CRP's Blog

A divisive, devout protector of civil liberties, attorney John Henry Browne has never been one to turn away from a tough case, serving as defense counsel for serial and mass murderers, unapologetic thieves, and other indefensible criminals. But his tenacity has come at great personal cost. In his new memoir, The Devil’s Defender: My Odyssey Through American Criminal Justice from Ted Bundy to the Kandahar Massacre (due out August 1), the famed lawyer opens up about not only his biggest cases but also his darkest traumas, including his girlfriend’s murder in 1970 and his fierce battle with alcohol and cocaine. Here, he discusses what it was like revisiting the haunting moments of his past, how he looks at his difficult work today, and his larger views on the justice system and his profession.

How long have you wanted to write a memoir, and what was the impulse that finally tipped the scales and got you to start putting words on paper?

I never really intended to write a memoir, much less have it published. I began writing and gathering information over ten years ago with the only goal of “writing.” I like to write. I think in retrospect it was a purge of sorts. I started writing in earnest at my house in Mexico, as an experiment. The ball started rolling, and after seven more years, I had more or less finished. Therapeutic, perhaps, but I just stuck it away until I shared the fact I had written it with some friends that work for CBS News. They asked to read it, gave some valuable feedback and criticism. More importantly, they thought it was publishable, with more work. I agreed and began editing and rewriting, for years.

One chapter details your early days as an ABC News page, including the time you nearly dosed Spiro Agnew’s coffee with LSD on purpose. Did you ever worry while writing the book about the reaction some of your more outrageous stories might engender?

Yes, I did almost spike Spiro’s drink with LSD, so that is the truth. I think the most important task in writing about yourself is to be honest. Yes, I very much worried about the outrageous nature of some of my actions—and still do. I know many individuals will have a negative reaction to some of these issues and to me personally. However, I really don’t care, honestly, about what people think of me. Never have, never will. I hope others will not judge my actions and myself harshly, but I have done what I did and am, as much as possible, who I am—not just another good ol’ boy.

Another early chapter is spent on your formative college years, when you really began to get passionate about civil rights while working at a concert venue and playing music and meeting a lot of big-time bands. Of the artists you met, who were some of your favorites?

Some of my fondest memories are of my time in a band. We were not only the forerunners of true hippy culture in Denver but active in all civil rights and anti-war movements. There was a target on our backs. I met many great, well-known groups: the Grateful Dead, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Big Brother, and more. My favorites, personality-wise, were the Dead—real people. The most gifted of all, in my opinion, was Tim Buckley, who died very young. Just listen to Happy Sad or Goodbye and Hello, loud, with earphones. Dave Mason was and is still one of a kind. H. P. Lovecraft was a personal favorite, particularly the song “White Ship.”

Later on in the book, you relive some pretty harrowing moments, including your chilling one-on-one conferences with Ted Bundy and your struggles with alcohol and cocaine. What part of the book was the hardest to write?

Good question. It was difficult to write anything about Bundy. I saved it to last. The memories were way too dark, particularly since I lost a love of my life to murder. I put all that stuff into tightly sealed boxes in my mind and heart. Writing about the loss of Debbie broke my heart—and still does. Very difficult, but good therapy now that it is done. Ted and Debbie are raw memories for me and always will be.

Ted Bundy, Sgt. Robert Bales, Colton Harris-Moore—what is it that draws you to difficult defense cases such as these?

I am always drawn to try and do the impossible; it is my fucking path and not romantic. I try not to give up on people or our system of justice, even though it’s increasingly difficult. Bundy stands alone as pure evil. Bobby Bales was and is a good person we destroyed with our evil wars.

Colton was a no-brainer, a good kid who needed help.

Do you see such cases as different from or similar to the high-profile wrongful-conviction cases we’ve heard about on shows such as Making a Murderer and Serial?

Making a Murderer is a powerful series, setting forth how incompetent and corrupt our system can be. Yes, innocent people, truly innocent, get convicted every day, and it is getting worse. The big puzzle for me is how can people—namely, jurors—trust government so much? It is simple: when the people are afraid of government, we have tyranny; when government is afraid of the people, we have freedom. Make the government fear you.

Are there defendants you’ve declined to defend?

Yes, there are many clients I have refused to defend, mostly the self-destructive types or the whiners or those that want to blame all their problems on others. Lastly, those that will not listen to my advice.

Of the high-profile cases you’ve worked on over the years, what’s the one you’re proudest of?

I am very proud of the result in the Colton Harris-Moore case, consolidating over 70 crimes in three different countries and six states to just two cases and a very reasonable sentence. I am equally proud of saving Bob Bales from an Army firing squad; most never thought that could be done. However, the most important work I have done has been finding a way for battered women to defend themselves.

There’s an appendix in the book detailing your ten rules for trials. Given how much legal expertise you have under your belt, if you were to write a guide book for young lawyers, what would it look like? What do law students need to know that they’re not learning or not being taught in school?

Well, first, law schools need to teach and emphasize that the only reason to be a lawyer is to help people—a subject probably never covered by the professors. Law is a service profession. My advice to young lawyers is to stay away from social media in promoting yourself—earn your reputation; do not create one. Social media is killing the authenticity of this profession. What’s good for the ego is bad for the spirit. I would love to write another book helping guide young lawyers and may do so. I have taken to trial over 350 cases and learned much more from my mistakes than my successes. So, the title of book would be Mistakes I Have Made. Probably few lawyers would agree to coauthor.

-Geoff George

The Devil’s Defender: My Odyssey Through American Criminal Justice from Ted Bundy to the Kandahar Massacre officially pubs August 1, 2016 and is available where book and e-books are sold.

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