Our Corrupt Legal System: Why Everyone is a Victim [except Rich Criminals] [Paperback]

I bought this book by Evan Whitton: "Our Corrupt Legal System - Why Everyone Is a Victim (Except Rich Criminals)" and read it in a couple days! I found it to be an amazing book written by a remarkable writer (Lawyer/Journalist) and who obviously has extensive knowledge of the legal system and the way it works with witty & humorous anecdotal historical references and research which included the classic legal case decision by house of lords in the UK of negligence involving Donoghue V Stevenson in 1932 that opened the floodgates in Scottish and English law, by setting out general principles whereby one person would owe another person a duty of care. Current claim culture, of where there is blame - there is a claim!

My interest in reading the book was inspired by some of the celebrated cases involving Miscarriages of Justice in the UK, cases of the Guildford Four & Birmingham Six. Also, over the years I have come across Lawyers like Mike Mansfield QC (who I invited to BCR 103.1fm show in 2009, to discuss his book: 'Memoirs of a Radical Lawyer', 2009. Sadly, due to pressure of time Mike could not make it to that show - whilst visiting Sheffield, on his book launch. Although, he is mentioned in this book in connection with innocent victims like Birmingham Six, James Hanratty, Timothy Evans & Derek Bentley - with reference to Lord Denning's continued intransigence in supporting the police & he sadly succumbed to dementia.

The key argument in the book is that the lawyer-run adversarial/accusatorial system - as used in the UK & former colonies actually conceals, and controls evidence & hearings can take weeks, months to years in serious Criminal cases. In fact, Whitton elaborates: 'there are 24 anti-truth devices that allow 50% of guilty accused to escape justice'. In contrast, to the truth/investigative system of 'trained Judges control evidence and the truth-finding approach takes a few hours, 95% of guilty accused are convicted'. Hence, ending in the glaringly and obvious historical 'organised criminal start of common law & Legal Cartel' which clearly was designed to make more, more ...money for lawyers & judges from the outset (my emphasis).

Overall, he (Whitton) argues that the investigative system is widespread and is found to be cost-effective in many European countries & used in Japan. His research in this book proves that point eloquently and that: 'the vast majority of voters will support change to a truth-seeking system: trial lawyers are less than 0.2% of the population; the public are 99.8%'.

Finally, the book is a masterpiece and it is a must buy, verging on being addictive reading!