A Prosecutor's Story

Alan A. Cook was a prosecutor for the state of Georgia from 1987–2001. He served as the elected District Attorney for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit from 1990–2000. During his years as a prosecutor, he tried over 120 jury trials ranging from capital murder to minor traffic cases. After leaving active prosecution, Cook joined the University of Georgia School of Law faculty and taught Criminal Law & Procedure to aspiring prosecutors for 18 years before retiring in 2019.

In A Prosecutor's Story, Prof. Cook shares his experiences as a trial lawyer and reluctant politician. Along the way, he imparts unique insights into the inner workings of our criminal justice system — highlighting its virtues and its shortcomings. Sometimes proud, sometimes cynical, and often snarky, he gives the reader a true picture of what it's like to be a prosecutor in America.

The role of a prosecutor in our system of criminal justice is much misunderstood. Prosecutors are often depicted on TV and in movies as ruthless, politically-ambitious hacks who are only interested in “winning” cases. In this book, Prof. Cook provides a more accurate portrayal of who prosecutors are and what they do. Whether prosecuting low-level offenses like shoplifting or capital offenses like murder, prosecutors are the ones who society entrusts to seek justice in a fair and even-handed fashion. In essence, therefore, prosecutors are the people's lawyer — the true public defenders.