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New Yorker magazine
Staff writer for the New Yorker and senior legal analyst for CNN; author of The Oath: The Obama White House and The Supreme Court
PROFILE
Jeffrey Toobin
Guest
FROM Jeffrey Toobin
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Was Patty Hearst a brainwashed captive or a true believer? Forty years ago, the country was riveted by the kidnapping of Patricia Hearst. She was 19 years old, a student at UC Berkeley, and the granddaughter of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who inspired the movie “Citizen Kane.” In 1974, Patricia’s life took its own cinematic turn, but it was a lot weirder than any Hollywood classic. Patricia – or Patty as she was known – was abducted from her Berkeley apartment by a ragtag group of radicals who called themselves the Symbionese Liberation Army. Only weeks later, Patty Hearst said she’d joined the SLA and her new name was Tania. For more than a year, she participated in crimes with her kidnappers, including bank robberies. A new book titled “ American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst ” follows her SLA odyssey and tries to answer one big question: Was Patty Hearst a brainwashed captive or a true believer?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The O.J. Simpson Trial: Where Is Everyone Now? The FX series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” premieres tonight. And 20 years ago, Johnny Cochran delivered his closing arguments in the O.J. trial. It was a trial that turned out to be a spectacle – from the televised courtroom activity to the iconic LA car chase on the 405 freeway. But where are the players of the O.J. trial now? Jeffrey Toobin – an actual character in the new series and of course in real life – tells us where everyone is now.
To the Point
Mass Incarceration and the Milwaukee Experiment The US imprisons more people than China, Iran or Russia — with blacks serving more time, more often than anyone else. The death of unarmed black Americans at the hands of police officers has renewed attention to racial inequality in the criminal justice system. In Wisconsin, African Americans are 6% of the population and 37% of the prisoners -- but the DA in Milwaukee County is trying to change that . It turns out that prosecutors have more power than cops in determining who serves time and who doesn't. We hear about the role of race in the "crackdown on crime," which may become an issue in next year's presidential campaign.
To the Point
The Clash of Religious Freedom and Civil Rights Arizona's Senate Bill 1062 did not give businesses the right to discriminate against gays and lesbians, but it did say they could use religious belief as a defense if they were sued for refusing service. In any case, the issue has not disappeared since Governor Jan Brewer vetoed the measures under heavy pressure from businesses and gay rights groups. As more and more states recognize the right to same-sex marriage, some religious conservatives are finding ways to fight back. Photographers, bakers and florists have claimed they can't participate in same-sex weddings without violating their religious beliefs. Is that outright discrimination or an exercise of the First Amendment? Can hotels, restaurants or other public businesses do the same thing? We hear how the Religious Freedom Movement is making waves from Arizona and other states to the US Supreme Court.
Which Way, L.A.?
To Vote or Not to Vote: Debate over Photo ID Laws Heats Up Voter ID laws vary all across the United States. Some states require photos, while others do not. Last week, the Justice Department blocked a new law in South Carolina, requiring a photo ID, saying it would disproportionately affect minorities. Proponents say that ID requirements help prevent election fraud. Is voter fraud really a problem? What role does partisan politics play in these laws? What's wrong with having to prove who you are in order to vote? What impact do photo ID requirements have on who votes or doesn't? Do such laws interfere with one of the most basic rights of American citizenship?
To the Point
To Vote or Not to Vote: Debate over Photo ID Laws Heats Up Voter ID laws vary all across the United States. Some states require photos, while others do not. Last week, the Justice Department blocked a new law in South Carolina, requiring a photo ID, saying it would disproportionately affect minorities. Proponents say that ID requirements help prevent election fraud. Is voter fraud really a problem? What role does partisan politics play in these laws? What's wrong with having to prove who you are in order to vote? What impact do photo ID requirements have on who votes or doesn't? Do such laws interfere with one of the most basic rights of American citizenship?
Recommended
Left, Right & Center
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.