“Write
what
you
know”
is
one
of
those
often
thrown-around
cliches,
but
how
many
of
us
actually
do
it?
Whether
you
parlayed
legal
careers
into
cooking
on
TikTok,
posting
on
OnlyFans,
or
leaving
the
IRS
to
sell
hotdogs,
there
is
a
book’s
worth
of
stories
in
most
of
us.
A
trial
attorney
took
the
plunge
and
authored
a
book
that
pulls
on
his
knowledge
as
an
attorney.
Mysuncoast
has
coverage:
A
Tampa
trial
attorney
with
a
seven-decade
legal
career
has
released
a
legal
thriller
about
justice,
corruption
and
a
man
facing
death
row.Bennie
Lazzara,
who
also
writes
under
the
pen
name
B.M.
Reade,
published
“The
Jury
Is
Back,”
set
on
Anna
Maria
Island.
Lazzara
began
his
career
as
a
prosecutor
exclusively
handling
first-degree
murder
cases
and
later
transitioned
into
criminal
defense
work.The
novel
follows
Sammy
Carrara
Jr.,
a
former
Tampa
native
turned
charter
boat
captain
on
Anna
Maria
Island,
who
is
accused
of
first-degree
murder
after
being
pulled
back
into
drug
smuggling.
Set
in
late-1970s
Florida
during
“reefer
madness,”
the
story
follows
prosecutors
pushing
for
execution
in
Florida’s
electric
chair
while
Sammy
insists
he’s
being
framed.
The
story
takes
its
name
from
what
a
bailiff
usually
says
to
let
the
attorneys
know
that
the
jury
is
ready
to
render
a
decision.
Much
better
title
than
alternatives
like
“Get
your
ass
back
in
here!”
and
“Ding!
Verdict
is
done!”
If
you’re
a
law
student
looking
for
an
excuse
to
slack
on
your
class
readings
and
learn
Crim
Law
by
osmosis,
this
is
the
book
for
you!
If
you
really
want
to
gamify
it,
you
could
mark
off
all
of
the
satisfied
elements
of
crimes
and
highlight
proof
of
mens
rea
in
your
favorite
color.
And
if
you’re
from
the
area,
you’ll
recognize
the
names
of
the
bars
and
beaches.
Anything
to
keep
you
from
brushing
up
on
Regina
v.
Dudley
and
Stephens.
Lazzara
co-authored
the
book
with
his
son.
After
his
son
passed
away,
he
finished
it
in
his
honor.
If
the
story
is
half
as
thrilling
as
its
making
is
touching,
you’re
in
for
one
hell
of
a
read!
Chris
Williams
became
a
social
media
manager
and
assistant
editor
for
Above
the
Law
in
June
2021.
Prior
to
joining
the
staff,
he
moonlighted
as
a
minor
Memelord™
in
the
Facebook
group Law
School
Memes
for
Edgy
T14s
.
He
endured
Missouri
long
enough
to
graduate
from
Washington
University
in
St.
Louis
School
of
Law.
He
is
a
former
boatbuilder
who
is
learning
to
swim, is
interested
in
critical
race
theory,
philosophy,
and
humor,
and
has
a
love
for
cycling
that
occasionally
annoys
his
peers.
You
can
reach
him
by
email
at [email protected]
and
by
tweet
at @WritesForRent.