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Part 8: Louis Ziskin on Why Public Defenders are Better Than Private Attorneys in Fed Cases
Part 1: Louis Ziskin on Only Doing 65 Days in Jail for Printing Millions in Fake Traveler's Checks
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Louis Ziskin chose to represent himself in his federal Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE) trial after being denied double jeopardy protection. Facing the possibility of a life sentence in addition to a prior 30-year term, Ziskin challenged the government’s key evidence—wiretap recordings. He uncovered irregularities in how calls were “minimized” or secretly edited, suggesting constitutional violations and potential tampering. Frustrated with ineffective legal counsel unwilling to confront these issues, Ziskin insisted on taking control of his defense.
Ziskin argued that self-representation allowed him to directly challenge the government’s case without the constraints placed on lawyers, such as rules of decorum and procedural limits. He believed that a smart defendant could exploit this freedom to poke holes in the prosecution’s theory, build rapport with the jury, and potentially gain an edge. While acknowledging the risks, Ziskin felt the benefits of representing himself outweighed the drawbacks in his complex, high-stakes trial.
