do we cut through the noise and look at these highly complex legal realities with clea...

In many of our systems of governance, whether in health, justice, or the economy, the desire of organisations, movements, or individuals to do good can often have unintended, even catastrophic, consequences. David is joined by Sarah Goble, who brought her baby son to the hospital, only to nearly lose both her children when her son’s illness was misdiagnosed, and the parents found themselves accused of abuse. In this second p...

In many of our systems of governance, whether in health, justice, or the economy, the desire by the organisations, movements, or individuals to do good can often have unintentional, even catastrophic consequences. David is joined by Sarah Goble, who brought her baby son to the hospital, only to nearly lose both her children when her son’s illness was misdiagnosed and the parents found themselves accused of abuse. In this fir...

Our brain’s capacity for storing memories is the foundation for our learning and relationships, as well as witness testimonies. However, scientific research increasingly suggests just how unreliable this mental archive actually is.  Join David and groundbreaking psychologist Prof. Elizabeth Loftus as they detail her decades of work on the science of memory manipulation. Prof. Loftus explains the misinformation effect&md...

In a world driven by conflict, nearly all of our high-stakes problems—from criminal justice to corporate mergers—are resolved not by a dramatic victory, but by negotiation and compromise. David sits down with Karin Houston, an FBI Crisis and Hostage Negotiator, to explore this fundamental truth. Karin reveals the little-known skills that link the courtroom to the crisis zone. What shared techniques are used when a prose...

Mental state and mental health are central to our legal systems, as well as our very perception of accountability. From serious “crimes of passion” to daily interactions, our mental state is used to excuse or mitigate our actions, and our attitudes towards its connection with accountability are anything but consistent. Lisa Witcher, a forensic psychologist, explains what makes us fit to stand trial and how to strike a b...

As a criminal defense attorney, David sometimes gets confronted by people questioning the role of defending people who are (in many cases) guilty of the crimes of which they are accused. In this episode, David is joined by prominent defense attorney Dan Ross, known for his courtroom tactics and strong beliefs, to discuss what motivates them to pursue this profession, why it is important for our society, and why all of us may one da...

Tricia Rojo Bushnell joins David to discuss her work with the Innocence Project, fighting for those who have been wrongfully convicted. Together, they explore the difference between defending someone at trial and trying to overturn a conviction after the fact, and what that gap reveals about our justice system. Their conversation digs into the deeper question: why is it so hard for us, as individuals and as a society, to admit we h...

All parents make mistakes, but admitting them to their children or finding the way back into a strained relationship is often challenging. Sabrena Morgan became addicted to Methamphetamines during a custody battle for her daughter Lily, only to lose contact with her daughter entirely when she was sent to prison for a drug conspiracy. Now closer than ever, Sabrena and Lily join David on this episode to discuss their crazy experience...

While courts are tasked with deciding guilt impartially, sentencing often demands something more human: empathy. Judges, attorneys, and jurors are asked to consider the offender’s background, the victim’s pain, and the broader impact of a crime. In this episode, Dr. Nicole Price joins David to explore the many forms of empathy and how this often-overlooked skill became central to her work. She shares how her understandi...

Erik Hulse’s journey is anything but ordinary—once a troubled teen and gifted musician, he went on to serve as an undercover cop and eventually a police captain. But it wasn’t until he discovered Buddhism and mindfulness that he found real peace and purpose. Now a teacher of both, Erik joins David to talk about how crime and legal struggles often stem from a loss of control, and how practices like meditation and s...

Policing is among the most passionately debated issues in the already boiling American political discourse. David Bell sits down with Jean Peters Baker, the recently retired Jackson County Prosecutor, to talk candidly about law enforcement, her career in the justice system, and the complexities of addressing police violence in the U.S. David and Jean discuss their perspectives and what this debate can teach us about discussing ...