The Power of the Prosecutor

Prosecutors hold immense power and discretion to inalterably change the lives of those they pursue. What limitations and responsibilities do they have in wielding this power? Hear from former prosecutors Professors Green and Roiphe as they discuss the broad discretionary powers prosecutors exercise and the ethical standards they must meet.

Watch Part 2 of The Power of the Prosecutor.


  • Attorney CLE accreditation 

Prof. Deborah Tuerkheimer discusses A Credibility Gap in Cases of Rape
A Credibility Gap in Cases of Rape
Judge Raja Rajeswari discusses A Different Path to the Bench
A Different Path to the Bench
Prof. Nathalie Martin discusses A Mindful Practice (Part 2)
A Mindful Practice (Part 2)
Prof. John J. Donohue III discusses Analyzing Death - Race and Bias in Capital Punishment
Analyzing Death - Race and Bias in Capital Punishment
M. Dru Levasseur discusses A Transition in the Legal Profession
A Transition in the Legal Profession
M. Dru Levasseur discusses A Transition in the Legal Profession (Part 2)
A Transition in the Legal Profession (Part 2)
Benjamin Brafman discusses Celebrity Justice & High Profile Defense
Celebrity Justice & High Profile Defense
Alex Zerden discusses Combatting Crypto Money Laundering
Combatting Crypto Money Laundering
Prof. Rachel Barkow discusses Confronting Mass Incarceration
Confronting Mass Incarceration
Prof. Rachel Barkow discusses Confronting Mass Incarceration (Part 2)
Confronting Mass Incarceration (Part 2)
Judge Jenny Rivera discusses Diversity in Justice
Diversity in Justice
Prof. Peter Joy discusses Ethics and Batson
Ethics and Batson
Heather McDonald discusses Fashion Piracy & Anti-Counterfeiting
Fashion Piracy & Anti-Counterfeiting
Attorney General Sean Reyes discusses Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach
Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach
Attorney General Sean Reyes discusses Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach (Part 2)
Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach (Part 2)
Prof. Peter Huang discusses Fighting the Zombie-Lawyer Apocalypse
Fighting the Zombie-Lawyer Apocalypse
Nicole Hyland discusses From Facebook to Tinder:  The Ethics of Social Media
From Facebook to Tinder: The Ethics of Social Media
Evon Idahosa discusses Human Trafficking Fueling Modern Day Slavery
Human Trafficking Fueling Modern Day Slavery
Prof. Peter Joy discusses Investigating the Client
Investigating the Client
Phillip Miller discusses Jailhouse Law—Lawyering as an Inmate
Jailhouse Law—Lawyering as an Inmate
Phillip Miller discusses Jailhouse Law—Lawyering from Inside Prison
Jailhouse Law—Lawyering from Inside Prison
Nicole Hyland discusses Lawyer Ads Gone Wrong
Lawyer Ads Gone Wrong
Sarah McShea discusses Lawyering Beyond State Lines
Lawyering Beyond State Lines
Eileen Travis and Meredith Heller discusses Lawyers and the Bottle (Part 2)
Lawyers and the Bottle (Part 2)
Paulette Brown discusses Lawyers with Bias
Lawyers with Bias
Prof. Lenni Benson discusses Lawyers without Papers - Immigration and Legal Ethics
Lawyers without Papers - Immigration and Legal Ethics
Prof. Lisa Pruitt discusses Legal Deserts (Part 2)
Legal Deserts (Part 2)
Prof. Anthony Sebok discusses Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits
Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits
Prof. Anthony Sebok discusses Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits (Part 2)
Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits (Part 2)
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses Line Prosecutors v. Main Justice
Line Prosecutors v. Main Justice
Prof. John J. Donohue III discusses Mass Shootings and Gun Laws
Mass Shootings and Gun Laws
Prof. John J. Donohue III discusses Mass Shootings and Gun Laws (Part 2)
Mass Shootings and Gun Laws (Part 2)
Prof. Emily Murphy discusses Memory Evidence (Part 2)
Memory Evidence (Part 2)
Paulette Brown discusses #MeToo Challenges in the Legal Profession
#MeToo Challenges in the Legal Profession
Prof. Peter Huang discusses Model Minority & Associates
Model Minority & Associates
john a. powell discusses Modern Discrimination, Race & Inequality
Modern Discrimination, Race & Inequality
Terri Adler discusses Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women
Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women
Terri Adler discusses Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women (Part 2)
Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women (Part 2)
Lisa Smith discusses Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction
Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction
Lisa Smith discusses Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction (Part 2)
Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction (Part 2)
Prof. Rachel Harmon discusses Police Commands & Police Coercion
Police Commands & Police Coercion
Prof. Daniel Capra discusses Police Power and Personal Rights
Police Power and Personal Rights
Prof. Daniel Capra discusses Police Power and Personal Rights (Part 2)
Police Power and Personal Rights (Part 2)
Prof. I. Bennett Capers discusses Police Technology - From Body Cameras to Facial Recognition
Police Technology - From Body Cameras to Facial Recognition
Prof. Rachel Harmon discusses Policing the Police (Part 2)
Policing the Police (Part 2)
M. Chris Fabricant discusses Poor People Science & Wrongful Convictions
Poor People Science & Wrongful Convictions
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses Prosecutorial Discretion – Police Killings and Sexual Abuse
Prosecutorial Discretion – Police Killings and Sexual Abuse
Kay Levine discusses Prosecutorial Overreach and Reform
Prosecutorial Overreach and Reform
M. Chris Fabricant discusses Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics
Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics
M. Chris Fabricant discusses Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics (Part 2)
Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics (Part 2)
Prof. Fred Smith, Jr. discusses Qualified Immunity of the Police
Qualified Immunity of the Police
Race, Police, and Imperfect Justice Panel discusses Race, Police, and Imperfect Justice
Race, Police, and Imperfect Justice
Race, Police, and Imperfect Justice Panel discusses Race, Police, and Imperfect Justice (Part 2)
Race, Police, and Imperfect Justice (Part 2)
Alicia Bannon discusses Recusal & the Bounds of Judicial Bias
Recusal & the Bounds of Judicial Bias
Prof. John J. Donohue III discusses Regulating Guns: Smart Laws & Dumb Laws
Regulating Guns: Smart Laws & Dumb Laws
Prof. John J. Donohue III discusses Regulating Guns: Smart Laws & Dumb Laws (Part 2)
Regulating Guns: Smart Laws & Dumb Laws (Part 2)
Jennifer Justice discusses RocJustice - Law of Hip-Hop
RocJustice - Law of Hip-Hop
Prof. Kimberly Ferzan discusses Self Defense and the Use of Deadly Force
Self Defense and the Use of Deadly Force
Prof. Kimberly Ferzan discusses Self Defense and the Use of Deadly Force (Part 2)
Self Defense and the Use of Deadly Force (Part 2)
Daniel Levy discusses Stolen Art, Forgeries & Nazi Plunder
Stolen Art, Forgeries & Nazi Plunder
Gary Reing discusses Substance Abuse and Recovery - A Lawyer's Story
Substance Abuse and Recovery - A Lawyer's Story
Brian Cuban discusses The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis
The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis
Brian Cuban discusses The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 2)
The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 2)
Brian Cuban discusses The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 3)
The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 3)
Robin Steinberg discusses The Case for Holistic Defense
The Case for Holistic Defense
Prof. Deborah Denno discusses The Criminal's Brain - Neuroscience in the Courtroom
The Criminal's Brain - Neuroscience in the Courtroom
Sarah McShea discusses The Dangers of a Lateral Move
The Dangers of a Lateral Move
Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow discusses The Ethical Limits of Negotiations
The Ethical Limits of Negotiations
Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow discusses The Ethical Limits of Negotiations (Part 2)
The Ethical Limits of Negotiations (Part 2)
Judge Raja Rajeswari discusses The Language Conundrum - Access to Justice
The Language Conundrum - Access to Justice
David Sheehan discusses The Madoff Fraud: Unwinding a Ponzi Empire
The Madoff Fraud: Unwinding a Ponzi Empire
David Sheehan discusses The Madoff Fraud: Unwinding a Ponzi Empire (Part 2)
The Madoff Fraud: Unwinding a Ponzi Empire (Part 2)
Prof. Leslie Levin discusses The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma
The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma
Prof. Leslie Levin discusses The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma
The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma
Jon Krop discusses The Mindful Lawyer
The Mindful Lawyer
Jon Krop discusses The Mindful Lawyer (Part 2)
The Mindful Lawyer (Part 2)
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses The Power of the Prosecutor (Part 2)
The Power of the Prosecutor (Part 2)
Robin Steinberg discusses The Problem with Bail
The Problem with Bail
Seymour James discusses The Right to an Attorney - Currently Under Threat
The Right to an Attorney - Currently Under Threat
Prof. William H. Simon discusses Using Lawyers to Launder Money
Using Lawyers to Launder Money
Columbia Law School Faculty discusses Vulnerable Populations in a Pandemic
Vulnerable Populations in a Pandemic
Hal R. Lieberman discusses When Lawyers Break the Law
When Lawyers Break the Law
Prof. John Morley discusses Why Law Firms Implode
Why Law Firms Implode