Marcia Clark knows a thing or two about law and (dis)order. A former prosecutor in the elite Special Trials Unit of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office—where she headed the prosecution of O.J. Simpson—she began her career as a criminal defense attorney and, more recently, has represented the indigent on appeal. After leaving the DA’s office, Clark co-wrote a #1 New York Times bestselling memoir about her work on the Simpson trial, Without A Doubt (1997), and began a career in radio and television. A lifelong lover of detective novels, she realized her dream of writing crime fiction with 2011’s Guilt By Association, a national bestseller that introduced prosecutor Rachel Knight; three additional novels followed in that series.
In 2016, Clark launched a new saga with Blood Defense—a #1 Amazon Kindle bestseller featuring morally ambiguous criminal defense attorney Samantha Brinkman; Moral Defense (2016) and Snap Judgment (2017) quickly followed. After taking a hiatus from writing books to concentrate on small screen projects—she fronted A&E’s Marcia Clark Investigates The First 48, offered color commentary on CBS’s Pink Collar Crimes, and co-wrote/executive produced ABC’s ten-episode legal drama, The Fix—Clark is back at the keyboard. Final Judgment (April 21, 2020; Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing) marks the fourth and final book in the Brinkman series. But don’t worry—there’s more to come …
John B. Valeri: You are a lifelong crime buff. What inspired you to try your hand at writing fiction—and how did the creation of prosecutor Rachel Knight allow you to relive your experiences in the Special Trials Unit of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office?
Marcia Clark: I’ve wanted to write crime stories since I was in grade school. I’ve always loved storytelling, and I’ve been addicted to crime stories since I was about five years old. (Also treasure maps—which I made up myself, and then drafted my friends to go in search of the treasure with me. I got so into those maps, I actually forgot that I’d dreamed them up to begin with. I was a very weird kid.)
But I was afraid to take the plunge and try to earn a living as a crime fiction writer, so I decided to satisfy my fascination with crime stories while still enjoying the luxury of living indoors by becoming a criminal lawyer.
When I finally got up the courage to give writing a shot, I decided to revisit my days as a prosecutor in the Special Trials Unit, which handled all the high-profile homicides, in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. So I told the story of Rachel Knight, and her BFF’s: fellow Special Trials prosecutor, Toni LaCollette, and homicide detective Bailey Keller. Through them, I got to show readers what it was like to work in a special unit that required the prosecutors to work closely with detectives in building a case; a much more hands-on experience than most prosecutors get. Of course, the crimes I use in the series are embellished—if I used real crimes the books would be about three pages long. Very few real-life crime stories are all that intriguing. But there’s a bedrock of truth in terms of how crimes are solved, and what goes on in court. I think readers get insulted and put off when authors take too many liberties with the reality of how cases are handled—whether in the investigation, the forensic analysis, or in the courtroom. I know I do.
JBV: Your current protagonist, Samantha Brinkman, is pretty much the antithesis of Rachel Knight. How did Sam first appear to you, why were you compelled to continue writing about her, and what latitude has her role as a criminal defense attorney afforded you in terms of her conduct?
I started out as a criminal defense attorney. Defense lawyers have a very different focus than prosecutors. Their loyalty is to their client. Period.MC: Samantha Brinkman took me back to my roots. I started out as a criminal defense attorney. Defense lawyers have a very different focus than prosecutors. Their loyalty is to their client. Period. There are rules that govern how far they can go—they’re not allowed to just go out and suborn perjury—but really, their focus is, and should be, just the welfare of their clients. Prosecutors, on the other hand, are required to ensure that a defendant gets a fair trial. They’re not just supposed to go after convictions, or the lengthiest sentence they can get, regardless of what the evidence shows. If the evidence doesn’t seem to add up to guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, then they’re obligated to say so, and either dismiss the case or do further investigation. And even when the evidence is sufficient, they’re obligated to consider mitigating factors that might justify conviction and sentencing of a lesser degree or crime. Not just “go for it” and seek the maximum sentence regardless of the facts of the case or the nature of the offender.
But after writing about Rachel Knight, who had to play by the rules, I wanted the freedom of a character who went to the other extreme and not only didn’t play by the rules, or break the rules, she shredded them. Hence, Sam Brinkman. I think of her as my Id. If you could punish the monsters who would otherwise beat the system, wouldn’t you? Sam thinks so. And she does.
JBV: Sam was sexually assaulted as a child. In what ways has this experience informed her character, both personally and professionally—and how has this allowed you to explore the long-terms effects of such a crime on those who have been victimized?
MC: Sam was neglected by a narcissistic mother, and horribly abused by one of her mother’s boyfriends—a very rich and powerful sociopath. So Sam had to learn to fend for herself from an extremely early age. She could easily have wound up on the streets, or in jail. So many kids who’ve suffered from abuse do. Instead of getting help from the system, they’re punished yet again, simply because they had the bad luck of being born to unfit parents.
Sam was definitely headed down that path through her teenage years. Between booze and drugs, it was not looking good for her. But Sam got lucky when her mother accidentally married a decent man, who saw that Sam needed help. Although Sam was a mess, she was smart enough to know she should take the help—and tough enough to make use of it. She pulled her act together by sheer force of will, and wound up—against all odds—becoming a successful criminal defense lawyer.
Which was great. But the sixteen years of abuse and neglect she’d suffered took their toll. Tough, suspicious of almost everyone, and with zero respect for a criminal justice system that utterly failed her, she has very few boundaries when it comes to getting what she wants. And she finds that what she wants most of all is to take out the predators who victimize the weak and powerless who would otherwise escape justice. There are very few limits to how far she’ll go to ensure that her idea of justice is served, and she suffers no remorse for any of it. In truth, I think Sam’s a little bit on the spectrum.
I wanted the freedom of a character who went to the other extreme and not only didn’t play by the rules, or break the rules, she shredded them.JBV: Despite a toxic upbringing, Sam has developed a small group of intimates—including her BFF/office manager, Michelle, her investigator/hacker, Alex, and her newfound father/LAPD detective, Dale Pearson. In what ways does this challenge the traditional perception of what it means to be “family”—and how does her vigilantism heighten the risk of these associations?
MC: As I said, Sam has trust issues—as in, she trusts no one. Almost. Michelle came into Sam’s life when they were in the seventh grade. It was a critical time for Sam, who was being abused by her mother’s boyfriend on a nightly basis. The magic that can make opposites attract, brought Sam and Michelle—who came from an utterly normal, healthy family—together. For life. Though Sam never told Michelle exactly what she was going through, Michelle knew something was going on, and she was there for Sam. They’d been closer than sisters ever since. As for Alex, he started out as Sam’s client. Although he hadn’t suffered abuse the way Sam had, he’d had a rough beginning, too. And like Sam, he’d largely pulled himself—and his family—up and out of a dire situation. Beautiful, whip smart—and larcenous—he suits Sam in every way and she sparks to him immediately. He starts out working for her in order to pay his bill, but she keeps him on because he’s exactly what she needs, and they have a real affinity for one another.
They say friends are the family you choose, In Michelle and Alex, Sam’s found the family she chose. They’re truly one for all and all for one.
And then, there’s Dale, Sam’s father. Her mother never told him he had a daughter, so he didn’t meet Sam until … well. That’s actually the story of the first book in the series, Blood Defense. I won’t say much more about him here, other than to say that he and Sam have some interesting things in common.
JBV: In Final Judgment, Sam’s boyfriend, Niko, becomes a person of interest in the death/disappearance of the investors whose shady financial dealings cripple his family/friends. How does Sam’s representation of him complicate the dynamics of their relationship—and what are the implications of this case for their future?
MC: It definitely does “complicate” their relationship—to put it mildly. This situation forces Sam to take stock of who she is in a very elemental way. Her inherently suspicious nature bangs into her desire to believe in Niko’s innocence, and compels her to question herself Is she a terrible person for doubting his claims of innocence? What does that mean about her true feelings for him? Or her ability to truly love anyone? Ultimately, Sam can’t help herself, she has to investigate Niko. She has to know the truth, no matter what it is. But when the final confrontation between them happens, it doesn’t turn out at all the way she expected.
JBV: Without moving into spoiler territory, the book resolves some longstanding questions. What can your loyal readers expect in terms of closure?
MC: I think all I can say is that the readers will find the ending satisfying. As for closure … I don’t think I believe in that. Even for fictional characters. 🙂
JBV: Leave us with a teaser: What comes next?
MC: I’m in the process of finishing a standalone this time, with all new characters. It’s been a really exciting ride to forge new territory, and I hope my readers will enjoy it as much as I did!
