Shadows of Vallejo

Inside a Vallejo Public Defender's Rock-Star Rise and Fall

Discover the high-stakes career of a former Vallejo rock-star public defender, his own shocking murder solicitation trial, and how library archives revealed hidden insights. Book signing to follow.

What happens when the attorney defending California’s most notorious killers faces criminal charges himself? This gripping presentation pulls back the curtain on one of Solano County’s most enigmatic public defenders. Presented by his daughter, this event offers an unflinching, insider look at the chaotic 55-year legal career, shocking criminal charges, and ultimate redemption of attorney Stephen Camden—the subject of her true-crime book, Camden Files: Did the Ex-Public Defender of Vallejo, CA Hire Someone to Murder His Ex-Wife’s Boyfriend?
In the late 1960s and 1970s, Camden’s career intersected with the darkest corners of true crime. He regularly interacted with and represented infamous inmates like Charles Manson and Edmund Kemper at Vacaville's California Medical Facility. Yet, his personal life proved just as volatile as his courtroom battles. Widely recognized in his prime as the charismatic “Rod Stewart” of the legal community, this '80s rock-star attorney lived on the edge. His non-conformist lifestyle eventually caught up with him, leading to a shocking solicitation of murder charge that stripped him of his role as Vallejo's head public defender.

The presentation delivers a raw look at Camden’s public career, his personal wreckage, and his inspiring journey to reinvent himself through private practice. Attendees will explore his involvement in several high-profile murder cases, his own dramatic trial, and how local library archives unsealed these hidden historical insights. Ultimately, it is a powerful story about human resilience and the evolution of modern public defense. A book signing will follow the discussion.

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