PERP WALK

Marshals or sheriff's deputies escorting a prisoner--parading a prisoner in front of the media. Example: The camera crews call it a perp walk. The reason they love a good perp walk is because all they have to do is line up outside the courthouse, point and shoot while the Marshals hustle the guy, the perpetrator, out to that unmarked Crown Victoria they always have waiting down at the curb. If the cameramen are lucky, they get a shot of some jerk with cuffs on, a raincoat pulled up over his head, looking guilty as hell. This is what the plaintiff's bar snarls and moans about when they say their clients are getting tried in the court of public opinion. My lawyer complained about it just like everybody else. Fact is though, when I did my perp walk down at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Atlanta, I was guilty. Fair's fair. (Copyright 1995, Walter Sorrells, _Power of Attorney_)