8 - Emily Bazelon on Prosecutors, Jeffrey Epstein, and Kamala Harris

Emily Bazelon is a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine and the Truman Capote Fellow for Creative Writing and Law at Yale Law School. She is the author of Charged: the New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration. Emily is also the co-host of Slate’s “Political Gabfest” podcast. She has appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Fresh Air, This American Life and pretty much all the other big shows. Needless to say, I’m grateful she took the time to come on my show. 

In our discussion, we cover:

The outsized and unchecked power of prosecutors in our criminal justice system, what one thing Emily would do to change that system, whether she's a prison abolitionist, Tiffany Cabán’s prospects should she wins the Queens DA race, whether it's better to get progressive prosecutors in office or pursue state level reforms, what Jeffrey Epstein says about the rule of law, and Kamala Harris's record as a prosecutor and what it means for her candidacy.

Shownotes:

Emily’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilybazelon

Emily’s work referenced:

Her book Charged

Kamala Harris, a ‘Top Cop’ in the Era of Black Lives Matter

The Charged podcast

Other links:

The Paradox of the Progressive Prosecutor

Solitary Confinement: a Threat to Denmark’s Credibility

KAMALA HARRIS FAILS TO EXPLAIN WHY SHE DIDN’T PROSECUTE STEVEN MNUCHIN’S BANK

Kamala Harris calls Manafort’s relatively light sentence unfair