Listen to the episode here. There are also interesting artifacts to explore there. The episode runs 33 minutes.
When you finish the episode, pick one of the following questions. Your response should be a page in length.
1. Deirdre says that “innocent people are the least helpful” when a lawyer tries to defend them,because they don’t know what to say. Describe a time that you’ve been accused of something,and you were so innocent you didn’t even know where to start with an alibi or explanation (which made you look even guiltier). Were you found guilty like Adnan? If not, how did you ultimately convince people that you didn’t do it? 2. Sarah says that Deirdre is the most optimistic person she knows, even though she works with so many convicted felons who probably can’t be saved. Then she realizes that maybe you have to be optimistic to do her job, otherwise you wouldn’t make it through the darkness.Write about a situation in your own life that looked so bleak and hopeless on the surface that you forced yourself to be totally optimistic about the situation, in order to make it through. 3. Based on this episode, what did you learn about what it takes to be a defense attorney? What skills, qualities, and personality features do you need to be good at Deirdre’s job? In what ways do you think you could do this for a living, and in which ways do you think you’d struggle?