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winter | federation flyer
www.thefederation.org
American Mother, written by
Colum McCann with Diane
Foley, is the heart-rending story
of a mother, who in the course of
confronting her son’s killer after a
Federal Court trial and conviction,
comes to understand violence,
understanding, and forgiveness.
Diane Foley is the mother of James
Foley, an American journalist,
who was captured and killed in
Syria by terrorists in 2014. Seven
years later, in 2021, Diane Foley
had the opportunity to confront
and meet with the murderer of
her son in an Alexandria, Virginia
courthouse, thereafter, inspiring
her to tell her life and son’s life
story. What unfolds is one of the
most compelling narratives in
recent literature, channeled into
searing reality by National Book
Award Winner Colum McCann,
who brings the reader along
with Ms. Foley on her journey of
strength, resilience, empathy, and
forgiveness.
FDCC member John Delany of
Marshall Dennehy of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, a nationally
recognized trial attorney, will
moderate a discussion amongst
Ms. Foley, Mr. McCann, and
Mr. Fitzpatrick to explain how a
prepared, empathetic and sincere
defense trial attorney can best
marshal the evidence and law to
present a compelling case on behalf
of his or her client and avoid the
catastrophe of an adverse nuclear
verdict.
Diane Foley founded the James
W. Foley Legacy Foundation
to advocate for the freedom of
innocent Americans held hostage
or wrongfully detained abroad
and for the safety of journalists.
The Foley Foundation has raised
awareness about international
hostage taking through the
advocacy of Ms. Foley before
governments, the James Foley story
as published in American Mother,
and various opinion pieces in
leading publications such as The
New York Times, The Washington
Post, and USA Today. Colum
McCann of Dublin, Ireland has won
multiple awards and honors for his
seven novels and three collections
of short stories. Dennis Fitzpatrick,
the prosecutor of those responsible
for James Foley’s death, is presently
a partner in the Washington,
D.C. firm of Whiteford, Taylor &
Preston, LLP where he concentrates
his practice in investigating and
defending complex criminal cases
and investigations, both domestic
and abroad. Mr. Fitzpatrick served
as an Assistant United States
Attorney for the Eastern District of
Virginia focused on investigations
and trials as part of the National
Security and International Crime
Unit when he tried the case which
is the subject of the book. This is
a trial tactics presentation you will
not want to miss!
Our Trial Master program
consists of an intensive two-hour
presentation in trial techniques
lead by some of the FDCC’s most
experienced and outstanding trial
attorneys. The program is a case
study based upon a federal sexual
harassment lawsuit prepared and
tried to verdict. Speakers will
address how to craft and present
compelling opening statements and
persuasive closing arguments and
best practices for the preparation,
examination, cross-examination,
and rehabilitation of a corporate
representative witness. Amanda
Cialkowski will guide us in the
strategy, writing and presentation
of a compelling opening statement
with John Worden addressing the
effective preparation and delivery
of closing argument. L. Johnson
Sarber III and William Toles will
present, examine, cross-examine,
and rehabilitate the corporate
representative witness portrayed
Dennis Fitzpatrick
FDCC Meetings - Looking Ahead