Ed Shohat for Carlos Lehder

The 1980s was the wild west of drug trials. And there was no bigger cocaine cowboy than Carlos Lehder, who co-founded the Medellin Cartel. Lehder turned to Edward Shohat to represent him in a 7-month trial in which the prosecutor, nicknamed Mad Dog, called 29 snitches. In this episode, the finale of Season 4, David Oscar Markus takes Ed through the sprawling trial and the crazy turn of events after the trial ends. 

Om Podcasten

David Oscar Markus, a Miami trial attorney, has been called “a reincarnation of the old school criminal defense lawyer” and has represented clients from the head of the Cali Cartel to Fortune 500 companies and their CEOs. David has partnered with rakontur, the lauded storytellers behind Cocaine Cowboys, The U and 537 Votes, on the podcast, For the Defense. The podcast focuses on the work of the least-respected but perhaps the most important profession in America: the criminal defense attorney. In each episode, Markus will interview a top criminal defense lawyer about one of their most gripping trials. Sadly, the criminal defense trial lawyer is a dying breed. The Feds have manipulated the system -- which was founded on the idea of trial by jury -- to force almost everyone (occasionally including the innocent) into pleading guilty to avoid trial. If you dare to go to trial, you risk going to prison for decades longer than had you surrendered and pleaded guilty. The system has shifted from valuing and encouraging trials to punishing those who dare exercise their constitutional right to have a jury decide their guilt. In the 1980s, over 20% of cases went to trial -- now less than 3% do so. Having tried cases all over the United States, Markus is well-positioned to speak to other leading criminal defense lawyers in the country and explore with them the decision they made in a high-profile case to proceed to trial, including their trial strategy, the risks involved, and the clients themselves. The podcast is currently in Season 6. It has broken news, achieved industry-wide accolades, and is the go to listen for trial lawyers around the country. CONTACT: info@rakontur.com, DMarkus@markuslaw.com