The Violation of an Innocent
928402
Time to Kill is Grisham at his best!  With his vivid character description and sharp details, I felt as if I were there at the trial watching Jake Brigance defend Carl Lee Hailey.  Carl Lee Hailey was accused of murdering the two violent men who attacked, raped, and almost killed his nine year old daughter.  Racial tension, violence, and suspense are present throughout this exciting novel.
4062993
A must see, The people  who perpetrated the cover up,should have been prosecuted. This story is heart wrenching,and yet no one has been held responsible for this absolute betrayal by our governent of a man of honor,commitment who paid the ultimate sacrifice for a LIE.
3016438
Having followed this story for quite some time, I am pleased to see it documented truthfully and accurately by Jody Ortiz.  Mrs. Ortiz has been carefully following the wrongful conviction of Raye Dawn Smith for a very long time, having thoroughly compiled the facts as they relate to this case.  It is unfortunate that she has had to endure cyberbullying and cyberstalking simply for fighting for the truth. However, in bringing this to light, we can be encouraged that laws will be changed so that she and others can be protected in what should be a country of free and safe expression.
Excellent book. Well written. Your dedication to see that justice is served is a gift to all in this country where our rights and freedoms must be protected. Thank you Jody for bringing light to the truth of injustice in this case.
Wendy Norbom
National Coalitions for Criminal Justice Reform
137810
Larry McShane shows proof here of the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished".  I was lucky in 1972 when I fatally shot a suspect trying to kill my partner and me.  No one tried to say I was anything other than  an officer doing his duty.  Others have obviously not been so lucky.  This  book points that out, and I am gratified to see that these incidents are  getting some attention.  A good read for all who care about their  community.
Wayne D. Ford, Ph. D., author of Managing Police Stress.  docwifford@msn.com
253944
I don't know, but an honest citizen defending his home probably won't have the burden of proof described in this book. It seems to lean more toward "CYA" then it does honest an frank reporting of an unpleasant event.
2020468
This is a very good true crime book, which presents a fair-minded account of a very intelligent man, and a very sick one. If he had been able to seem compassionate, he might have gotten away with all if his crimes.
2466891
The story is well written with a bit of English  stoicism . The actual person that committed the crime giving you three possible.  Very good
255997
This is an excellent book.  You feel compassion for Roger Coleman as the wheels of justice turn ever so slowly, while keeping in mind that a brutal crime has been committed by someone, maybe Roger himself.  I came away  feeling an innocent man was wronged, but am less harsh toward the  "system" as I am toward Roger's incompetent legal  defense.
Capital punishment is bound to get people riled up on both sides  of the issue.  Try and leave your political leanings aside as you read  this. Focus only on the case and how it's handled.  Similar to "Mean  Justice" (very good as well), I was more struck by the mistakes that  happen early on in a trial that ultimately take you to the unfortunate  conclusion.  Things spiral out of control and good people can't make the  difference.
I recommend this book highly.  It's a troubling but  necessary tale to tell.
2757482
When talking about the enormous decline in sexual abuse cases inside the Catholic Church in recent years, it is customary to preface the remarks by saying that even one case of the clerical abuse of minors is too many. Such a qualifier is completely justified. The sacred dignity of the priesthood demands that priests be held to high standards. The innocence of children (so destroyed by our hypersexualized culture) must be safeguarded at all costs. Even a single case of sexual abuse of minors is one too many.

However, a second qualifier should also be made when talking about the scandals. In the cases of sexual abuse accusations against priests, a single false accusation is one too many. There must be an equal zeal to defend the honor of reputable priests whose lives are being ruined by fraudulent claims and unscrupulous accusers. It cannot be tolerated that to the scandal of clerical abuse of children is now added the scandal of Catholic priests being falsely accused.

However, this is exactly what is happening. David F. Pierre's latest book Catholic Priests Falsely Accused: The Facts, The Fraud, The Stories is an incredible account of this great unreported scandal. He tells not just a few isolated cases but documents a systemic disregard for the reputation of priests, a hostile judicial review of cases and a marked media bias against the Catholic Church.
4286769
As Dr. Manhattan said, "without condoning or condemning..."

I had and I still have a personal opinion of Rod Blagojevich. As a citizen of Chicago, I see the public's opinion on Blago and I can't help but be swayed by what the media and my fellow citizens portray of him.

However, the man has a story to tell and he did that in this book. He insists he is innocent--yes--but the law does the same by way of presumption of innocence until a trial proves him guilty. This book is not a testament of his guilt or innocence. It is, plain and simple, a story that needs to be told.

When you read this book, consider it a challenge for yourself to set aside your personal opinions and start on neutral grounds.
2819982
Rendered with his fictional writing flair, Turow has tackled a subject matter that literarily deals with life and death. In this short though thorough essay, the novelist reflects on the many arguments surrounding the death penalty. In March 2000, a Moratorium on executions was declared by the then Governor of Illinois, George Ryan. Turow, along with many distinguished lawyers and academics, after two years of deliberation, submitted their recommendations. As a result of these findings, Ryan made international news by commuting the sentences of 167 persons left on death row. (This made headline news in Australia as the death penalty here was abolished over forty years ago) It should go without saying that this was a bold move by the Governor and potential political suicide. However he was at the end of his tenure and decided to make a choice and act on that choice. This book summarizes the many aspects of the Moratorium's deliberations, which makes fascinating reading.

Before the Moratorium, Turow admits that he was a "Death Penalty Agnostic". In other words, the man was a fence sitter, refusing to make a stand either way. However, after two years on the committee, and by the end of the essay, if asked whether Illinois should retain Capital Punishment, his answer is a certain, no. After reading the many reasons for and against the debate, I found it understandable why he fell off the fence. That the system is fallible and the fact that, for the most part, we seem to be hard wired for revenge, it has been all too easy, in our zealousness for justice or retribution, to execute innocent people. This has occurred far too many times for any government to be comfortable executing its citizens. But of course, as Turow plainly points out, this issue is a complex one, which begs to be further unpacked, potently analysed, in order to make it law, either way, across the boards.

From my reading, the actual recommendations from the committee are reasonable and fair. For example, ensuring the videotaping of all questioning of a capital suspect conducted on a police facility; that the eligibility criteria for the death penalty is narrowed to five points; that the death penalty is not available when a conviction is based only on the testimony of a single eyewitness. (p. 122) The Moratorium did not want the death penalty abolished entirely, however, these recommendations are designed to ensure an innocent defendant stands a lesser chance of wrongful execution.

Turow writes great novels about the law. In this case, he has approached a subject that absolutely requires further debate. And he has done it with honesty and enthusiasm with a novelist's flair and elegance. Good reading.
4223701
With his story, he was sending some messages about, first, the value of respect and caring for people. We have inadvertently forgotten it until we see accidentally others behave disrespectfully to others. His non-verbal conversation with his case-police proves that the behavior of the young man was not only wrong but also hurt the others.

Second, as the law created to guide and educate people to respect others and social rules, therefore, his case police dismissed his case because the policeman recognized the writer is a good citizen after having non-conversation with him

Respect, caring, and treasure each others, then life is away beautiful is the renewed faith of Peter Nez
3638247
One technique that Paul employs in this book is to describe a series of events that almost anybody would consider immoral when such events occur amongst a group of a few individuals. Paul then shows that very similar events are perpetrated by governments against millions of people and that these events are somehow tolerated.

For example, from Chapter 4, "...anyone going to his neighbor's home and taking his money at gunpoint, regardless of the wonderful, selfless things he promised to do with it, would be promptly arrested as a thief...But for some reason it is considered morally acceptable when government does that very thing."
3637843
Linda Fairstein was the lead prosecutor in the Central Park Five case that sent innocent children to jail for years.  Everyone makes mistakes, including prosecutors.  However her actions in this case were both incompetent and systematically immoral.

Incompetence: How does an experienced prosecutor  not realize that none of the stories of the 5 suspects match up, the timeline of the crime does not match their whereabouts, the forensic evidence, including DNA, does not point to a group of people, nor does it tie any of the individual suspects to the scene of the crime.

Immorality:  Prosecutors lied about hair evidence.  Children were isolated from parents, friends, and legal counsel, and were manipulated into repeating stories that are fed to them.

The very worst offense is that at this point of time Mrs. Fairstein has not apologized or admitted that the case was a wholesale mistake.  Despite the fact that all charges against these people were rescinded, she still insists they are guilty despite the inability to produce one shred of evidence.

Notoriety from this case helped launch her book career.  Now that it is known that the entire case is fraudulent, please do not perpetuate her ability to make money off the backs of these innocent people.
1257196
An innocent ex-wife tries to prove that she knew nothing about a swindle that resulted in murder, even as she tries to find out who her Ex-husband was\is.  shortly, she learns that the swindle is only loosely connected to greater crimes and dangers.
86210
There are many Western countries today under the impression that Sharia Law, or Islamic Law, is a system of justice and impartiality. In truth, the whole concept of Sharia Law entirely benefits men; even falsely accused, women have little recourse but to submit. Under the Sharia, raped women are forced to provide witnesses to prove their innocence.

This book perfectly illustrates how easily such barbaric, outdated systems of 'justice' destroy innocent lives. The accused are guilty until proven innocent. Witnesses can be purchased. A man's testimony is worth more than a woman's, so even when he lies, the burden of proof is on the victim. True justice is non-existent.

The story of Soraya M. is heartbreaking. But the real tragedy is that it is repeated over and over in Islamic societies. Hopefully, this book will help expose the truth behind the oppression of women in the Middle East.
2201951
What factors lead to false or wrongful convictions? Is there an underlying psychopathology in some police or prosecutors that lead them to unjustly accuse and even frame innocent persons? This book examines three well-known cases, one each from the US, UK, and Italy, to shed considerable light on the factors leading to wrongful convictions, including the misconduct of police and prosecutors. Two of these cases have led to exonerations of clearly innocent persons, but in the third, from the US, a person who may have been wrongfully convicted remains in prison. This book should be read by all persons seeking to gain a better understanding of wrongful convictions.