The Plea (Eddie Flynn #2)

by Steve Cavanagh

I wanted to hear it from the client. There were always multiple versions of every story. We are our own little planets, and invariably we can only see things from our own perspective, which includes our prejudices, our vices, our talents, and our limited perceptions.

A person will tell the same story differently depending on whether they’re talking to a man or a woman, a college professor or a cabdriver, a cop or a lawyer. We unconsciously tailor our speech and body language so that we can gain empathy and understanding from the listener.

Quickest way to make somebody stop crying and start talking is to remain silent.

Truth has no place in the trial because no one is concerned with finding it, least of all the lawyers or the judge.

Money had a way of halting the aging process.

It’s a game the justice system plays every single day in America—because sometimes it simply doesn’t matter if you’re really innocent of the crime; the only smart move is to plead guilty and make a deal for a lesser sentence.

People believe what they can see. As long as you control their view, you control their mind.