Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Book excerpt: The phrase “beyond a reasonable doubt” is heard countless times every day in courtrooms around the country. And yet the standard represented by this phrase is nowhere mentioned in the constitution. Nor is it defined anywhere in our laws. What, then, does it really mean? How can it be interpreted? In this volume, more than 80 influential scholars, attorneys, novelists, journalists, and religious figures—including Vice President Kamala Harris—discuss, explore, interpret, and define the phrase and its meaning. Featuring contributions from David Baldacci, Vincent Bugliosi, Frederick Forsyth, Jack Kevorkian, Robert Shapiro, and Scott Turow, among others, this collection of essays, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt—edited and introduced by Larry King—is essential reading for anyone with an interest in how our justice system works today and how it will work in the future.