title: Speaking Freely: Trials of the First Amendment
author:  Floyd Abrams 
description: "Charming, engaging, and often compelling." &mdash;<b>The Washington Post</b>
zlib_text: In making this statement-which I do of my own free will-I wish first to make
  it perfectly clear that I am not in any way trying to gain sympathy, nor do I
  expect any mitigation of whatever sentence the Court may pronounce. I am
  writing this in an attempt to refute some of the lying reports broadcast over
  the prison radio and published in the papers I have been allowed to see. These
  have given an entirely false picture of the true cause of our defeat, and as
  the leader of my race’s armed forces at the cessation of hostilities I feel it
  my duty to protest against such libels upon those who served under me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I also hope that this statement may explain the reasons for the application I
  have twice made to the Court, and will now induce it to grant a favor for
  which I can see no possible grounds of refusal.
  
  
  
  
  
  The ultimate cause of our failure was a simple one: despite all statements to
  the contrary, it was not due to lack of bravery on the part of our men, or to
  any fault of the Fleet