Her Life Covering Crime
Erin Moriarty ’77 is renowned for her work as a journalist at CBS. She has covered some of the American legal system’s biggest stories, including the trial of OJ Simpson, the wrongful conviction of Ryan Ferguson, the death of JonBenet Ramsey, and the case of millionaire Robert Durst. But before she was sharing stories with a nationwide audience, Moriarty was sharing insights with her fellow classmates as an Ohio State Law student.
“I owe everything to law school,” Moriarty said. “That’s why I’ve stayed so involved with the university and the College.”
Discovering a career path
Moriarty always knew she wanted to go to law school – it's all she ever wanted. Growing up watching Perry Mason with her family and seeing her dad practice law, it never occurred to her not to go. After completing her undergraduate degree at Ohio State, she decided it was her best option to stay for law school. Moriarty found herself enjoying her classes and new challenges.
“I found it to be the most stimulating education that I received,” she said. “It was the first time I was challenged in my entire life.”
Moriarty credits her legal research class as being one of the most influential and important ones she took. She loved learning how to think critically and write for a legal context. Although it was a challenge to be in law school at a time when there were few other women, Moriarty says the experience made her tougher and helped shape her into who she is today.
After graduation, Moriarty started working for a firm where she was the only female attorney. Realizing she would need to bring in business and clients, she had an idea.
“I had read about a television show they were going to start in Columbus. I thought that if I ended up on TV, people would know who I was and I would be able to get clients,” she remembers.
To Moriarty’s surprise, she got the job at the television show and quickly found her passion for storytelling.
“Over the years, I realized I could cover and analyze legal issues,” she said. “That’s when I really started focusing on wrongful convictions and examining when the justice system works and when it doesn’t.”
A unique perspective
Because of her legal background, Moriarty has a deeper understanding of her subjects and brings a distinct perspective to her stories. She helps produce and write them for 48 Hours, CBS Sunday Morning, and her podcast, My Life of Crime with Erin Moriarty.
“I don't think anybody else does them the way I do,” she said.
Moriarty shared that the stories take a lot of time and dedication to put together. There is a significant amount of reading and analyzing – from trial transcripts, to post hearing filings, to state laws and policies. She and her team then take all that information and distill it into an explanation for the public to consume and understand, while sharing the narrative to support it. The time and effort they put into these stories are worth it.
“We have seen 12 people who were wrongfully convicted walk out of prison after we did stories about them,” she said. “We had varying levels of involvement with each story, but we made a difference.”
Moriarty has earned many awards for her journalism including nine Emmys and, in 2019, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. The greatest impact Moriarty feels, though, comes from the connections made with the people she has met.
“I stay in touch with so many of the people we cover,” she shared. “You have a connection with people you never would have met under any other circumstance. There’s amazing joy in getting to know these people as well as we do.”
Finding people and passion
One of the best pieces of advice Moriarty received and now shares with others is to collect people in life. Growing a network and making connections supports both personal and professional development, so she urges young professionals not to shy away from reaching out. She has seen the impact it can have, too.
“I had an intern when I first got to CBS who was so likable and endearing,” she shared. “Once his internship was over, he still stayed in touch with us. He worked hard and never let us go. I think that’s been part of the secret to his success – staying in touch and genuinely enjoying connecting with people.”
The intern? Now-television host Andy Cohen.
Moriarty also advises students to stay curious, because it will open doors they may not have considered before. This mindset is part of what led her to journalism and how she found what she really enjoys.
“Think about your best skills and what it is that drives you,” she said. “Find a job that lets you do what you love to do and follow your passions.”
By seamlessly integrating her own passion and legal expertise into her work, Moriarty tells stories of the criminal justice system in a unique way. Her impact extends far beyond her audience, leaving an indelible mark on the law and journalism.