all of you coming to talk about the book today. the case he talks about is about a man sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 50 years were steeling $153 videotapes from a k-mart store. he received the prosecution even though he never had committed a felony. california is the only state in the country where a person can receive a life sentence for shoplifting. after he received this sentence, he appealed the california court of appeals on the ground it was cruel and unusual punishment. they denieded review. he then wanted to go to federal court and the rid of habeas corpus and being held in constitution by the laws of the united states. his claim was that the sentences was cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the eighth amendment. there s no right to a lawyer in federal court with habeas corpus if convicted in state court even if which was a capitol case. he lost. the judge rejected his claim. he then filed an appeal on his own to the federal co
[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] thank you, ladies and gentlemen. if we could remember to turn off our cell phones, that would be excellent. this is not only one of arizona s most important cultural event, but as many authors will tell you, it s bun the best festivals in the country. this is something we can all be proud of. the weather outside today is nearly perfect, a reminder of what makes tucson so special this time of year, but the fact that hundreds come inside to participate in this conversation about the constitution is a reminder of what makes this special. we. to give we want to give c-span for televising this event. they are one the best channels on tv today. [applause] for lawyers in the room, they need no introduction. they use the standard textbook on constitutional law when they were law students. they could still be recoving from that 1300 page odyssey. [laughter] he wears a number of hats. hehe is a devoted teacher and mentor. he has r