Legendary Trials

About the Book

In an effort to show that history really does repeat itself and highlight great issues of our times, this book captures the essence of certain trials that took place in the history of the United States and reminds us that many issues of old are still with us yet unresolved and subject to great continuing public interest. The author argues that public perceptions of guilt or innocence are often wrong and could have actually affected the results of famous trials. Celebrity murders, governmental manipulation, death penalty, and civil rights issues provide some of the backdrop for discussions. The guilt of famous accused ax murderess, Lizzi Borden, a white churchgoing maiden from New England is compared with the terrorists Sacco and Vanzetti. The murder of a child by other youths, Leopold and Loeb, creates a forum to discuss the death penalty as argued by famous trial lawyer Clarence Darrow. The death penalty as applied to minors was only recently decided by the US Supreme Court. The Civil Rights Movement, developed from the Scottsboro Boys trial and World War II, is analyzed. Military commissions and tribunals and the treatment of prisoners of war and enemy combatants are issues that arise out of the Nuremburg trial. Social and religious debates are dealt with in the Scopes Monkey trial. The right of choice developed in Roe vs. Wade, and the special college admission case of Bakke vs. the Regents of the University of California are all discussed. Finally, the impeachments and trials of Clinton and Johnson are compared. This review of the last one hundred years in the courts, wherein major issues, many still with us, is enlightening and thought provoking.

About the Author

Daniel J. Lanahan was born in Brooklyn, New York at the beginning of World War Il. After three years active duty in the U.S. Army and college, he worked as an insurance claims investigator and manager while attending law school. During his 35 years in the practice of law, he has often pursued other interests. His entire legal career encompassed two law firms, one for 26 years and the firm he founded, Lanahan & Reilley LLP, in 1997. He also worked as a police officer, including stints as a patrolman, detective and legal officer for a San Francisco Bay area police department. He taught the laws of search and seizure, arrests and the use of firearms at a police academy. His published book on those subjects was utilized by law enforcement. In 1997 he and six others founder the Bay Area Bank in Redwood City and San Carlos. He served on its board and as Corporate Secretary until retiring from Banking in 1991.Bay Area Bankcorp was subsequently purchased by Wells Fargo Bank. In the 1980's and 1990's he handled mass civil litigation in many states, was a board member and President of Concern America, an international aid organization, and relocated his law practice from San Francisco to Sonoma County. During the 1990's, Mr. Lanahan nationally coordinated the LTryptophan liability litigation nationwide, resulting in the Japanese manufacturer indemnifying his 158 U.S. food supplement and vitamin industry clients for an amount in excess of $3 billion dollars. He served on and chaired many for profit and nonprofit boards of directors including the North Bay Leadership Council, California Rural Broadcasting Corp. (KRCB) and the St. Joseph Health System of Sonoma County (Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital). Mr. Lanahan taught a course on Legendary Trials at Sonoma State University, Empire Law School and San Francisco Law School. In 2007 the Board of Trustees of the California State University bestowed on him a Honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his work at Sonoma State's Life Long Learning program, Business School Advisory Board and acting as Co-chair of the campaign that raised funds to construct the Green Music Center concert hall and education facility. He and his wife Sue have been honored with a number of community service awards. They now spend much of their time in Puerto Vallarta Mexico.