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To History
The "Underwear Bomber"
is just the latest defendant
courtroom artist Carole Kabrin
has drawn for TV news.
David Sachs I Senior Copy Editor
18
November 17 • 2011
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Kabrin, a native Detroiter and a gradu-
ate of Southfield High and Wayne State
University, has been one of the country's
most prominent courtroom artists for the
past 36 years. She had a front-row seat for
the Underwear Bomber's trial in Detroit
Federal Court last month.
"I take my role as an artist-reporter very
seriously and don't judge the guilt or inno-
cence of a defendant:' she said. "I strive to
be like a camera in places where cameras
are forbidden. I've refused the occasional
suggestion from a TV news producer to
make a criminal defendant look 'uglier:
And likewise, I can't let my personal feel-
ings come through in my artwork."
High-Profile Trials
During her career, Kabrin witnessed it all.
She's covered terrorist trials before — those
of Oklahoma City federal building bombers
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
"The only time I broke down and cried
in court is when I heard the descriptions
of the child victims in the day care center','
she said. "Tears mixed with my makeup,
and it was all over — I couldn't see:'
Kabrin has covered the trials of prominent
and controversial figures, including deposed
Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega,
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, renegade
automaker John DeLorean and heavyweight
champ/rape defendant Mike Tyson.
She found Noriega and Tyson charis-
matic and friendly. "Noriega used to wave
at me:' Kabrin
Heavyweight fighter
said. "I was prob-
Mike Tyson stood
ably one of the
trial in Indianapolis
only people that
for the date-rape of
was nice to him.
Desiree Washington.
"Leaders like
Noriega and
Kwame are very personable. That's how
politicians get in office. When you meet
Kwame, you have to like him. But watching
him in court, I also saw his arrogant side."
The unrepentant Underwear Bomber,
who chose to act as his own attorney,
pleaded guilty at the beginning of his trial
and will spend the rest of his life in a fed-
eral penitentiary. But he took advantage of
the limelight, spewing propaganda when
reporters were present.
The defendant expressed his contempt
for the United States throughout the pro-