
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Doug Passon: Breaking Down Barriers, How Understanding Autism Changes Legal Outcomes
Fri, 11 Apr 2025
Send us a textDoug Passon shares his journey as a criminal defense lawyer and filmmaker advocating for autistic individuals in the legal system, drawing from both his professional experience and personal connection as a parent of an autistic son.• Criminal defense lawyer who uses documentary filmmaking to humanize clients at sentencing• Pioneered the use of video in sentencing mitigation, recognized by Wall Street Journal• Self-described as both lawyer and filmmaker who shows humanity behind the case file• Explains how many autistic defendants lack proper diagnosis before entering legal system • Describes the "Three Pillars" leading to legal trouble: isolation, hyperfocus, and poor executive functioning• Challenges misconceptions about "high-functioning" autism masking genuine impairments• Emphasizes perspective-taking difficulties ("mind blindness") common in autism• Reports near-zero recidivism rate among autistic defendants who receive proper support• Advocates for better education among legal professionals about autism• Warns parents about online vulnerabilities that can lead autistic children into legal troubleIf you know anyone that would like to tell us their story, send them to TonyMantor.com and they can give us their information so one day they may be a guest on our show.https://tonymantor.comhttps://Facebook.com/tonymantorhttps://instagram.com/tonymantorhttps://twitter.com/tonymantorhttps://youtube.com/tonymantormusicintro/outro music bed written by T. WildWhy Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)
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