The Illustrated Courtroom: 50 Years of Court Art

This unusual art book covers work by court artists Williams, Bill Robles, Howard Brodie, Aggie Kenny, and Richard Tomlinson. Crime journalist Russell (Lethal Intent) provides the narrative to what is a refreshing look at an often overlooked genre of drawing, which is seen by many as not fine art, but a form of craft. Regardless of what you call it, the work is expressive and the styles of each artist varied. Especially illuminating are the images of works that include the artist's notes on a particular person's appearance or physical attributes. The book relies on famous cases such as that of the Manson family, Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart, and O.J. Simpson. While using drawings of famous cases is probably better for a book—it allows readers to feel more of a connection with the work and understand the written descriptions better—it would also be interesting to see some unknown or less-known cases and their illustrations.