The Defendant: Brendan and the Bell Curve

"We are so cruel, where we pretend to care so deeply about the rule of law - that we let this go through. That somewhere there wasn't a responsible adult saying that's enough, that is enough," exclaims Professor Michele LaVigne. A distinguished clinical professor of law, a leader in the law and co-author of Under the Hood: Brendan Dassey, Language Impairments, and Judicial Ignorance. Professor Lavigne joins the Sixth Hour to peel back the layers of Brendan's disabilities and calls into question the legitimacy of the criminal justice system and the undisciplined behaviour of law enforcement when dealing with a child with obvious cognitive challenges including pronounced speech and language impairments.