Criminal That I Am: A Memoir

Synopsis

Criminal That I Am is a young lawyer's account of crime's unexpected consequences and the criminal justice system as seen through the prism of a particular case: her own. Jennifer Ridha was enlisted to defend Cameron Douglas, the son of film actor Michael Douglas, in a federal drug trafficking case. Beyond his celebrity, Cameron's case was complicated by the fact that he suffered from anxiety. As media scrutiny and the pressures of his case mounted, Cameron's anxiety worsened. When Jennifer's efforts to alleviate his condition through the proper channels fell flat, she agreed to illicitly smuggle in the anti-anxiety medication that the prison refused to dispense. When her transgression was discovered, her criminal case began. A compelling trip from professional self-destruction through tabloid scandal to redemption, Criminal That I Am chronicles Ridha's tumultuous journey, beginning with her decision to commit a crime on behalf of a man she loved to the ultimately transformative consequences that came after. This is a compelling, twisted love story that contemplates what we make of crime and punishment . . . and what it makes of us.