True Crime

4.6

Crimes of the Century CLE: In Cold Blood - State v. Hickock and Smith

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alaska CLE Approved 1 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 1 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 1 Total
California CLE Approved 1 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 1 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 1 Total
Delaware CLE Approved 1 Total
Florida CLE Approved 1 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 1 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 1 Total
Iowa CLE Approved 1 Total
Idaho CLE Approved 1 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 1 Total
Louisiana CLE Upon Request 1 Total
Maine CLE Approved 1 Total
Minnesota CLE Approved 1 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 1.2 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 1 Total
Mississippi CLE Approved 1 Total
Montana CLE Approved 1 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 1 Total
North Dakota CLE Approved 1 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 1 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 1 Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 1.2 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 1 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 1 Total
New York CLE Approved 1 Total
Ohio CLE Approved 1 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 1 Total
Oregon CLE Approved 1 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 1 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 1 Total
Tennessee CLE Approved 1 Total
Texas CLE Approved 1 Total
Utah CLE Approved 1 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 1 Total
Washington CLE Approved 1 Total
Wisconsin CLE Approved 1 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 1.2 Total
OnDemand
58 minutes
Joel Oster
With Joel L. Oster from Oster Law Firm
Recorded June 18, 2024
Product ID 99064

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Overview

Trial Lessons From the Infamous Murder Case

Truman Capote captivated the world with his non-fiction story In Cold Blood. The Clutter family was slain in their farm home as if they were pigs in a slaughter. It was gruesome. It was horrific. And it was pointless. The killers thought they were going to hit the score of their lifetime, but only found $40. The story behind why these killers committed this horrific crime, the investigation, the trial, and the execution is a harrowing tale. As we examine the trial strategies and applicable law, you will learn about the intersection between insanity pleas, capital punishment, and the usefulness of law in helping a community seek justice. Register today!

  • Review the key facts of the infamous Hickcock and Smith case as they appear in the court documents.
  • Analyze attorney tactics and legal strategies employed in the case.
  • Discuss why insanity plea is such a challenging and fraught defense tactic.
  • Understand the challenges of defendants with severe mental illness in the justice system.
  • Explore the latest court cases addressing capital punishment.
  • Examine the duty of attorneys and the justice system to the community.

This program was designed in conjunction with attorney Joel Oster, Comedian of Law and True Crime Podcaster.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Insanity and the Justice System, Attorney's Role in Obtaining Justice
  2. In Cold Blood Facts
    1. Who Were the Clutters?
    2. Murder Scene Details
    3. The Investigation: Suspects, Dead-Ends, and Paralyzed Society
    4. The Big Prison Break
    5. Tracking Down Hickock and Smith
  3. Trial Strategy Analysis
    1. Insanity Defense (Pre-8th Amendment Argument?)
    2. Change of Venue
    3. Separate Trials
  4. Trial Overview
    1. Review of Key Witness Testimony and Evidence Presented at Trial
    2. Verdict and Execution
  5. Review of Recent 8th Amendment Cases
    1. Cruz v. Arizona, 598 U.S. __ (2023)
    2. Reed v. Goertz, 598 U.S. __ (2023)
    3. Nance v. Ward, 597 U.S. __ (2022)
    4. McKinney v. Arizona, 589 U.S. __ (2020)
    5. Flowers v. Mississippi, 588 U.S. __ (2019)
  6. The Role That Lawyers, Courts, and the Laws Play in Obtaining Justice for the Grief-Stricken Community

Related Topics

Product ID 99064

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alaska CLE Approved 1 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 1 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 1 Total
California CLE Approved 1 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 1 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 1 Total
Delaware CLE Approved 1 Total
Florida CLE Approved 1 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 1 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 1 Total
Iowa CLE Approved 1 Total
Idaho CLE Approved 1 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 1 Total
Louisiana CLE Upon Request 1 Total
Maine CLE Approved 1 Total
Minnesota CLE Approved 1 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 1.2 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 1 Total
Mississippi CLE Approved 1 Total
Montana CLE Approved 1 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 1 Total
North Dakota CLE Approved 1 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 1 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 1 Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 1.2 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 1 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 1 Total
New York CLE Approved 1 Total
Ohio CLE Approved 1 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 1 Total
Oregon CLE Approved 1 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 1 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 1 Total
Tennessee CLE Approved 1 Total
Texas CLE Approved 1 Total
Utah CLE Approved 1 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 1 Total
Washington CLE Approved 1 Total
Wisconsin CLE Approved 1 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 1.2 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. True Crime CLE: In Cold Blood - State v. Hickock and Smith

    1. Insanity and the Justice System, Attorney's Role in Obtaining Justice
    2. In Cold Blood Facts
      1. Who Were the Clutters?
      2. Murder Scene Details
      3. The Investigation: Suspects, Dead-Ends, and Paralyzed Society
      4. The Big Prison Break
      5. Tracking Down Hickock and Smith
    3. Trial Strategy Analysis
      1. Insanity Defense (Pre-8th Amendment Argument?)
      2. Change of Venue
      3. Separate Trials
    4. Trial Overview
      1. Review of Key Witness Testimony and Evidence Presented at Trial
      2. Verdict and Execution
    5. Review of Recent 8th Amendment Cases
      1. Cruz v. Arizona, 598 U.S. __ (2023)
      2. Reed v. Goertz, 598 U.S. __ (2023)
      3. Nance v. Ward, 597 U.S. __ (2022)
      4. McKinney v. Arizona, 589 U.S. __ (2020)
      5. Flowers v. Mississippi, 588 U.S. __ (2019)
    6. The Role That Lawyers, Courts, and the Laws Play in Obtaining Justice for the Grief-Stricken Community

Who Should Attend

This true-crime legal course is designed for attorneys. Paralegals and legal staff will also benefit.

Speakers

Joel L Oster
Joel L.
Oster
Oster Law Firm
Speaker bio
Joel L Oster

Joel L. Oster

Oster Law Firm
Joel Oster

is a litigator, national speaker, podcaster, and stand-up comic. He is in private practice specializing in constitutional law, appellate advocacy, and attorney ethics. Mr. Oster regularly litigates First Amendment issues and has been lead counsel on two cases that ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court. He has argued a case before the United States District Court for the Western District of New York and the Second Circuit; and was part of a legal team that successfully defended a case in the U.S. Supreme Court. He's also prevailed as lead counsel in defending a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Mr. Oster has spoken to thousands of attorneys across the United States and brings their combined practical perspectives to his seminars. He has presented at numerous bench and bar conferences, and co-hosts the podcast DeBriefing the Law with Chris Marohn. The podcast covers current legal news and true crimes using their brand of humor. From the Supreme Court to O.J. Simpson, no legal topic is off-limits. Most importantly he is also a stand-up comic. Even though he has argued before numerous appellate courts, including Judge Calabresi of the Second Circuit, he said nothing compares to the nerves of trying to make a room full of drunk college kids laugh. He headlined the comedy tour "Presumed Funny" which featured random musings about the legal profession. Mr. Oster earned his J.D. degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in Kansas, Missouri, Florida, and numerous federal courts.

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