Assigned Counsel (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798890613325)

Frank Logan is a neighborhood attorney who specializes in criminal defense and is assigned to represent Joseph Porto in a case where Porto is accused of raping his ex-wife, Helen. In the course of representing his client, Frank discovers several facts about the defendant that cause Frank to doubt the sincerity of his client, namely, that his client seems to have a healthy libido, a roving eye for pretty women, and a very bad temper. Additionally, Porto appears to have an unusually close relationship with his first wife, Maria, a relationship of which both he and Maria are very defensive. As Frank investigates the case, he notices certain discrepancies in the police reports, which may simply be typographical errors or keys to mounting the defense of his client. He also discovers certain facts about Helen's past, which may explain those discrepancies, positively or negatively. To further complicate things, the case is being prosecuted by an overzealous assistant district attorney, and there is a women's rights advocate and a news reporter who have taken an interest in the case. These facts cause Frank concern about his client's ability to get a fair trial. The case ultimately goes to a trial, which is filled with tumult, and the jury returns a verdict.