• Associate professor, School of Law
• Associate professor, African and African American Studies

Bracey

• B.S. at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• J.D. at Harvard Law School

News Stories & Tip Sheets:

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O.J. Simpson's legal woes - cultural, legal expert available Case highlights the "pitfalls and possibilities of celebrity justice" Sept. 21, 2007 -- "It is unlikely that a dispute over proper ownership of sports memorabilia would receive this sort of attention if it did not involve O.J. Simpson," says Christopher A. Bracey, associate professor of law and of African and African-American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. "If the past is prologue, his celebrity status may also prove to be his 'get out of jail free' card, reinforcing his reputation as a man who operates 'above the law.' On the other hand, recent celebrity cases suggest that celebrated athletes and entertainers will no longer receive a free pass when it comes to the criminal justice system. In the case of Michael Vick — and perhaps OJ — one might argue that celebrities are now, in some sense, being targeted for prosecution." Bracey is following the Simpson case and is available for interviews.

Law, cultural expert available for comment What Vick can avoid if he accepts a plea deal Aug. 16, 2007 -- "If all of the other defendants accept plea deals, and Vick does not, Vick will become the last man standing," says Christopher A. Bracey, associate professor of law and of African and African-American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. "This means that he will not only bear the brunt of a focused prosecution, but one substantially assisted by his former co-defendants." He is following the case and is available for interviews.

Law, cultural expert available for comment Vick indictment raises questions regarding the culture and socialization of professional athletes, NFL discipline, and the challenges of prosecuting celebrity defendants July 18, 2007 -- Bracey "The situation does not look good for Michael Vick and his co-defendants," says Christopher A. Bracey, associate professor of law and of African and African-American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. "Vick's indictment on charges related to dog fighting contains multiple allegations of overt acts, and only one needs to be proven in order to sustain a conviction." Bracey says that this indictment raises a number of cultural and legal questions. He is following the case and is available for interviews.

'It is her word against theirs' Sexism, racism and classism in American society running through the Duke lacrosse case, says criminal procedure expert June 8, 2006 -- Bracey "In the Duke Lacrosse rape case, we have a story of a horrifying gang rape, taking place against the backdrop of the most vulgar aspects of sexism, racism and classism in American society," says Christopher Bracey, J.D., criminal procedure expert and associate professor of law and of African & African American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. "This is why it is so important for District Attorney Michael Nifong to get a handle on this case, and soon." More...

Criminal procedure expert available for commentary Michael Jackson?s defense team provided foundation for an acquittal June 8, 2005 -- Bracey Michael Jackson's defense team came out strong in the final phase of the dramatic trial, according to Christopher Bracey, criminal procedure expert and associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. "The defense was effective in giving the jurors good reason to be skeptical of the prosecution's case. No one can predict with any degree of accuracy what the jury will decide. But based upon the evidentiary phase of this trial, an acquittal certainly seems more likely than a conviction." While the jury reviews the case, Bracey is available to comment on the trial process; how Jackson's celebrity status will shape the jury's consideration of evidence; and the verdict.

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Clips:

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Two plead guilty in dogfighting case tied to vick The New York Times and 4 others Aug. 17, 2007 -- Two more individuals who pleaded not guilty last month along with Michael Vick to charges stemming from a dog fighting ring agreed to plea agreements with the government. He faces three felony charges related to dog fighting and could face up to five years in prison and as much as a $250,000 fine if found guilty. Christopher Bracey, a professor of law and African American Studies at WUSTL, comments in a telephone interview.

The Elusive Vick Takes His Hardest Hit The New York Times July 20, 2007 -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is one of the most important and well-known players in the NFL. Vick was indicted on federal felony charges alleging that he had sponsored dogfighting since 2001, that he frequently gambled on dogfighting and that he authorized acts of cruelty against animals on property that he owned. He is also facing the NFL's new law-and-order commissioner, Roger Goodell. WUSTL AFAS and law professor Christopher Bracey says this has become bigger than Michael Vick. "He has become a poster child for animal rights and animal fighting, for conspicuous consumption, for bad judgment and for what happens when you give someone too much too soon."

Christopher Bracey

Prior to becoming a professor, Bracey clerked for the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and subsequently joined the Washington, D.C. Office of Jenner & Block, where he litigated a variety of civil and criminal matters. Bracey, a magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, received his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he served as a Supervising Editor on the Harvard Law Review, a general editor on the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, and an editor on the Harvard Blackletter Law Journal.

Bracey has delivered lectures and presentations on a variety of topics involving race relations and criminal justice, including "Racial Profiling and the Post-September 11th Arab-American Experience," "The Future of Affirmative Action in Higher Education," "Race, Crime, and Reproductive Rights: The Ferguson v. City of Charleston case," "Diversity in the Legal Profession," "Hate Crime Laws * Symbolic Gesture or Effective Solution," "Black & Blue: Colorable Issues in Race and Law Enforcement," "Economic Empowerment of the Black Community," and "Middle East Dialogue: A Conversation on the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict."