In 1961 F. Lee Bailey joined the defense of Dr. Sam Sheppard, who had already been convicted of the murder of his wife. He succeeded in having the conviction reversed by the Supreme Court and in a new trial got his client acquitted. In 1967 he represented the Boston Strangler and by legal maneuverings avoided his conviction for murder. One of the most successful criminal defense attorneys of his day, he often found himself in the center of publicity. He combined intelligent legal maneuvers with a canny ability for establishing a rapport with members of the jury.

In 1963 a scandal appeared in the United States Senate. Bobby Baker was the secretary for the Democratic majority in that body and had become a powerful figure in his own right. He was sometimes called the "101st senator" because of his influence on legislation and committee assignments...