The Burden of Justice: A DOJ Lawyer's Testimonial on Truth, Love, and the Human Toll of Mass Shootings - Paperback

by Paul Stern (Author)

What does justice mean when litigating against mass shooting victims?

As lead counsel for the US Department of Justice, Paul found himself in the courtroom with grieving families in the aftermath of two of America's deadliest mass shootings: Sutherland Springs and Parkland. His job wasn't to console the families it was to argue that the government bore no responsibility for their loss.

The Burden of Justice is an insider account of what happens when the machinery of government collides with unthinkable tragedy. Through Paul's unflinching narrative, you will grapple with the moral dilemmas at the center of the cases: Are we responsible for the criminal acts of others? Were the shootings foreseeable and to whom? How effective are gun-safety laws in preventing mass shootings? But this isn't a story about legal strategy or courtroom drama. It's about the humanity that persists through the dehumanizing acts of mass murder and terrorism.

Raw, morally complex, and deeply personal, The Burden of Justice is a memoir that will fundamentally change how you think about accountability, justice, and the price we pay for living in a society where such tragedies have become routine. In the end, Paul learns that sometimes the heaviest burden isn't defending your client-it's living with yourself afterward.