The Abuse Excuse

The book critiques the trend of "abuse excuses" in legal defenses, where defendants claim victim status to evade accountability for violent crimes. Alan M. Dershowitz examines high-profile cases like those of the Menendez brothers and O.J. Simpson, arguing that this shift undermines individual responsibility and the rule of law, core principles of American democracy. He contends that those who invoke these defenses are essentially positioning themselves as vigilantes, challenging the very foundations of justice in society.