Latest news with #PresumedGuilty
The Province
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Province
Presumed Innocent writer Scott Turow brings new book to Vancouver Writers Fest event
Scott Turow's new novel Presumed Guilty already set for Hollywood treatment by Presumed Innocent miniseries creator David E. Kelley American best-selling author Scott Turow's latest novel Presumed Guilty has already been optioned by David E. Kelley who previously did the 2024 Presumed Innocent mini-series based on Turow's 1987 novel of the same name. Photo by Audrey Snow Owen / Audrey Snow Owen Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. After a 15-year absence, Rusty Sabich is back on the pages of a Scott Turow crime thriller. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The star of two previous Turow bestselling novels, Presumed Innocent and Innocent, Rusty returns to centre stage in Turow's latest offering, titled Presumed Guilty. Rusty, now in his mid-70s, is living in a fictional rural U.S. Midwest community. A retired judge who does some mediation and arbitration work, Rusty is enjoying his third act living on the edge of a lovely lake with a lovely partner named Bea. Things are going along smoothly until Bea's young adult son, Aaron, who is living under the couple's supervision while on probation for a drug charge, disappears. After he turns up, it's discovered he was camping with his troubled on-again, off-again girlfriend. But things didn't go well and he left angry and returned home. She did not return home, and is found dead two weeks later. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Aaron is arrested and Rusty is forced out of retirement. Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow. Photo by Courtesy of HBG / Courtesy of HBG 'I've never been much of a person to keep journals. So, my personal reflections tend to find their way into the fiction. And, certainly in Rusty's case, that's been particularly true,' said Turow over the phone from Florida recently. 'I would say Rusty is always with me. He's not front of mind, but the two times I've done this now, that is to say, going back to Rusty, I have found it remarkably easy just to go back to that voice. It's very natural to me.' Through the story, Aaron and Rusty grow closer as Rusty sees the reality of Aaron's life as a young Black man. (He was adopted at a young age by Bea, in a predominantly white community.) 'Aaron is a pretty isolated guy. He's to himself, he likes to spend time alone. He likes to get into the wilderness,' said Turow. 'I began saying to myself, 'So what would make him that way?' I realized that, certainly, being a Black kid in a white family in a rural area where there are not a lot of other Black people, would help explain that.' Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Turow explained that his editor was 'apprehensive,' about Turow, a white guy, writing about a young Black man. 'I do accept the fact, the big risk, if somebody is writing about a character of an identifiable group of which the author is not part. The big risk is inauthenticity,' said Turow. 'I don't accept the idea that white people shouldn't write about Black people, or Black people shouldn't write about white people, or whatever category. Not men about women and vice versa. I was not afraid of that.' Bestselling author Scott Turow brings Rusty Sabich back for the new crime thriller novel Presumed Guilty. Turow will be taking part in a Vancouver Writers Fest event at the Granville Island Stage on June 3 at 7:30 p.m. Photo by Thos Robinson / Getty Images North America Turow will be in Vancouver on June 3 (7:30 p.m.) at the Granville Island Stage for the Vancouver Writers Fest event Books & Ideas: Scott Turow — Presumed Guilty, along with award-winning author and screenwriter Susin Nielsen, the creator of Global TV's Family Law, whose latest book, Snap, is out now. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I think that my audience has always been disproportionately lawyers,' said Turow when asked about who comes to his live events. 'There are always some lawyers who want to write. The law is all about words. So, lawyers are word people to begin with. So, it's kind of natural.' When wannabe writers turn up, they invariably seek some sort of advice from Turow, who has penned 13 novels and sold more than 30 million books. 'My advice is that there aren't any magic formulas, and you've got to stick your butt in the chair and do it,' said Turow. 'It's like everything else in life. You get better at it by doing it. You know the old joke; how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.' After doing a creative writing degree in the early 1970s, Turow went to law school and then practised law. He stepped away from commercial law in 2022. But, today, he still has his hand in the legal game as he is working on a pro bono civil case — which he thinks will be his last — leaving him to get his legal fix at a keyboard. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While Turow's previous novels took place in more urban settings, Presumed Guilty is set in a small town with dynastic legal family. 'The setting that I'm describing in Presumed Guilty is one that I know very well, and I've watched it with interest, even though I think we'll always be outsiders up there,' said Turow, who lives part of the time in rural Wisconsin. 'You're talking about an area, for example, where you know the economic prospects are limited, so you're basically raising your children understanding that they're likely to leave and not leave because they want to, but because they have to … This really is something that I thought I ought to write about, eventually, because it's not a part of American life that's glimpsed as often in our fiction.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He also liked the idea of a story surrounding a family where one member is suspected of a serious crime. 'I've seen lots of good writing about this. There's just been a series on, I think it's on Netflix, called Adolescence, so this seemed really rich to me, because I'm always interested in drawing into the intersection between the law and family life,' said Turow. 'That's kind of a good matrix for me … When I got the idea, I thought wait a minute, this would be a really good coda for Rusty to end up as a defence lawyer. Then I was off to the races.' It's been 15 years since Rusty last appeared in a Turow novel, but the author said he has always had plans to revisit Rusty and his life. 'When I left Rusty at the end of Innocent, I was sort of like, 'Well, you know, I'm not sure I can leave this guy in this position,'' said Turow. 'I always had the sense I would go back to him one more time.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While Turow's books have been major bestsellers, his novels have also enjoyed successful TV and film adaptations. Most recently, Presumed Innocent was made into a hit limited series in 2024 by David E. Kelley starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The Apple TV series was the second time the novel was adapted for the screen. The first outing was a feature film in 1990 starring Harrison Ford. Turow confirms that Kelley has optioned Presumed Guilty and will begin writing it this fall. The question is, now that Rusty is a septuagenarian, could there be a chance Ford, 82, could come back to the role? 'That's out of my hands. Yeah, I think David is thinking about somebody in his 60s,' said Turow. 'I would certainly be happy to see Harrison, you know, reprise the role. And he's a Midwestern guy. But, like I said, this is beyond my control. And the other thing, it's not like the grocery store. People aren't necessarily there on the shelf when you get there.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hollywood aside, Turow is not sure about Rusty's leading role in another book, but he thinks his famous lawyer still has some literary worth. 'The way my novels interrelate with one another, Rusty may pop up in another book,' said Turow, noting he is working on a new novel right now. 'But, as for him being the centre of attention, I kind of think not.' Dgee@ Read More News News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks News
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Presumed Innocent writer Scott Turow brings new book to Vancouver Writers Fest event
After a 15-year absence, Rusty Sabich is back on the pages of a Scott Turow crime thriller . The star of two previous Turow bestselling novels , Presumed Innocent and Innocent, Rusty returns to centre stage in Turow's latest offering, titled Presumed Guilty. Rusty, now in his mid-70s, is living in a fictional rural U.S. Midwest community. A retired judge who does some mediation and arbitration work, Rusty is enjoying his third act living on the edge of a lovely lake with a lovely partner named Bea. Things are going along smoothly until Bea's young adult son, Aaron, who is living under the couple's supervision while on probation for a drug charge, disappears. After he turns up, it's discovered he was camping with his troubled on-again, off-again girlfriend. But things didn't go well and he left angry and returned home. She did not return home, and is found dead two weeks later. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Aaron is arrested and Rusty is forced out of retirement. 'I've never been much of a person to keep journals. So, my personal reflections tend to find their way into the fiction. And, certainly in Rusty's case, that's been particularly true,' said Turow over the phone from Florida recently. 'I would say Rusty is always with me. He's not front of mind, but the two times I've done this now, that is to say, going back to Rusty, I have found it remarkably easy just to go back to that voice. It's very natural to me.' Through the story, Aaron and Rusty grow closer as Rusty sees the reality of Aaron's life as a young Black man. (He was adopted at a young age by Bea, in a predominantly white community.) 'Aaron is a pretty isolated guy. He's to himself, he likes to spend time alone. He likes to get into the wilderness,' said Turow. 'I began saying to myself, 'So what would make him that way?' I realized that, certainly, being a Black kid in a white family in a rural area where there are not a lot of other Black people, would help explain that.' Turow explained that his editor was 'apprehensive,' about Turow, a white guy, writing about a young Black man. 'I do accept the fact, the big risk, if somebody is writing about a character of an identifiable group of which the author is not part. The big risk is inauthenticity,' said Turow. 'I don't accept the idea that white people shouldn't write about Black people, or Black people shouldn't write about white people, or whatever category. Not men about women and vice versa. I was not afraid of that.' Turow will be in Vancouver on June 3 (7:30 p.m.) at the Granville Island Stage for the Vancouver Writers Fest event Books & Ideas: Scott Turow — Presumed Guilty, along with award-winning author and screenwriter Susin Nielsen, the creator of Global TV's Family Law, whose latest book, Snap, is out now. 'I think that my audience has always been disproportionately lawyers,' said Turow when asked about who comes to his live events. 'There are always some lawyers who want to write. The law is all about words. So, lawyers are word people to begin with. So, it's kind of natural.' When wannabe writers turn up, they invariably seek some sort of advice from Turow, who has penned 13 novels and sold more than 30 million books. 'My advice is that there aren't any magic formulas, and you've got to stick your butt in the chair and do it,' said Turow. 'It's like everything else in life. You get better at it by doing it. You know the old joke; how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.' After doing a creative writing degree in the early 1970s, Turow went to law school and then practised law. He stepped away from commercial law in 2022. But, today, he still has his hand in the legal game as he is working on a pro bono civil case — which he thinks will be his last — leaving him to get his legal fix at a keyboard. While Turow's previous novels took place in more urban settings, Presumed Guilty is set in a small town with dynastic legal family. 'The setting that I'm describing in Presumed Guilty is one that I know very well, and I've watched it with interest, even though I think we'll always be outsiders up there,' said Turow, who lives part of the time in rural Wisconsin. 'You're talking about an area, for example, where you know the economic prospects are limited, so you're basically raising your children understanding that they're likely to leave and not leave because they want to, but because they have to … This really is something that I thought I ought to write about, eventually, because it's not a part of American life that's glimpsed as often in our fiction.' He also liked the idea of a story surrounding a family where one member is suspected of a serious crime. 'I've seen lots of good writing about this. There's just been a series on, I think it's on Netflix, called Adolescence, so this seemed really rich to me, because I'm always interested in drawing into the intersection between the law and family life,' said Turow. 'That's kind of a good matrix for me … When I got the idea, I thought wait a minute, this would be a really good coda for Rusty to end up as a defence lawyer. Then I was off to the races.' It's been 15 years since Rusty last appeared in a Turow novel, but the author said he has always had plans to revisit Rusty and his life. 'When I left Rusty at the end of Innocent, I was sort of like, 'Well, you know, I'm not sure I can leave this guy in this position,'' said Turow. 'I always had the sense I would go back to him one more time.' While Turow's books have been major bestsellers, his novels have also enjoyed successful TV and film adaptations. Most recently, Presumed Innocent was made into a hit limited series in 2024 by David E. Kelley starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The Apple TV series was the second time the novel was adapted for the screen. The first outing was a feature film in 1990 starring Harrison Ford. Turow confirms that Kelley has optioned Presumed Guilty and will begin writing it this fall. The question is, now that Rusty is a septuagenarian, could there be a chance Ford, 82, could come back to the role? 'That's out of my hands. Yeah, I think David is thinking about somebody in his 60s,' said Turow. 'I would certainly be happy to see Harrison, you know, reprise the role. And he's a Midwestern guy. But, like I said, this is beyond my control. And the other thing, it's not like the grocery store. People aren't necessarily there on the shelf when you get there.' Hollywood aside, Turow is not sure about Rusty's leading role in another book, but he thinks his famous lawyer still has some literary worth. 'The way my novels interrelate with one another, Rusty may pop up in another book,' said Turow, noting he is working on a new novel right now. 'But, as for him being the centre of attention, I kind of think not.' Dgee@
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Presumed Innocent writer Scott Turow brings new book to Vancouver Writers Fest event
Article content Article content Turow will be in Vancouver on June 3 (7:30 p.m.) at the Granville Island Stage for the Vancouver Writers Fest event Books & Ideas: Scott Turow — Presumed Guilty, along with award-winning author and screenwriter Susin Nielsen, the creator of Global TV's Family Law, whose latest book, Snap, is out now. Article content 'I think that my audience has always been disproportionately lawyers,' said Turow when asked about who comes to his live events. 'There are always some lawyers who want to write. The law is all about words. So, lawyers are word people to begin with. So, it's kind of natural.' Article content When wannabe writers turn up, they invariably seek some sort of advice from Turow, who has penned 13 novels and sold more than 30 million books. Article content 'My advice is that there aren't any magic formulas, and you've got to stick your butt in the chair and do it,' said Turow. 'It's like everything else in life. You get better at it by doing it. You know the old joke; how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.' Article content Article content After doing a creative writing degree in the early 1970s, Turow went to law school and then practised law. He stepped away from commercial law in 2022. But, today, he still has his hand in the legal game as he is working on a pro bono civil case — which he thinks will be his last — leaving him to get his legal fix at a keyboard. Article content While Turow's previous novels took place in more urban settings, Presumed Guilty is set in a small town with dynastic legal family. Article content 'The setting that I'm describing in Presumed Guilty is one that I know very well, and I've watched it with interest, even though I think we'll always be outsiders up there,' said Turow, who lives part of the time in rural Wisconsin. 'You're talking about an area, for example, where you know the economic prospects are limited, so you're basically raising your children understanding that they're likely to leave and not leave because they want to, but because they have to … This really is something that I thought I ought to write about, eventually, because it's not a part of American life that's glimpsed as often in our fiction.' Article content Article content He also liked the idea of a story surrounding a family where one member is suspected of a serious crime. Article content 'I've seen lots of good writing about this. There's just been a series on, I think it's on Netflix, called Adolescence, so this seemed really rich to me, because I'm always interested in drawing into the intersection between the law and family life,' said Turow. 'That's kind of a good matrix for me … When I got the idea, I thought wait a minute, this would be a really good coda for Rusty to end up as a defence lawyer. Then I was off to the races.' Article content It's been 15 years since Rusty last appeared in a Turow novel, but the author said he has always had plans to revisit Rusty and his life. Article content 'When I left Rusty at the end of Innocent, I was sort of like, 'Well, you know, I'm not sure I can leave this guy in this position,'' said Turow. 'I always had the sense I would go back to him one more time.'
New York Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: At Sean Combs's Trial, His Lawyers Press Cassie About Desire for Freak-Offs
At trial, Sean Combs will be represented by a large and varied defense team — one that has grown even larger and more varied in recent days. Since early in the government's investigation, Mr. Combs has retained Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos of the firm Agnifilo Intrater. Mr. Agnifilo is a longtime criminal defense attorney who has represented high-profile figures like the former pharma executive Martin Shkreli; Keith Raniere, the leader of the Nxivm sex cult; and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, who in 2011 was accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York. (The case against Mr. Strauss-Kahn was dismissed before a trial.) Along with Karen Friedman Agnifilo, his wife, Mr. Agnifilo is also part of the defense team for Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with murder in the killing of a health care executive. In and out of the courtroom, Mr. Agnifilo has been perhaps the strongest voice in Mr. Combs's defense. At a hearing last month, he reiterated the defense's argument that Mr. Combs's 'freak-offs' — sexual encounters that the government contends were coerced — were consensual, with Mr. Combs's ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura a willing participant. 'Call it 'swingers,' call it whatever you will,' Mr. Agnifilo said. In media interviews, he has called the case an 'unjust prosecution' and said that Mr. Combs is 'an imperfect person but is not a criminal.' Mr. Agnifilo was a longtime lawyer at the firm Brafman & Associates but left last year to help start Agnifilo Intrater. With him, he brought Ms. Geragos, whose father is Mark Geragos, the celebrity lawyer who has represented Mr. Combs in the past. Ms. Geragos has also spoken publicly about the case, including in a series of TikTok videos that she posted before Mr. Combs was arrested in September. The team also includes Alexandra Shapiro, a prominent appellate court lawyer at the firm Shapiro Arato Bach who was once a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, which is prosecuting the Combs case. She graduated from Columbia Law School and was one of the first clerks for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court. She also wrote a novel, 'Presumed Guilty.' Ms. Shapiro is widely recognized for her success rate at trial and on appeals. 'If you want to maximize your chances of either prevailing at trial or on appeal against the S.D.N.Y., then you should call Alexandra Shapiro (if you can afford her),' the legal newsletter Original Jurisdiction wrote last year. Given her specialty, Ms. Shapiro may be keeping a close eye during the trial on any issues that might be useful if the defense appeals a verdict. Mr. Combs's defense also includes Jason Driscoll of Shapiro Arato Bach and Anna Estevao of Harris Trzaskoma. In the last few weeks, Mr. Combs has added several other lawyers. Most prominent is Brian Steel, who defended the rapper Young Thug in a long-running racketeering trial in Georgia. Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, pleaded guilty to participating in criminal street gang activity, and was released with time served. But Mr. Steel — who was recently profiled in The New Yorker — drew wide notice, in legal circles and beyond, for a courtroom showdown where he accused a judge of improperly meeting with a witness. He was held in contempt but later vindicated when the judge was ordered to recuse himself from the case. Mr. Combs's team has also recently added Xavier Donaldson, a New York lawyer whose LinkedIn profile describes him as 'litigator, professor, speaker, crisis manager,' and Nicole Westmoreland, who represented one of Young Thug's co-defendants in his trial. In April, Mr. Combs's legal team asked for a two-month delay of the trial to consider what it said was newly produced evidence by the government. The judge denied the request, noting that Mr. Combs had four law firms working for him, giving him ample resources to prepare. Since then, Mr. Combs has added two more.
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: Cassie to Testify About Hotel Clash With Sean Combs During Sex-Trafficking Trial
At trial, Sean Combs will be represented by a large and varied defense team — one that has grown even larger and more varied in recent days. Since early in the government's investigation, Mr. Combs has retained Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos of the firm Agnifilo Intrater. Mr. Agnifilo is a longtime criminal defense attorney who has represented high-profile figures like the former pharma executive Martin Shkreli; Keith Raniere, the leader of the Nxivm sex cult; and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, who in 2011 was accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York. (The case against Mr. Strauss-Kahn was dismissed before a trial.) Along with Karen Friedman Agnifilo, his wife, Mr. Agnifilo is also part of the defense team for Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with murder in the killing of a health care executive. In and out of the courtroom, Mr. Agnifilo has been perhaps the strongest voice in Mr. Combs's defense. At a hearing last month, he reiterated the defense's argument that Mr. Combs's 'freak-offs' — sexual encounters that the government contends were coerced — were consensual, with Mr. Combs's ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura a willing participant. 'Call it 'swingers,' call it whatever you will,' Mr. Agnifilo said. In media interviews, he has called the case an 'unjust prosecution' and said that Mr. Combs is 'an imperfect person but is not a criminal.' Mr. Agnifilo was a longtime lawyer at the firm Brafman & Associates but left last year to help start Agnifilo Intrater. With him, he brought Ms. Geragos, whose father is Mark Geragos, the celebrity lawyer who has represented Mr. Combs in the past. Ms. Geragos has also spoken publicly about the case, including in a series of TikTok videos that she posted before Mr. Combs was arrested in September. The team also includes Alexandra Shapiro, a prominent appellate court lawyer at the firm Shapiro Arato Bach who was once a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, which is prosecuting the Combs case. She graduated from Columbia Law School and was one of the first clerks for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court. She also wrote a novel, 'Presumed Guilty.' Ms. Shapiro is widely recognized for her success rate at trial and on appeals. 'If you want to maximize your chances of either prevailing at trial or on appeal against the S.D.N.Y., then you should call Alexandra Shapiro (if you can afford her),' the legal newsletter Original Jurisdiction wrote last year. Given her specialty, Ms. Shapiro may be keeping a close eye during the trial on any issues that might be useful if the defense appeals a verdict. Mr. Combs's defense also includes Jason Driscoll of Shapiro Arato Bach and Anna Estevao of Harris Trzaskoma. In the last few weeks, Mr. Combs has added several other lawyers. Most prominent is Brian Steel, who defended the rapper Young Thug in a long-running racketeering trial in Georgia. Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, pleaded guilty to participating in criminal street gang activity, and was released with time served. But Mr. Steel — who was recently profiled in The New Yorker — drew wide notice, in legal circles and beyond, for a courtroom showdown where he accused a judge of improperly meeting with a witness. He was held in contempt but later vindicated when the judge was ordered to recuse himself from the case. Mr. Combs's team has also recently added Xavier Donaldson, a New York lawyer whose LinkedIn profile describes him as 'litigator, professor, speaker, crisis manager,' and Nicole Westmoreland, who represented one of Young Thug's co-defendants in his trial. In April, Mr. Combs's legal team asked for a two-month delay of the trial to consider what it said was newly produced evidence by the government. The judge denied the request, noting that Mr. Combs had four law firms working for him, giving him ample resources to prepare. Since then, Mr. Combs has added two more.
