I've been a fan of some of Korwin's other writing, I think he does a decent job of summarizing state laws in other books (considering he's a non-lawyer writing law books). But I believe that "After You Shoot" is a dangerous book to the reader. It is largely based on the premise of "call your lawyer and have HIM call 911." I believe that this could possibly lead to a "clean shoot" being charged as a homicide, because it delays aid to the person shot. I was thinking this throughout the book, and then the lawyers Korwin interviews at the end agreed with my thought and disagreed with Korwin on this, and several other of Korwin's theories.
Also, when I read his suggestion to carry a CARD in your wallet stating that you want to cooperate but won't talk to police until you talk to a lawyer, I thought "this would seem damn wonky and work against you." And the lawyers Korwin interviews at the end agreed with my thought and disagreed with Korwin on this.
Korwin says over and over that you should ask to speak to "MY attorney" not "AN attorney." The difference of this wording of one over the other are not the mystical "get out of jail free" "magic words" Korwin seems to imply they are by constantly stressing the wording. And while Korwin's suggestion to pay for an hour with a lawyer up front to suss them out is a good idea, it doesn't really makes them "your" lawyer. Only HIRING a lawyer truly makes them "your" lawyer. And the lawyers Korwin interviews at the end agreed with my thought and disagreed with Korwin on this. Korwin suggested putting down a 10 or 20 grand retainer, which does not even make them YOUR lawyer, until you actually HIRE them. And most people do not have the resources to do this.
Regarding Korwin's suggestion to ask potential lawyers "If I were in a self-defense shoot, would you call 911 for me?" - I read that and thought "Most lawyers would think 'So, are you planning a homicide and trying to rope me in as cover?'." And someone in the legal profession I talked to agreed on this. And finally, on page 117, Korwin even brings it up!
Korwin is right that it IS a travesty that 911 calls are released to the press and used in court, and it is time for a change in that. But when you're facing serious possible charges is not the time to start working on changing that. A simple traffic stop may be a good time for activism and flexing your rights. But a self-defense shooting is NOT the time for activism. It's the time to call 911, keep it short and sweet, then shut up until you talk to your lawyer.
Instead of presenting this as a "how to" book, Korwin should have written it purely as an analysis of current law and a need for changes in the law. That would have made it a "clean" book. Instead he made it into a book of very bad advice that I believe could harm anyone trying to use it as a how-to. And the several lawyers, ex-cops and private investigators he interviews mostly all felt that he was wrong. But Korwin, a non-lawyer, thinks he knows better than them. He also didn't provide a single example of anyone who had done what he suggests and had it turn out well. In fact, he didn't interview ANYONE who had been in a self-defense shoot and been cleared. Which makes him pretty much a theorist.
As for the writing: there were several places in the book where Korwin was lazy with quote marks and indentation and I could not tell if he was quoting this person, that person or himself. The book could have used a pass by an editor to rectify this.
I almost NEVER write bad reviews of books. I know what it takes to write a book and if a book is simply not good, I just ignore it. But I'm making the exception here because I believe this book is DANGEROUS to the reader.
Korwin should stick to activism and summarizing existing laws rather than endangering people by suggesting needed changes in laws as what they should actually try when they may be facing life in prison or a lethal injection.
--Michael Dean