True Believers

The term True Believer was coined in 1951 by Eric Hoffer who wrote a book of the same name, subtitled: "Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements." Hoffer's website describes the book as "an examination of the types of individuals who tend to join and foster those destructive (and sometimes creative) fanatical causes which have wreaked such havoc in our time." Here's more about Hoffer: www.erichoffer.net

In 1997, M. Lamar Keene wrote about "true believer syndrome." Keene defined it as people's adamant belief in paranormal events even after they are presented with evidence that said events were staged. Apparently Keene's theories can also be applied to cults and causes. Here's more: http://skepdic.com/truebeliever.html

To me, a true believer in our line of work is someone with passion, dedication and an honest belief that the work provides a vital service. It's not suprising that some of our true believers are so villified, since for lots of people an innocent client is a paranormal event, and no amount of evidence we present will change their mind. Most folks don't know the evidence, just that the client is charged in the first place. Nor do they probably realize that unless every defendant gets a vigorous defense than we'll never know whose guilty and whose not. Okay, okay, let me get down from here before I fall.

A must see movie for any aspiring or working criminal defense investigator (CDI) is True Believer, starring James Wood, Robert Downey Jr. and Margaret Colin, who plays CDI Kitty Greer. The Kitty character was supposedly based on two different female CDI's/true believers from the Bay Area. Eddie Dodd, the attorney lead, was modeled after charismatic San Francisco attorney Tony Serra, the ultimate true believer. Don't know how much he truly believes in showing up for court, but I've seen him speak and his delivery exceeded all my expectations. I watch the movie from time to time to charge me up for the work. Great Tony info here: http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014442.html Here's some memorable quotes from the movie: http://imdb.com/title/tt0098524/quotes

Another movie that does it for me as an investigator is Class Action, starring Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. One inaccuracy is that lefty attorney Jedediah Ward, played by Hackman, is shown doing the footwork that an investigator would usually do. However, the movie is still a realistic depiction when it shows Hackman traveling out to the ramshackle house of the eccentric scientist to inteview him and receiving information which blows the case open. Respected Bay Area Judge Thelton Henderson makes an appearance in the movie playing a judge, as does the film's legal advisor, Richard Zitrin. Zitrin, who in real life is a professor, pro bono attorney and ... (you guessed it) true believer, makes an appearance as a prosecutor. He's also the co-author of The Moral Compass of the American Lawyer.

I love that defense work takes me into places and psyches that I would not normally go. The true believer in the photo for this post is EXACTLY the kind of off-the-beaten-path person that is often a witness. I get to talk to him about the crime, and as an added bonus I get to hear all about how he came to stand on a street corner pitching for Jesus to begin with. But first, I have to find him. And to do that, I might have to talk to the 5 other street preachers downtown, until I find the right one. So let me go and I'll see you tomorrow.