Lens of a Lawyer

What does it truly take to own your story, and how does radical accountability transform not just an individual life, but the entire criminal justice framework? In this candid episode of Lens of a Lawyer, host David Bell sits down with guest Amanda Riley to explore the fundamental role accountability plays both inside the courtroom and in everyday life. Amanda shares her remarkable personal journe...

In a legal system built on adversary and opposition, winning an argument is often mistaken for solving a problem. But what happens when we replace pure confrontation with strategic conflict resolution? In this episode of Lens of a Lawyer, host David Bell sits down with conflict resolution expert Melanie Worsley to explore how mediation and dispute resolution principles can reshape the legal landsc...

Equal justice under law is a founding promise of modern legal systems. Yet, a person’s socioeconomic standing often fundamentally shapes how they experience the criminal justice system - from initial police contact to sentencing and post-release re-entry. How do wealth and poverty dictate access to legal representation, bail outcomes, and overall perceptions of fairness? Where do economic disparit...

Policing is a practice as old as human civilization. While its core mission remains unchanged, the day-to-day challenges faced by officers are constantly reshaped by shifts in our workforce, politics, and society. What opportunities does artificial intelligence offer law enforcement and legal professionals, and what are the risks of misuse by authorities or abuse by bad actors? How can our courts...

Over the past half-century, Hip Hop has grown into one of the most powerful forces in American culture. Yet from its very beginning, the genre has carried an unfair criminal connotation. From the legal battles over music sampling to the debates around "Gangsta Rap" and high-profile feuds, crime and culture repeatedly meet at the junction of Hip Hop. David is joined by fellow attorney and 'Rap On T...

Military veterans are often held in high esteem—we thank them for their service, honor them in speeches, and remember them in our prayers. At the opposite end of society's perceived spectrum of merit, people experiencing homelessness face persistent stigma and alienation. The tragic, often overlooked irony is that many veterans struggle to transition back to civilian life and ultimately become unh...

How does one become a judge? Does being one makes more judgmental in your personal life? David is joined by Judge John Torrence to discuss the path to becoming a judge, the challenges of the job, and lessons learned on the bench. 

What is the true purpose of prison? Sentencing sits at the absolute center of criminal justice, sparking fierce debate from every angle—whether it’s public outrage over lenient terms or the devastating, unintended consequences of mandatory minimums. This week, David sits down with Professor Sheldon Evans of Washington University in St. Louis, a leading expert on punishment theory, to break down th...

We like to believe the justice system is a machine designed to distill absolute truth, but what happens when the human elements running it are hardwired to lie? In this eye-opening episode, host and criminal defense attorney David Bell sits down with researcher, author, and advisor Dr. Arin Reeves to dissect the psychology of dishonesty.

In American political rhetoric, immigration and crime are constantly fused together. From the deportation of violent offenders to the mechanics of border enforcement, the public conversation is heavily dominated by a criminal justice framework. But there is a massive disconnect: immigration courts are actually civil courts, not criminal ones. How do we cut through the noise and look at these highl...

David wraps Season One with Sheriff Eric Kirsch, an unlikely lawman whose journey began in New York and took him through military service in Iraq and Afghanistan before landing in rural Kansas. Kirsch shares a fascinating personal story of trauma and resilience, revealing his deeply human and authentic approach to law enforcement—one built on acknowledging the shared humanity of others.

In many of our systems of governance, whether in health, justice, or the economy, the desire of organisations, movements, or individuals to do good can often have unintended, even catastrophic, consequences. David is joined by Sarah Goble, who brought her baby son to the hospital, only to nearly lose both her children when her son’s illness was misdiagnosed, and the parents found themselves accuse...

In many of our systems of governance, whether in health, justice, or the economy, the desire by the organisations, movements, or individuals to do good can often have unintentional, even catastrophic consequences. David is joined by Sarah Goble, who brought her baby son to the hospital, only to nearly lose both her children when her son’s illness was misdiagnosed and the parents found themselves a...

Our brain’s capacity for storing memories is the foundation for our learning and relationships, as well as witness testimonies. However, scientific research increasingly suggests just how unreliable this mental archive actually is.  Join David and groundbreaking psychologist Prof. Elizabeth Loftus as they detail her decades of work on the science of memory manipulation. Prof. Loftus explains the m...

In a world driven by conflict, nearly all of our high-stakes problems—from criminal justice to corporate mergers—are resolved not by a dramatic victory, but by negotiation and compromise. David sits down with Karin Houston, an FBI Crisis and Hostage Negotiator, to explore this fundamental truth. Karin reveals the little-known skills that link the courtroom to the crisis zone. What shared technique...

Mental state and mental health are central to our legal systems, as well as our very perception of accountability. From serious “crimes of passion” to daily interactions, our mental state is used to excuse or mitigate our actions, and our attitudes towards its connection with accountability are anything but consistent. Lisa Witcher, a forensic psychologist, explains what makes us fit to stand tria...

As a criminal defense attorney, David sometimes gets confronted by people questioning the role of defending people who are (in many cases) guilty of the crimes of which they are accused. In this episode, David is joined by prominent defense attorney Dan Ross, known for his courtroom tactics and strong beliefs, to discuss what motivates them to pursue this profession, why it is important for our so...

Tricia Rojo Bushnell joins David to discuss her work with the Innocence Project, fighting for those who have been wrongfully convicted. Together, they explore the difference between defending someone at trial and trying to overturn a conviction after the fact, and what that gap reveals about our justice system. Their conversation digs into the deeper question: why is it so hard for us, as individu...

All parents make mistakes, but admitting them to their children or finding the way back into a strained relationship is often challenging. Sabrena Morgan became addicted to Methamphetamines during a custody battle for her daughter Lily, only to lose contact with her daughter entirely when she was sent to prison for a drug conspiracy. Now closer than ever, Sabrena and Lily join David on this episod...

While courts are tasked with deciding guilt impartially, sentencing often demands something more human: empathy. Judges, attorneys, and jurors are asked to consider the offender’s background, the victim’s pain, and the broader impact of a crime. In this episode, Dr. Nicole Price joins David to explore the many forms of empathy and how this often-overlooked skill became central to her work. She sha...

Erik Hulse’s journey is anything but ordinary—once a troubled teen and gifted musician, he went on to serve as an undercover cop and eventually a police captain. But it wasn’t until he discovered Buddhism and mindfulness that he found real peace and purpose. Now a teacher of both, Erik joins David to talk about how crime and legal struggles often stem from a loss of control, and how practices like...

Our criminal justice system is built to deliver verdicts and sentences, but what about offering a path toward redemption? In this episode, David sits down with Laura Mars to discuss her work with group therapy for sex offenders, her Christian faith, her stand-up comedy, and the lessons she has learned about overcoming tragedy and adversity.

Policing is among the most passionately debated issues in the already boiling American political discourse. David Bell sits down with Jean Peters Baker, the recently retired Jackson County Prosecutor, to talk candidly about law enforcement, her career in the justice system, and the complexities of addressing police violence in the U.S. David and Jean discuss their perspectives and what this debate...