Operation Greylord is the definitive account of the largest corruption bust ever in the history of the United States, told from the prospective of Terrance Hake , who worked under cover posing as a corrupt prosecutor.

Judge Brocton Lockwood wore a wire for the FBI to help clean up a corrupt Chicago traffic court. In 1978 newly appointed Associate Judge Lockwood reported to Chicago to fulfill the obligation all southern Illinois judges have to serve six weeks each year to reduce the backlog in the Cook County system. Corruption so pervaded traffic court that Lockwood, who at first merely wanted to complete his Cook County stint and go home, was moved to contact the FBI: "As the time for our meeting approached, I brooded on the potential for leaks. I created all kinds of worrisome scenarios that kept me awake at night." Once committed, Lockwood (codename Winston) had to fight not only a corrupt system and his own fears but also frustration engendered by official timidity and the grindingly slow bureaucracy of the FBI. "My spy duties seemed extremely dull and tedious 99 percent of the time; the other 1 percent was filled with terror." The story is exciting, it is true, it put criminals behind bars, and it effected changes in the Cook County court system. Brocton Lockwood resigned his judgeship after Operation Greylord. He currently practices law in Marion, Illinois.

The many faces of the modern justice system are exposed in a revealing book about Chicago's Operation Greylord, begun in 1980 and the most comprehensive corruption investigation ever undertaken by the Justice Department

A Chicago mob attorney describes his double life as an FBI informant; his role in bringing down the Chicago Outfit, perhaps the most powerful family in the history of organized crime; and his new life in the Witness Protection Program. By the author of Grand Delusions: The Cosmic Career of John DeLorean. Reprint.

Public funds spent on jets and horses. Shoeboxes stuffed with embezzled cash. Ghost payrolls and incarcerated ex-governors. Illinois' culture of "Where's mine?" and the public apathy it engenders has made our state and local politics a disgrace. In Corrupt Illinois, veteran political observers Thomas J. Gradel and Dick Simpson take aim at business-as-usual. Naming names, the authors lead readers through a gallery of rogues and rotten apples to illustrate how generations of chicanery have undermined faith in, and hope for, honest government. From there, they lay out how to implement institutional reforms that provide accountability and eradicate the favoritism, sweetheart deals, and conflicts of interest corroding our civic life. Corrupt Illinois lays out a blueprint to transform our politics from a pay-to-play–driven marketplace into what it should be: an instrument of public good.

COMING IN JUNE AS AN APPLE ORIGINAL SERIES FROM APPLE TV+ STARRING JAKE GYLLENHAAL From #1 New York Times bestselling author and hailed as the most suspenseful and compelling novel in decades, this story brings to life our worst nightmare: that of an ordinary citizen facing conviction for the most terrible of all crimes. Rusty Sabich, family man and the number-two prosecutor of Kindle County, is handed an explosive case--the brutal murder of a woman who happens to be his former lover. A shocking turn of events suddenly transforms him from the accuser into the accused... and plunges him into a nightmare world where nothing seems real and no one can be PRESUMED INNOCENT. It's the stunning portrayal of one man's all-too-human, all-consuming fatal attraction for a passionate woman who is not his wife, and the story of how his obsession puts everything he loves and values on trial--including his own life. It's a book that lays bare a shocking world of betrayal and murder, as well as the hidden depths of the human heart. And it will hold you and haunt you...long after you have reached its shattering conclusion.

Leaning on the Arc: A Personal History of Criminal Defense is a memoir by renowned trial lawyer M. Gerald Schwartzbach, who is perhaps best known for successfully defending actor Robert Blake against charges he had murdered his wife. Each chapter details a different trial in the author s illustrious career that run the gamut from murder to malpractice, sexual assault to domestic abuse, from protecting the right of dissent to advocating expanded rights for defendants. Schwartzbach stands at the intersection of some of the key issues of our time and demonstrates how true justice can only happen when we refuse to objectify the defendant, whoever he or she may be, whatever his or her alleged crime. Finally, Leaning on the Arc is a firsthand, material, and applicable account of what it takes to practice criminal defense law at a high level, how it really works, what to watch out for, and how it all feels. Gerry Schwartzbach s fascinating book is not only packed with great tales of injustice subverted by intelligence and passion, but it reminds us how the litany of prosecutorial injustices we read about daily, can be overthrown by the old industrial-age values of diligence, deep thought, and a burning commitment to justice. Though many of the cases in this book are about the famous, I met him when he was defending a penniless and unknown close friend of mine. I know a stand-up man when I see one, and you should read this book to gain an introduction. Peter Coyote, Actor/Author "This is the fascinating memoir of an excellent, highly accomplished, practical and idealistic criminal defense lawyer, as committed to his clients, the proper functioning of the criminal justice system and the rule of law as any lawyer could be. The lesson to be drawn is that thoughtful and the most thorough preparation is the key ingredient for success in the practice of law, regardless of one's specialty." Robert Helman, Partner, Mayer Brown LLP, Adjunct Professor University of Chicago Law School"

This rigorous examination of the court system is presented from a practical, citizen-based perspective and fueled by the firsthand anecdotes shared with the author by a member of the Mafia in Chicago. Touching upon the history of mob influence, including the dealings of infamous Al Capone, the book asserts both the positives and negatives of organized crime participants who are also functioning members of the Chicago community. It makes claims about the ways in which corruption can develop in a court system, and offers lessons through example on how deep corruption could be in Chicago during various periods and what motivation and opportunity there is for citizens to avoid such court corruption.

From bestselling author Scott Turow comes Personal Injuries, a gripping, suspenseful, deeply satisfying novel about corruption, deceit, and love. Robbie Feaver (pronounced "favor") is a charismatic personal injury lawyer with a high profile practice, a way with the ladies, and a beautiful wife (whom he loves), who is dying of an irreversible illness. He also has a secret bank account where he occasionally deposits funds that make their way into the pockets of the judges who decide Robbie's cases. Robbie is caught by the Feds, and, in exchange for leniency, agrees to "wear a wire" as he continues to try to fix decisions. The FBI agent assigned to supervise him goes by the alias of Evon Miller. She is lonely, uncomfortable in her skin, and impervious to Robbie's charms. And she carries secrets of her own. As the law tightens its net, Robbie's and Evon's stories converge thrillingly. Scott Turow takes us into, the world of greed and human failing he has made immortal in Presumed Innocent, The Burden of Proof, Pleading Guilty, and The Laws of Our Fathers, all published by FSG. He also shows us enduring love and quiet, unexpected heroism. Personal Injuries is Turow's most reverberant, most moving novel-a powerful drama of individuals trying to escape their characters.