Best of
True-Crime

2010

Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin


Hampton Sides - 2010
    Fashioning himself Eric Galt, this nondescript thief and con man—whose real name was James Earl Ray—drifted through the South, into Mexico, and then Los Angeles, where he was galvanized by George Wallace’s racist presidential campaign. On February 1, 1968, two Memphis garbage men were crushed to death in their hydraulic truck, provoking the exclusively African American workforce to go on strike. Hoping to resuscitate his faltering crusade, King joined the sanitation workers’ cause, but their march down Beale Street, the historic avenue of the blues, turned violent. Humiliated, King fatefully vowed to return to Memphis in April. With relentless storytelling drive, Sides follows Galt and King as they crisscross the country, one stalking the other, until the crushing moment at the Lorraine Motel when the drifter catches up with his prey. Against the backdrop of the resulting nationwide riots and the pathos of King’s funeral, Sides gives us a riveting cross-cut narrative of the assassin’s flight and the sixty-five-day search that led investigators to Canada, Portugal, and England—a massive manhunt ironically led by Hoover’s FBI.

One of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley


Carol Ann Lee - 2010
    Without a doubt Britain's most notorious murderess, her death has done nothing to diminish the shadow she casts across our collective consciousness. This book presents a study of Hindley.

Shattered


Kathryn Casey - 2010
    In Shattered, she explores in riveting detail an infamous Houston area crime: the brutal slaying of a young mother and her unborn child by the person closest to them.  Bestselling author Carlton Stowers numbers Kathryn Casey “among the elite of true crime writers,” and Shattered—a shocking true story of blood, rage, and betrayal—will only enhance her reputation as one of the best of the best.

On the Farm


Stevie Cameron - 2010
    You need On the Farm.Covering the case of one of North America's most prolific serial killer gave Stevie Cameron access not only to the story as it unfolded over many years in two British Columbia courthouses, but also to information unknown to the police - and not in the transcripts of their interviews with Pickton - such as from Pickton's long-time best friend, Lisa Yelds, and from several women who survived terrifying encounters with him. You will now learn what was behind law enforcement's refusal to believe that a serial killer was at work.Stevie Cameron first began following the story of missing women in 1998, when the odd newspaper piece appeared chronicling the disappearances of drug-addicted sex trade workers from Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. It was February 2002 before Robert William Pickton was arrested, and 2008 before he was found guilty, on six counts of second-degree murder. These counts were appealed and in 2010, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its conclusion. The guilty verdict was upheld, and finally this unprecedented tale of true crime can be told.From the Hardcover edition.

Hard Time: Banged Up Abroad Raving Arizona


Shaun Attwood - 2010
    He moves to Arizona with only student credit cards and becomes a stock-market millionaire. After throwing Ecstasy parties for thousands of ravers, Shaun bumps heads with Sammy the Bull Gravano, an Italian Mafia mass murderer, who puts a hit out on him.The dream turns into a nightmare when a SWAT team smashes Shaun’s door down. Inside Arizona’s deadliest jail, Shaun struggles to survive against an unpredictable backdrop of gang violence and sickening human-rights violations. Over time and bolstered by the love and support of his fiancée and family, he uses incarceration for learning and introspection.With a tiny pencil sharpened on a cell door, Shaun documents the conditions: dead rats in the food, cockroaches crawling in his ears at night, murders and riots… Smuggled out of maximum-security and posted online, his writing shines the international media spotlight on the plight of the prisoners in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jail. Join best-selling author Shaun Attwood on a harrowing voyage into the darkest recesses of human existence in Hard Time, the second book from the English Shaun trilogy.

The unknown Mongol


Scott "Junior" Ereckson - 2010
    From a child to the National President of one the most notorious Motorcycle clubs in history. The best book of its genre.Once you start it you won't be able to put it down.

Rose West: The Making of a Monster


Jane Carter Woodrow - 2010
    Strangers would stop and stare at her in the street and she could entrance people from a very early age. But looking back at photos of Rose as a child, you struggle to accept that she grew up to one of the country's most notorious female criminals.In ROSE, Jane Carter Woodrow goes right back to the start in her life to try and piece together what happened to turn Rose West into the violent monster she became. Jane has gained unprecedented access to the family and has revealed a fascinating story of how there was always something 'not quite right' about Rose...And perhaps that's not too surprising... Rose's childhood reads like one of the most grim misery memoirs. Her father was a violent schizophrenic and her mother received electric shock therapy for severe clinical depression, the whole way through her pregnancy with Rose. Jane has uncovered a horrific hidden story of a twisted family and how her upbringing made her a perfect partner for Fred West when they met when Rose had just turned 16. She was to kill for the first time a few months later.This is a gripping, unputdownable read that sheds light for the first time on the story behind what turned Rose West into one of the country's most vicious and deadly serial killers.

Criminal Minds: Sociopaths, Serial Killers, and Other Deviants


Jeffrey J. Mariotte - 2010
    This book tells the story of those examples.Published to coincide with the release of season five of Criminal Minds on DVDOrganized by type of criminal, including solo serial killers, sexual predators, and killers with famous victims; and tells the stories of many famous murderers, including David Berkowitz, Jeffrey Dahmer, Mark David Chapman, and the Zodiac killerFeatures photographs from the showCriminal Minds: Sociopaths, Serial Killers, and Other Deviants is a fascinating, terrifying book about the criminal minds who live among us.

My Stolen Son: The Nick Markowitz Story


Susan Markowitz - 2010
    Now she tells her own gripping story-the unbelievable motive for the murder, the shocking identity of the accused, and her own nine-year battle to bring her son's killers to justice.

Kill For Me


M. William Phelps - 2010
    After Rozzo refused the 'roided-up ex-con's advances, she described how he imprisoned, raped, and brutalized her for two days. When the courageous woman pledged to testify against him, Humphrey knew he had to silence her. . .His WeaponThat's when he turned to 19-year-old Ashley Laney. She had fallen in love with Humphrey, her personal trainer, and would do anything for him. On their wedding night, he made a strange request--one that would end with eight gunshot wounds and a dead body.His SchemeThe police knew Humphrey was the likely suspect, but he had an alibi for the time of the shooting. How could they prove that, even if he didn't pull the trigger, he was the manipulative psychopath behind Sandee's murder? It would all come down to a prison escape, a manhunt for a killer, and an explosive trial. . ."One of our most engaging crime journalists." --Dr. Katherine Ramsland"Phelps gets into the blood and guts of the story" --Gregg OlsenCase seen on 48 Hours Includes 16 Pages Of Shocking Photos

The Road Through Wonderland: Surviving John Holmes (5 Year Anniversary)


Dawn Schiller - 2010
    Starting with a childhood that molded her perfectly to fall for the seduction of “the king of porn,” this autobiography recounts the perilous road that Dawn Schiller traveled—from drugs and addiction to beatings, arrests, forced prostitution, and being sold to the drug underworld. After living through the horrific Wonderland murders of 1981, she entered protective custody, ran from the FBI, and turned in John Holmes to the police. This is the true story of a young girl’s harrowing escape from one of the most infamous public figures, her struggle to survive, and her recovery from unthinkable abuse.

Events of October: Murder-Suicide on a Small Campus


Gail Griffin - 2010
    In the wake of this tragedy, the community of the small, idyllic liberal arts college struggled to characterize the incident, which was even called "the events of October" in a campus memo. In this engaging and intimate examination of Maggie and Neenef's deaths, author and Kalamazoo College professor Gail Griffin attempts to answer the lingering question of "how could this happen?" to two seemingly normal students on such a close-knit campus. Griffin introduces readers to Maggie and Neenef--a bright and athletic local girl and the quiet Iraqi-American computer student--and retraces their relationship from multiple perspectives, including those of their friends, teachers, and classmates. She examines the tension that built between Maggie and Neenef as his demands for more of her time and emotional support grew, eventually leading to their breakup. After the deaths take place, Griffin presents multiple reactions, including those of Maggie's friends who were waiting for her to return from Neenef's room, the students who heard the shotgun blasts in the hallway of Neenef's dorm, the president who struggled to guide a grieving campus, and the facilities manager in charge of cleaning up the crime scene. Griffin also uses Maggie and Neenef's story to explore larger issues of intimate partner violence, gun accessibility, and depression and suicide on campus as she attempts to understand the lasting importance of their tragic deaths. Griffin's use of source material, including college documents, official police reports, Neenef's suicide note, and an instant message record between perpetrator and victim, puts a very real face on issues of violence against women. Readers interested in true crime, gender studies, and the culture of colleges and universities will appreciate "The Events of October."

Mr. New Orleans: The Life of a Big Easy Underworld Legend


Frenchy Brouillette - 2010
    but you can just call him MR. NEW ORLEANS. Mr. New Orleans tells the incredible story of Frenchy Brouillette, a redneck Cajun teenager who stole his big brother's motorcycle and embarked on a 60-year vacation to New Orleans, where he became a legendary gangster and the underworld political fixer for his cousin, Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards. Written by Crescent City native Matthew Randazzo V, the wickedly funny Mr. New Orleans is the first book to ever break the code of secrecy of the New Orleans Mafia Family, the oldest and most mysterious criminal secret society in America. "Mr. New Orleans is a rollicking, disturbing ride through the underbelly of a bygone New Orleans, lined with moments of dark, side-splitting hilarity. If you're a fan of James Lee Burke, drop what you're reading and pick this one up. In an era when popular wisdom tells us T.V. has stolen all depth from the literary true-crime narrative, Matthew Randazzo has found a way to beat that trend mightily; he's gone straight to the source and captured the singular, confounding voice of the New Orleans' mafia's top political fixer with fast-paced, riveting prose and a fine journalist's eye for detail." Chris Rice, New York Times Bestselling Author "Mr. New Orleans is a total knockout: Take everything you ever imagined about the sleazy good times to be had in New Orleans -- the sleazy good times capital of America -- and quadruple it, and you have a hint of what's inside these sticky pages." Bill Tonelli, Author of The Italian American Reader and Editor for Esquire and Rolling Stone

Killing Time: An 18-Year Odyssey from Death Row to Freedom


John Hollway - 2010
    He was sent to Angola Prison and confined to his cell for twenty-three hours a day. However, Thompson adamantly proclaimed his innocence and just needed lawyers who believed that his trial had been mishandled and would step up to the plate against the powerful DA’s office. But who would fight for Thompson’s innocence when he didn’t have an alibi for the night of the murder and there were two key witnesses to confirm his guilt?Killing Time is about the eighteen-year quest for Thompson’s freedom from a wrongful murder conviction. After Philadelphia lawyers Michael Banks and Gordon Cooney take on his case, they struggle to find areas of misconduct in his previous trials while grappling with their questions about Thompson’s innocence. John Hollway and Ronald M. Gauthier have interviewed Thompson and the lawyers, and paint a realistic and compelling portrait of life on death row and the corruption in the Louisiana police and DA’s office. When it is found that evidence was mishandled in a previous trial that led to his death sentence in the murder case, Thompson is finally on his road to freedom—a journey that continues with his suit against Harry Connick, Sr. and the New Orleans DA’s office to this day.

Death Trap


M. William Phelps - 2010
    . .compelling! --New York Times bestselling author Harry N. MacLean"Eye-opening. . . Phelps's writing reads like a mystery novel." --Suspense MagazineIt started when Alan Bates and his new wife arrived at his ex's house to pick up his two daughters for a weekend visit. Then two charred bodies were found in a burned-out car on a lonely Georgia road. . .and investigators pieced together a shattering story of a vicious divorce, a spurned woman's bitter rage, and a thirst for revenge that led to cruel, unflinching murder. Updating this gripping true-life thriller with shocking new details, M. William Phelps uncovers the cold heart of an unthinkable crime."One of America's finest true-crime writers." --Vincent Bugliosi "Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers." --Allison BrennanIncludes 16 Pages Of Dramatic Photos

Fighting the Devil: A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder


Jeannie Walker - 2010
    She wasn't satisfied with a lavish lifestyle, and her rich husband stood in her way. She knew her middlle-aged lesbian lover would do anything to set her free, even if it meant premeditated murder.A few years after the millionaire's death, a bottle of arsenic and mail to the millionaire was found in a storage locker rented by a woman under an assumed name. Nobody could have predicted the murder or the aftermath with its strange twists and unexpected results as the millionaire's ex-wife becomes a sleuth to help solve the murder.

Reggie Kray's East End Stories: The lost memoir of a gangland legend


Reggie Kray - 2010
    Reggie wrote his EAST END STORIES in the early 1990s, but they haven't seen the light of day until now. In the book, he recalls the close-knit East End community in which he and his brother grew up, the characters in his family and neighbourhood, and of course, the many villains he worked with. Filled with anecdotes about the area’s most outlandish personalities and notorious criminals, and offering a fascinating journey around the Krays’ ‘manor’ including their favourite haunts and business enterprises, the book paints a vivid portrait of a London that has long since disappeared.

From Victim to Hero: The Untold Story of Steven Stayner


Jim Laughter - 2010
    Steven’s story inspires and exemplifies the goodness and strength within the human spirit. The trauma experienced by the family is shared, giving insight of the impact on the marriage, children, and friends. Whether in abuse or abduction, From Victim to Hero portrays the grooming, lying and strategies used by predators to convince and coerce their victims into compliance. This book reiterates the three principles victims must realize – 1. Nobody has the right to hurt you. 2. It’s not your fault. 3. You don’t have the right to hurt others. Buy this book. Share it with your children. Keep them safe.Ed Smart (father of kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart)President, Surviving Parents CoalitionIn this book, From Victim to Hero, Jim Laughter expresses Steven’s heart and brings to light the extraordinary spirit of a young man that endangered himself because he believed rescuing Timmy White was the right thing to do.Diane L Brown, Founder/DirectorSafety Kids, Inc.

The Job: Fighting Crime From the Frontline


Charlie Bezzina - 2010
    The Job is an explosive and intriguing account of what it takes to be a criminal investigator at the highest level.

3,096 Days


Natascha Kampusch - 2010
    Hours later she found herself in a dark cellar, wrapped in a blanket. When she emerged eight years later, her childhood had gone. In "3,096 Days" Natascha tells her incredible story for the first time: her difficult childhood, what exactly happened on the day of her abduction, her imprisonment in a five-square-metre dungeon, and the mental and physical abuse she suffered from her abductor, Wolfgang Priklopil. "3,096 Days" is ultimately a story about the triumph of the human spirit. It describes how, in a situation of almost unbearable hopelessness, she slowly learned how to manipulate her captor. And how, against inconceivable odds, she managed to escape unbroken.

The Secret Society of Dog


Jimmy Cvetic - 2010
    

The Crime Buff's Guide to Outlaw Texas


Ron Franscell - 2010
    . . Not unlike Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.”  —Chicago Sun-Times “This uncommon story has every chilling component of human terror, drama, and suspense that readers of true crime look for.”  —Vincent Bugliosi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter “A very, very, good book . . . written by a very, very, good writer.” —Ann Rule, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Beside Me

Murderer No More: Andrew Mallard and the Epic Fight that Proved His Innocence


Colleen Egan - 2010
    Fairly quickly, police suspicion fell on a young, psychologically fragile drifter named Andrew Mallard; he was ultimately charged and convicted of this murder. It took 13 years for this injustice to unravel. Here is it's tale.

Terror Cops: Fighting Terrorism on Britain's Streets


Harry Keeble - 2010
    A Metropolitan police officer's thrilling and terrifying account of fighting terrorism.

The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro's Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal


Cheri Seymour - 2010
    Based on 18 years of investigative research, this account reveals high-level, covert government operations and the elaborate corporate structures and the theft of high-tech software (PROMIS) used as smoke-and-mirror covers for narcotics trafficking, money laundering, arms sales, and espionage. The Octopus connections to a maze of politicians and officials in the National Security Council, the CIA, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice are revealed. A detailed look into the recent high-profile arrest of Mafia hit-man Jimmy Hughes is also included in this intriguing analysis.

Brave Hearts: Extraordinary Stories of Pride, Pain and Courage


Cynthia Brown - 2010
    Whether gathering intelligence to stop a terrorist attack, conducting an international narcotics investigation, working undercover to get illegal weapons off the streets, tracking a serial murderer, ending a gun battle, or mediating a domestic dispute, the men and women in Brave Hearts give new meaning to the word heroic.The author's long-term relationships with the police and her unusual access to the people who work in this insular profession have enabled her to take us on a unique and startling voyage into the trenches of the law enforcement world. You will feel the tragic aftermath of 9/11 as first responders to the disaster share their stories never told before. You will gain unique insights as the women talk frankly about their experiences working in the alpha-male world of the police. You will be there as officers cope with unimaginable violence, cruelty, and sadness. And you will learn about the love and affection that develop between people who depend on one another, at times for their very lives. If you read Brave Hearts, you will understand why people across the country are saying this book changed the way they feel about the police.

Greater London Murders: 33 True Stories of Revenge, Jealousy, Greed & Lust


Linda Stratmann - 2010
    Throughout its history the great urban sprawl of Greater London has been home to some of the most shocking murders in England, many of which have made legal history. Contained within the pages of this book are the stories behind these heinous crimes. They include George Chapman, who was hanged in 1903 for poisoning three women, and whom is widely suspected of having been the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper; lovers Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters, executed for stabbing to death Thompson’s husband Percy in 1922; and Donald Hume, who was found not guilty of the murder of wealthy businessman Stanley Setty in 1949, but later confessed to killing him, chopping up his body, and disposing of it by airplane. Linda Stratmann’s carefully researched, enthralling text will appeal to anyone interested in the shady side of London’s history.

Sergeant Smack: The Legendary Lives and Times of Ike Atkinson, Kingpin, and His Band of Brothers


Ron Chepesiuk - 2010
    history’s most original gangsters. Under the cover of the Vietnam War and through the use of the U.S. military infrastructure, Atkinson masterminded an enterprising group of family members and former African American GIs that the DEA identified as one of history’s ten top drug trafficking rings. Ike’s organization moved heroin from Thailand to North Carolina and beyond.According to law enforcement sources, 1,000 pounds is a conservative estimate of the amount of heroin the ring transported annually from Bangkok, Thailand, through U.S. military bases, into the U.S. during its period of operation from 1968 to 1975. That amount translates to about $400 million worth of illegal drug sales during that period.Born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Ike Atkinson is a charismatic former U.S. Army Master Sergeant, career drug smuggler, scam artist, card shark and doting family man whom law enforcement nick-named Sergeant Smack. He was never known to carry a gun, and today many retired law enforcement officials who had put him in jail refer to him as a “gentleman.” Sergeant Smack’s criminal activities sparked the creation of a special DEA unit code named CENTAC 9, which conducted an intensive three-year investigation across three continents. Sergeant Smack was elusive, but the discovery of his palm print on a kilo of heroin finally took him down.In 1987, Ike tried to revive his drug ring from Otisville Federal Penitentiary, but the Feds discovered the plot and set up a sting. The events that follow seem like the narrative for a Robert Ludlum novel. Atkinson was convicted again and nine years added to his sentence. Ike was released from prison in 2006 after serving a 31-year jail sentence. Atkinson’s story is controversial because his ring has been accused of smuggling heroin to the U.S. in the coffins and/or cadavers of dead American GIs. As this book shows, the accusation is completely false.The recent movie, “American Gangster,” which depicted the criminal career of Frank Lucas, distorted Atkinson’s historical role in the international drug trade. Sergeant Smack exposes the lies about the Ike Atkinson-Frank Lucas relationship and documents how Ike, not Lucas, pioneered the Asian heroin connection.“Drug kingpin Ike Atkinson, is the real deal, and not the stuff of Hollywood legend. The author delivers an eminently readable book about a genuine Mr Big who knows that no fictional makeover is required for his compelling story – the truth is more than enough." —Steve Morris, Publisher, New Criminologist“Sergeant Smack is meticulously researched and its prodding for the truth by author Ron Chepesiuk makes it an excellent non-fiction crime story. Along with a compelling history of Ike Atkinson’s life and criminal career in drug smuggling, the author has managed to put the truth to numerous falsehoods contained in the major movie, American Gangster, about the life of Frank Lucas.“ —Jack Toal, retired DEA agent who worked the investigation of Frank Lucas“Finally, the real story. I've waited 40 years for this book.” —Marc Levin, Director of the documentary, “Mr. Untouchable”“Ron Chepesiuk has gone from publishing the Black gangster classics, Gangsters of Harlem and Black Gangsters of Chicago, to crafting Sergeant Smack, an astonishing masterpiece.” —David “Pop” Whetstone, Owner, Black Star Music and Video“Sergeant Smack forcefully debunks the urban legend of Black family groups smuggling heroin from Southeast Asia in the bodies of dead GI soldiers while recounting the co

Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim Summary & Study Guide


BookRags - 2010
    37 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more – everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Pimp: The Story of My Life. This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion and a Free Quiz on Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim.

The Best American Crime Reporting 2010


Stephen J. Dubner - 2010
    Guest editor Stephen J. Dubner (Freakonomics) joins series editors Otto Penzler and Thomas Cook for the latest annual installment in what Entertainment Weekly has praised as the best mix of “the political, the macabre, and the downright brilliant,” and People Magazine calls, “arresting reading.”What Whoopi Goldberg ("Not a rape-rape"), Harvey Weinstein ("So-called crime"), et al. are saying in their outrage over the arrest of Raman Polanski ; At the train bridge / Calvin Trillin --Smooth jailing / Rick Anderson --What happenned to Etan Patz? / Lisa R. Cohen --Sex. lies, & videotape / Kevin Gray --Trial by fire / David Grann --Flesh and blood / Pamela Colloff --The celebrity defense / Jeffrey Toobin --The chessboard killer / Peter Savodnik --The great buffalo caper / Maximillian Potter --The man who shot the man who shot Lincoln / Ernest B. Furgurson --The boy who heard too much / David Kushner --Bringing down the dogmen / Skip Hollandsworth --Madoff and his models / Ron Chernow --The sicario / Charles Bowden

Vanity Fair's Best of Dominick Dunne


Dominick Dunne - 2010
    

Masterpieces of Murder; An Edmund Pearson True Crime Reader


Edmund Lester Pearson - 2010
    This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Carroty Nell


John E. Keefe - 2010
    No one saw the couple as they passed under the glare of a gas streetlamp, then turned and walked into a dark, tunnel-like passageway under some railway tracks. Had anyone been about, they might have taken the man to be a sailor, and they would have noticed that the woman was rather small and quite attractive. Victorians referred to people like her as unfortunates-impoverished women who turned to prostitution for survival. Her hope that night was just to earn enough money to get a place to sleep. Instead, she was destined to become the final victim of the dreaded killer known as Jack the Ripper. Carroty Nell tells the story of her tragic descent from a working class neighborhood to the mean streets of Whitechapel, and chronicles the events surrounding that fateful encounter.

Murder by Poison: A Casebook of Historic British Murders


Nicola Sly - 2010
    While there are indeed many infamous female poisoners, such as Mary Ann Cotton, who is believed to have claimed at least 20 victims between 1852 and 1872, and Mary Wilson, who killed her husbands and lovers in the 1950s for the proceeds of their insurance policies, there are also many men who chose poison as their preferred means to a deadly end. Between 1897 and 1902, George Chapman poisoned three of his lovers with antimony, while Staffordshire doctor William Palmer murdered at least 10 victims between 1842 and 1856. Readily obtainable, poison was considered the ideal method of murder and its exponents rarely stopped at just one victim. Along with the most notorious cases of murder by poison in Britain, this book also features many of the cases that did not make headlines, examining not only the methods and motives but also the real stories of the perpetrators and their victims.

Cold Cases: Famous Unsolved Mysteries, Crimes, and Disappearances in America


Helena Katz - 2010
    The 18th-century murder of Beautiful Cigar Girl Mary Rogers helped the then newly emerging tabloid papers become a fixture in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration was spurred into requiring electronic screening of passengers and carry-on luggage by a series of highly-publicized hijackings. Abductions of youth gave birth to Amber Alerts and advertising missing children on milk cartons. And popular TV shows like Law and Order, CSI, and Cold Case document our fascination with police investigations, heinous criminals, and the complicated aftermath of their actions.This book examines 40 well-known cases of unsolved murders and suspected abductions over a period of over 160 years. Cases are organized chronologically to give readers insight into the evolution of criminal investigation techniques and forensics in the last century and a half. Later chapters detail how modern forensics were used in attempts to solve old cold cases or helped generate new leads.

Walsh Street


Tom Noble - 2010
    Written by the ex-chief crime reporter with the 'The Age', it provides details of the two-and-a-half-year investigation, trial and subsequent acquittal of the four men charged.

Jack the Ripper: Walter Sickert, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, Patricia Cornwell, Jack the Ripper Suspects


Source Wikipedia - 2010
    Pages: 112. Chapters: Walter Sickert, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, Patricia Cornwell, Jack the Ripper suspects, Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet, Whitechapel murders, Montague Druitt, Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution, William Henry Bury, Frederick Bailey Deeming, Aaron Kosminski, George Bagster Phillips, Walter Dew, Goulston Street graffito, Thomas Neill Cream, James Maybrick, Edward Badham, Robert James Lees, Wynne Edwin Baxter, Thomas Horrocks Openshaw, L. Forbes Winslow, Dorset Street, Thomas Bond, Robert Anderson, Francis Tumblety, Donald Swanson, Frederick Abberline, Richard Mansfield, Theodore Dyke Acland, James Kenneth Stephen, Mary Pearcey, George Chapman, Thomas Arnold, Sir John Williams, 1st Baronet, of the City of London, Robert D'Onston Stephenson, Frederick Porter Wensley, Portrait of a Killer, Joseph Lawende, Dear Boss letter, Thomas E. A. Stowell, Jack the Ripper, Light-Hearted Friend, John Netley, Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, George Godley, George Lusk, From Hell letter, Whitehall Mystery, Israel Schwartz, Saucy Jacky postcard, Roderick Macdonald, Flower and Dean Street, Thomas Vere Bayne, Joseph Silver, Ten Bells, Mitre Square, Liston knife, Walter Simon Andrews, Hanbury Street, Henriques Street, Henry Moore, Durward Street, Casebook: Jack the Ripper. Excerpt: "Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the media. The letter is widely believed to have been a hoax, and may have been written by a journalist in a deliberate attempt to heighten interest in the story. Other nicknames used for the killer at the time were "The Whitechapel Murderer" and "L...

Gang Land


Tony Thompson - 2010
    Since the publication of Gangs five years ago, the landscape of British organised crime has changed beyond all recognition. Youth violence, the drug trade and rising levels of gun crime are rarely out of the news. The country also continues to experience an influx of powerful foreign criminal syndicates who are establishing operations here in order to take advantage of Britain's global connections. Beginning on the troubled streets of the inner cities, Gangland takes its readers on a journey up through the underworld hierarchy until it finally reaches the very highest levels, occupied by elusive and shadowy 'Mr. Big' characters. Written using a mix of personal experiences, undercover work, primary research and cutting edge investigation, Gangland sheds new light onto this highly secretive, often terrifying and utterly fascinating world.

Playing With Fire: The True Story of a Nurse, Her Husband, and a Marriage Turned Fatal


John Glatt - 2010
    A lethal injection. A gruesomely charred corpse. Nothing could have shocked the sleepy community of Morgantown, West Virginia, more than the lurid details that surfaced after a house fire claimed the life of Shelly Michael's husband Jimmy. Local authorities suspected possible arson. Then they discovered that Jimmy had been dead before the fire even started paralyzed by a fatal dose of muscle relaxant. Did Shelly Michael, a respected nurse and mother, kill her second husband and torch her own home? Were the rumors true that she'd had an affair with her husband's employee only two weeks before the murder? Or did she kill Jimmy simply for the insurance money? Charged with first-degree murder and first-degree arson, Shelly would never stop claiming her innocence even to this day.

Tested: How Twelve Wrongly Imprisoned Men Held on to Hope


Peyton Budd - 2010
    Dallas leads the nation in these exonerations. Tested: How Twelve Wrongly Imprisoned Men Held on to Hope dramatically reveals how these men kept their hope, their faith, and their sanity. As authors Peyton Budd and Dorothy Budd interviewed these men, they discovered the secrets of what sustained them behind bars. These innocent men illuminate both the failures of the justice system and the resilience of the human spirit. Their surprising stories teach us that no matter how we are tested in our lives, it is never wrong to have hope.

Bobby's Trials


Bobby Wilson - 2010
    In Bobby's Trials, he pens an insightful, heartbreaking memoir of the events that led up to the violent deaths of his mother and sister. As he chronicles his early childhood, he reveals what life was like for him growing up as an Oklahoma farm boy with a mother who suffered debilitating depression as well as strange fits of paranoiac rage. An absolutely spellbinding true-life crime drama, this intimate debut proves to be a strangely uplifting anecdote of survival. As Wilson wrestles with clinical amnesia, endures two murder cases against him, becomes a lawyer, and becomes a husband and father, readers have a benchmark in overcoming incredible odds-and proof that justice often is elusive, if it occurs at all.

Betrayed: The Shocking Story of Two Undercover Cops


Clive Small - 2010
    They were cops pretending to be criminals, targeting drug dealers, criminal gangs, and, worst of all, crooked police. Surviving on deceit and gut instinct, Joe and Jessie lived in a world of drugs, violence. and corruption. To all but their parents they were exactly what they seemed—a drug-dealing junkie and his girlfriend. When they could no longer endure the pressure, the danger, and the terrible isolation they quickly discovered just how alone they really were. More than a riveting true story of loyalty abused and courage betrayed, this is a searing expoé of a police system out of control, and of senior officers who, by putting secrecy above all else, destroyed the careers and nearly the lives of two honest cops.

Without Trace - Ireland's Missing: Profiling the Disappearances of Men, Women and Children in Ireland since 1970


Barry Cummins - 2010
    

The Other Side of Mercy: A Killer's Journey Across the American Divide


Ken Armstrong - 2010
    The story of that morning's violence spans the decades and ripples across state lines. It is a story of our nation's racial divide; of southern prison farms and an act of grace; of festering hate and missed opportunities to stop a man going mad. For its coverage of the shootings and the manhunt that followed, the Seattle Times won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news. Now the newspaper's staff goes deeper, telling the story of a charismatic felon, a minister with his eyes on the White House, and what can lie on the other side of mercy.So often, when someone does something shocking, people want to know: What was he thinking? What was Timothy McVeigh thinking? What about those kids at Columbine? In western Washington, in the fall of 2009, Maurice Clemmons planned to do something shocking. And he left no doubt what he was thinking. The Other Side of Mercy draws upon a stunning trove of records-including a hundred-plus hours of Clemmons' recorded telephone conversations-to describe in remarkable detail Clemmons' past and the steps he took along the way to committing one of the worst crimes in the modern history of the Pacific Northwest.The Other Side of Mercy recounts Clemmons' childhood in a small Arkansas town that had descended into chaos and economic ruin. Racial hostilities were such that sniper bullets flew and buildings were firebombed. Clemmons turned to burglary and robbery, and, at the age of seventeen, was shipped off to a prison farm system so notorious that it was memorialized in the movie Brubaker. Drawing upon a prison file eighteen-hundred pages thick, The Other Side of Mercy takes readers inside the prison barracks and into the fields, as Clemmons racks up enemies, extorting other inmates and waging fights with makeshift weapons.Clemmons makes a plea for mercy to Mike Huckabee, the Arkansas governor who later runs for president. After managing to win his freedom, Clemmons moves to Washington state and becomes both predator and prey, dealing drugs while dreaming of wealth through a variety of fantastical enterprises. He believes Donald Trump will make him rich. That he can game the Bank of America. That a self-proclaimed prophet in New York City holds the key to prosperity. Clemmons descends into madness, while making plans of striking back at the people he blames for his lost youth and uncertain future.

Notorious: The Immortal Legend of the Kray Twins


John George Pearson - 2010
    After they were jailed in 1969 for thirty years for murder, Pearson's biography The Profession of Violence enjoyed a cult following among the young and was said to be the most popular book in H.M.'s prisons, after the Bible. Ron died in 1995. Reg followed him five years later, and both of their funerals drew crowds on a scale unknown for film stars, let alone for two departed murderers. Since then, far from fading with their death, public fascination with the twins has never flagged. Their clothes and memorabilia are sold at auction like religious relics. Ron's childlike prison paintings fetch more money than those of many well-known artists. And people still refer to them like popular celebrities. Why? This is the question Pearson asked himself, and over the past three years he has been re-examining their history, unearthing much previously unknown material, and has come to some fascinating conclusions. The Immortal Murderers reveals new facts about the Krays' tortured relationship as identical twins; a relationship which helped predestine them to a life of crime; a relationship that made them utterly unlike any other major criminals. Pearson has discovered two new and unsuspected murders, along with fresh light on the killings of George Cornell and Jack 'the Hat' McVitie. There are facts about the twins' obsession with publicity, and how far this made them 'actor criminals' murdering for notoriety. Most riveting of all are the chapters which reveal how Ron Kray caused a major sexual scandal in which a prime minister, together with other leading politicians, condoned the most outrageous establishment cover-up in British politics since the war. The Immortal Murderers contains many more surprises, but the one thing that emerges is that the Kray twins were not only stranger but also far more important than anyone ever suspected. Fascination with them will forever remain; they will never lose their role as the immortal murderers.

Eight Days in Darkness: The True Story of the Abduction, Rape, and Rescue of Anita Wooldridge


Angela Roegner - 2010
    For eight terrifying days, Anita was savagely beaten and raped by her captor, who locked her in a metal storage cabinet for hours at a time. With only a steadfast faith in God to comfort her, Anita refused to give up hope that she would be found.Eight Days in Darkness chronicles the shocking events of Anita's kidnapping, including her transport across state lines, and the impressive efforts of local authorities and FBI agents which led to her rescue and the dramatic capture and conviction of her abductor. Anita's story is still used today as a case study for prospective FBI agents, and Eight Days in Darkness paints a portrait of the real-life battle between good and evil.

Necrophiles: Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, John Christie, Gary Ridgway, Ondrej Rigo, Dennis Nilsen, Carl Tanzler, Edmund Kemper


Books LLC - 2010
    Pages: 51. Chapters: Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, John Christie, Gary Ridgway, Ondrej Rigo, Dennis Nilsen, Carl Tanzler, Edmund Kemper, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Richard Chase, Melvin Rees, Thor Nis Christiansen, Manuel Delgado Villegas, Issei Sagawa, Earle Nelson, Anatoly Slivko, Jerry Brudos, Lam Kor-wan, Patrick Kearney, Sergei Ryakhovsky, Yoshio Kodaira, Caleb Fairley, Bruno Ludke, Genzo Kurita, Serhiy Tkach, Victor Ardisson, Lam Kwok-wai, Andre Crawford. Excerpt: Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy (born Theodore Robert Cowell; November 24, 1946 - January 24, 1989) was an American serial killer, rapist, kidnapper, and necrophile who assaulted and murdered many young women between 1974 and 1978. After more than a decade of denials he confessed to 30 homicides shortly before his execution; the true total remains unknown, and could be much higher. Bundy was handsome and charismatic, traits he exploited in winning the confidence of his young, attractive female victims. He typically approached them in public places and feigned injury or disability, or impersonated an authority figure, before overpowering and assaulting them at a more secluded location. He sometimes revisited his secondary crime scenes for hours at a time, grooming and performing sexual acts with the decomposing corpses until putrefaction and destruction by wild animals made further interaction impossible. He decapitated at least four victims and kept the severed heads in his apartment for a period of time as mementos. On a few occasions he simply broke into dwellings in the dead of night and bludgeoned victims as they slept. Initially charged in Utah in 1975 and convicted of aggravated kidnapping and attempted criminal assault, Bundy became linked to a progressively longer list of unsolved homicides in six states. Facing murder charges in Colorado, he engineered two dramatic esc...

Land, Wind, and Hard Words: A Story of Navajo Activism


John W. Sherry - 2010
    Land, Wind, and Hard Words is his account of the founding, activities, and evolution of Din� CARE, whose original mission was to protect the Navajo forest from the ravages of industrial logging. Sherry's intimate account of the daily lives of this group of activists reminds us of the threats facing local communities and the people trying to defend them. Not least among these threats are the many demands of the outside world. From meetings with lawyers or do-gooder environmentalists to the cutthroat world of fundraising, every encounter with outsiders affects the work, draining time and resources away from direct participation with the community and even affecting the way activists think.

Boomtown Da


Carol S. Vance - 2010
    Prosecuting everything from sometimes-humorous misdemeanors to one of the most gruesome serial murder cases in American history, the story of Vance's eight years as an assistant DA and thirteen years as district attorney is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Houston was the fastest growing city in the country during Vance's tenure as DA - a true boomtown. And along with the population explosion came a boom in crime. Vance and his team of prosecutors were right in the middle of it, fighting for justice day in and day out. Filled with a cast of larger-than-life characters and written from the heart, this is a story you won't soon forget.

Innocent Until Interrogated: The True Story of the Buddhist Temple Massacre and the Tucson Four


Gary L. Stuart - 2010
    Nine Buddhist temple members—six of them monks committed to lives of non-violence—lay dead in a pool of blood, shot execution style. The massive manhunt that followed turned up no leads until a tip from a psychiatric patient led to the arrest of five suspects. Each initially denied their involvement in the crime, yet one by one, under intense interrogation, they confessed.Soon after, all five men recanted, saying their confessions had been coerced. One was freed after providing an alibi, but the remaining suspects—dubbed “The Tucson Four” by the media—remained in custody even though no physical evidence linked them to the crime.Seven weeks later, investigators discovered—almost by chance—physical evidence that implicated two entirely new suspects. The Tucson Four were finally freed on November 22 after two teenage boys confessed to the crime, yet troubling questions remained. Why were confessions forced out of innocent suspects? Why and how did legal authorities build a case without evidence? And, ultimately, how did so much go so wrong?In this first book-length treatment of the Buddhist Temple Massacre, Gary L. Stuart explores the unspeakable crime, the inexplicable confessions, and the troubling behavior of police officials. Stuart’s impeccable research for the book included a review of the complete legal records of the case, an examination of all the physical evidence, a survey of three years of print and broadcast news, and more than fifty personal interviews related to the case. Like In Cold Blood, and The Executioner’s Song, Innocent Until Interrogated is a riveting read that provides not only a striking account of the crime and the investigation but also a disturbing look at the American justice system at its very worst.

Burn, Judy, Burn


Bette Nunn - 2010
    Judy gloried in being "the star" of television. He loved hearing the sound of his own voice on radio. His name was splashed in dynamite headlines on the front pages of newspapers across the state of Indiana and it thrilled him — he clung to every word. When he walked, he threw his head back and pranced, like the grand stud of the stable. His deep-set blue eyes danced from side-to-side, making sure everyone's attention was on him. To achieve his stardom, Judy committed the worst crime Morgan County, Indiana, had ever known. He beat, raped and strangled to death a young mother, and then drowned her three small children. When he was apprehended, reporters and TV news crews began following him around like he was the second coming of John Dillinger, a man Judy was said to have idolized and historically the state's most notorious criminal. But even Dillinger, the bank robbing 1930s FBI public enemy No. 1, was never accused of such heinous crimes. The morning of April 28, 1979 started out like a morning of any other day, with Terry Chasteen on her way to drop off her children at a baby-sitter’s before going to work. Little did any of them know this would be the last morning they would see. Terry, a warm and caring mother, was a happy, life-loving young woman and a God-fearing person. She didn’t deserve to be raped and strangled; and her innocent young children certainly didn’t deserve to die. They’d hardly had a chance to know life before theirs were cruelly snuffed out. Steven T. Judy was sentenced to death by electrocution by a Morgan County, Indiana, jury for his horrible crimes. Many people wondered why Terry Lee Chasteen and her three small children were murdered on the banks of White Lick Creek in Morgan County — the man who killed them had managed to slip through the system and should never have been allowed back on the streets. Their murderer was a young man who was considered a dangerous boy at age 10, and a criminal sexual psychopath by age 13. Why had Indiana Central State Hospital released him, and was God taking a nap on the morning of April 28, 1979?

Murder in the Garden, Volume II: More Famous Crimes of Early Fresno County


Scott Morrison - 2010
    Introducing a blend of memorable and tragic figures, such as the “Old Broom Man” or the “Black Widow,” a longtime detective of the Fresno sheriff’s office shares his notes on each filed occurrence. Detailed and historically accurate, an entire chapter highlights the men who were put to death under the state of California’s justice apparatus. Comparing and contrasting these sensational past events to the current high-profile criminal cases, this informed analysis reveals a modern upswing in child abuse, multiple murders, and kidnapping cases and highlights the extended nature of the current legal process as compared to the open-and-shut character of the early 1900s.

Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in Doncaster


Stephen Wade - 2010
    For many years the name was associated with engineering, transport and of course coal. But there is a darker aspect to its history. The sinister side is explored through the research and writing of an experienced crime historian. Sensational tales have been uncovered concerning a variety of dark deeds, including a cloak-and-dagger meeting in an Elizabethan tavern and the murder of a Civil War leader. Over the years Doncaster and district has been the scene of riots, Suffragette militancy, terrible domestic tragedies, sad suicides and brutal murders. The stories here range from the notorious Baccarat Scandal which shocked Victorian society to a betting-room robbery at the races. The author also reminds us about famous criminals associated with the town, as well as a Prince and a hangman, a notorious fraudster , even a London playboy. Shocking, surprising, at times chilling but true, a new layer of the towns social history is now available for the first time; but not for the feint hearted.

Arizona Gunfighters


Laurence J. Yadon - 2010
    The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Pleasant Valley War, the largest range war in American history, are two major gunfights in the state's history. In a melange of stories from popular history authors Laurence J. Yadon and Dan Anderson, this work not only describes what happened in the Old West days of Arizona, but why it happened. Just before the years of statehood were the days of train, stage, and bank robberies. Cattle rustling and conflicts between cow men and sheep men all sparked flames of vengeance that would later explode into torrents of violence. The characters involved include the Christians, "a remarkably unsuccessful gang of outlaws"; the Earps; the Tewksburys; Doc Holliday; Curly Bill; and virtually all of the most prominent Arizona outlaws of the era. Citing newspapers, letters, and diaries, the authors distinguish fact from fiction, proving again that the real stories of the American West in general, and Arizona in particular, are usually more interesting than the legends. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Laurence J. Yadon is an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator. He gives presentations on various legal subjects and crime history. Member s of Yadon's family participated in some of the most violent wartime incidents in Missouri. They also were related by marriage to the Youngers of the James-Younger gang and their first cousins the Daltons. Dan Anderson is a former newspaper journalist and photographer for Pryor, Oklahoma's, Daily Times. He reported on crime, cops, and court cases. Anderson has been honored with awards from both the Oklahoma Press Association and Associated Press Oklahoma for his writing and photography. Anderson and Yadon are also the authors of 100 Oklahoma Outlaws, Gangsters, and Lawmen: 1839-1939; 200 Texas Outlaws and Lawmen: 1835-1935; and Ten Deadly Texans.

The Mafia: History and Legend


Marco Gasparini - 2010
    Movie classics like The Godfather epitomize our fascination with the underworld of the Mafia, conjuring images of cigar-smoking dons and shoot-outs in pizzerias. But behind the romantic myths of "men of honor" and omertà lies a very real world of murder, racketeering, and organized crime. Marco Gasparini traces the evolution of the Mafia from nineteenth-century Sicily to the streets of twentieth-century New York, to the international cartels that rule the illegal drug and arms trades today. In this authoritative volume he exposes the many secrets of an "octopus" organization that has remained impenetrable for decades, despite the efforts of heroic crime fighters such as New York police officer Joe Petrosino and the similarly ill-fated Italian judge Giovanni Falcone almost a century later. We discover the Mafia’s greatest godfathers, underbosses, and "soldiers," as well as its pentiti (or turncoats) and the most formidable wives of Mafiosi. This book not only focuses on the original Sicilian Cosa Nostra and its various branches—such as Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit or the still existent Corleonesi—it also features the equally bloody Neapolitan Camorra, which inspired the compelling documentary Gomorrah, and the Japanese Yakuza, the largest organized crime group in the world today, as well as the ever-growing Russian and Chinese "mafias." Mafia reveals the multi-faceted reality behind a phenomenon that has sparked the popular imagination for decades.

Suffolk Murders


Mark Mower - 2010
    Mark Mower unveils a catalogue of true crime stories from the county’s history. Comprehensively researched using original records and accounts, this book contains vivid accounts of the circumstances surrounding each murder case and provides a grim insight into the minds and methods of the killers concerned. From opportunistic and irrational slayings to premeditated homicides, the full range of murderous activity is recounted here. Mark Mower’s carefully researched, well-illustrated, and enthralling text will appeal to anyone interested in the shady side of Suffolk’s history, and should give much food for thought.

Beyond Terror: A Battered Wife on Trial for the Alleged Murder of Her Husband


Raoul D. Revord - 2010
    Apparently, Jean is being held at the police station under suspicion of murdering her husband, John. David can't believe it, so he heads home to try and save her from life in prison. Upon his arrival, certain details come to light. Jean claims to be an abused wife, saying that John abused her, physically and psychologically, throughout their entire marriage. If she stayed, she would end up dying at his hand; if she tried to run, he would find her and kill her for her misdeed. As she tearfully explains to David, her only option was murder. Now, he must find a way to make her argument stick in court. Written by a retired trial lawyer, Beyond Terror offers a detailed, painful look at the psyche of an abused woman and the legal process that threatens to protect or condemn. David will do anything to save Jean's life, but will a jury accept her testimony? He must dig deep to find the evidence he needs and, in doing so, travel dark paths he never before considered to tread.

The California Snatch Racket: Kidnappings During the Prohibition and Depression Eras


James R. Smith - 2010
    Exposing a spree of kidnappings referred to as the “snatch racket,” true accounts of the crimes and the unfortunate victims are revealed. Driven by greed, desperation, or sheer stupidity, this detailed discussion explains that the ransom artists preyed indiscriminately on Hollywood socialites, wealthy heiresses, and even the poor—while each new disappearance brought new headlines and sales to the newspaper companies. Illustrating the manner in which even the simplest capers would often run tragically awry, 15 bizarre and often ironic tales are presented, including how a modern city rose to lynch a pair of kidnappers, the college kids who chose to imitate Leopold and Loeb, and the famed evangelist who faked her own abduction to cover up an affair. Early forensic techniques are described, including the first documented call tracing using a bevy of operators in a phone chain, as well as the birth of the modern symbiotic relationship between the news media and high-profile crime, demonstrating how the sensationalism of personal tragedy became a source for increased media sales.

The Real L.A. Confidential


Pete Noyes - 2010
    Confidential" by Pete Noyes covers more than a half-century of investigative reporting by one of the nation's most honored newsmen. It provides startling new information about some of L.A.'s most notorious cases including the "Black Dahlia," "Bugsy" Siegel, Charles Manson and O.J. Simpson murders. Noyes tells how a bribe paid to a high government official got a condemned rapist off "Death Row." How a serial killer who worked for the Los Angeles Times was a winning contestant on TV's "Dating Game." Noyes takes a hard look at the Roman Polanski child-rape case and the death of Michael Jackson. He tackles the thorny issue of corruption at City Hall and tells how one of the world's richest men bought himself an L.A. mayor. Equally intriguing is the story of a con man who dressed up as a beautiful redhead, did his spiel on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" and charmed investors into pouring millions of dollars into a bogus three wheel car. He tells the spellbinding story of the beautiful actress at Columbia Studios, the personal friend of a future President, who vanished in 1947. And he writes about L.A.'s own version of the disaster at Three Mile Island, a nuclear meltdown in the hills north of L.A.that was covered up by the government for 20 years. Noyes was honored with TV's highest award, the Peabody, as well as 10 Emmys, and two Edward R. Murrow citations. His 1973 book, "Legacy of Doubt" was widely acclaimed as the first work to link organized crime to the assassination of President John Kennedy. Pete began his career on the military newspaper, Pacific Stars and Stripes during the Korean War. He has worked for several newspapers and all three of the major TV networks.

Left to Die: Chappaquiddick Grand Jury Foreman Reveals Explosive, Never-Told Before Information


Jerry Shaffer - 2010
    The driver is Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy. This is a story that details the investigation, inquest, and grand jury deliberations into the young woman's untimely death. Leslie H. Leland, jury foreman, gives his own account of how the entire grand jury was stymied in seeking evidence relating to the accident caused by Senator Ted Kennedy and the threats made on his and his family's lives. A never before reported analysis of how the grand jury was denied its own legal rights, Left to Die is one example of how power and corruption can override America's justice system. Upon hearing the details, one judge stated, "That was not only intimidation, that was tampering with the grand jury." The grand jury attempted to investigate the accident but was stymied by the DA and judge unwilling to cross the Kennedys. "The rich and powerful can change the outcome of justice and they did in this case." - The Boston Globe The story that really needs to be told...fascinating stuff! - WQXA-FM If you ever thought you knew the story pick up this book and be prepared to learn a whole lot more! Wow! - K.E. Amazon.com The American justice system is responsible for maintaining social control, deterring crime, and sentencing those who violate laws with penalties. The American justice system protects and services the American people, or does it? Based on true events, Left to Die is a powerful vindication of one man's witness to the 1969 Chappaquiddick case against Senator Ted Kennedy. A blockbuster new book - Left to Die - Jerry Shaffer and Leslie H. Leland blow wide open the untold scandal surrounding the drowning of Mary Jo. - National Enquirer Jerry Shaffer was born and raised in Chicago; he received a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Illinois and served in the U.S. Navy. After working for a trade magazine and several advertising agencies, he started his own company. In 1982, he founded a marketing services company that specialized in co-op advertising programs, which became an industry leader. During his career, he wrote advertising copy and articles for trade magazines. Mr. Shaffer is currently retired and lives in southeast Florida. Leslie H. Leland was born and raised in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He graduated from Mass College of Pharmacy in 1963 and then moved to Chappaquiddick Island to work for his grandfather, later buying Leslie's Pharmacy from his grandmother after his grandfather's death. He owned and ran the pharmacy for 43 years, retiring several years ago. Mr. Leland served as a captain on the Tisbury Volunteer Fire Department, also for 43 years, and has been involved politically on the island as a county commissioner for the past 11 years. http: //www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/titl...

The Legs Murder Scandal


Hunter Cole - 2010
    On her testimony, authorities suspected an equally prominent and well-to-do businessman, her reputed lover, of assisting. Ouida Keeton apparently shot her mother, chopped her up, and disposed of most of her body parts down the toilet and in the fireplace, burning all but the pelvic region, the thighs, and the legs. Attempting to dispose of these remains on a narrow, one-lane, isolated road, Ouida left a trail of evidence that ended in her arrest. People had seen her driving to the road. Within hours, a hunter and his dogs found the cloth in which she had wrapped her mother's legs.Touted as the most sensational crime in Mississippi history at the time, the Legs Murder of 1935 is almost entirely forgotten today. The controversial outcome, decided by an unsophisticated jury, has been left muddled by ambiguity. With The Legs Murder Scandal, Hunter Cole presents an intricately detailed description of the separate trials of Ouida Keeton and W.M. Carter. Having researched trial transcripts, courthouse records, medical files, and vast newspaper coverage, the author reveals new facts previously distorted by hearsay, hushed reports, and misinformation. Cole pursues many unanswered questions such as what, really, did Ouida Keeton do with the rest of her mother? The Legs Murder Scandal attempts to provide the reader with clarity in this story, which is outlandish, harrowing, and intriguing, all at once.

Mafia: The Necessary Reference to Organized Crime


Frank G. Shanty - 2010
    

State Crime in the Global Age


William J. Chambliss - 2010
    The book breaks new ground through its examination of the ways globalization has intensified potentials for state crime, as well as bringing novel theoretical understandings of the state to the study of state crime, and exploring strategies for confronting state crime.This book, while containing much that is of interest to scholars of state crime, is designed to be accessible to students and others who are concerned with the ways individuals, social groups, and whole nations are victimized by the misuse of state power.

Suicidal Mass Murderers: A Criminological Study of Why They Kill


John Liebert - 2010
    In the aftermath of the killings and Cho's subsequent suicide, one primary question emerged: Why? Suicidal Mass Murderers: A Criminological Study of Why They Kill explores the answer to this and related questions.Detailing Cho's descent into madness that culminated in this tragic event, the book asks how we can:Identify and red flag the potentially dangerous Intervene early in their lives to prevent violence Mitigate potential damage Sequester, even involuntarily, the violent mentally ill Treat the dangerously mentally ill to being them back into meaningful lives Do all of this while protecting the patient's constitutional rightsExploring the concept of whether such violent acts can be predicted, the book reveals the potential warning signs to look for in suspect individuals. First responders, public health authorities, and clinicians must learn to detect these early indicators if there is any hope in preventing a catastrophe such as what occurred at Virginia Tech from ever happening again.John Liebert maintains a website with additional information. In 2013, he received the Perciball Pott Virtuous Surgeon Award from McGill University Faculty of Medicine.

Death's Brother


Harold Schechter - 2010
    Now, in this gripping account of driving ambition, doomed love, and brutal murder in an iconic American family, Schechter again casts his gaze into the sinister shadows of gaslit nineteenth-century New York City. In September 1841, a grisly discovery is made aboard a merchant ship docked in lower Manhattan: Deep in the cargo hold, bound with rope and covered with savage head wounds, lies a man's naked corpse. While a murderer has taken pains to conceal his victim's identity, it takes little time to determine that the dead man is Samuel Adams, proprietor of a local printing firm. And in less time still, witnesses and a bloody trail of clues lead investigators to the doorstep of the enigmatic John Colt. The scion of a prosperous Connecticut family, Colt has defied his parents' efforts to mold him into a gentleman--preferring to flout authority and pursue excitement. Ironically, it is the ordered science of accountancy that for a time lends him respectability. But now John Colt's ghastly crime and the subsequent sensational murder trial bring infamy to his surname--even after it becomes synonymous with his visionary younger brother's groundbreaking invention. The embodiment of American success, Sam Colt has risen from poor huckster to industrious inventor. His greatest achievement, the revolver, will bring him untold millions even as it transforms the American West. In John's hour of need, Sam rushes to his brother's side--perhaps because of the secret they share. In Gilded Age New York, a city awash with treacherous schemers, lurid dime-museum curiosities, and the tawdry excesses of penny-press journalism, the Colt-Adams affair inspires tabloid headlines of startling and gruesome hyperbole, which in turn drive legions of thrill-seekers to John Colt's trial. The dramatic legal proceedings will fire the imagination of pioneering crime writer Edgar Allan Poe and fuel the righteous outrage of journalist Walt Whitman. Killer Colt interweaves the intriguing stories of brooding, brilliant John and imaginative, enterprising Sam--sharp-witted and fascinating brothers on vastly divergent journeys, bound by an abiding mutual devotion and a mystery they will conceal to the end. Harold Schechter has mined the darkly macabre vein of a bygone era and brought forth a mother lode of storytelling gold. "From the Hardcover edition."

Screening the Mafia: Masculinity, Ethnicity and Mobsters from the Godfather to the Sopranos


George S. Larke-Walsh - 2010
    This historical study explores the structure, myths and intertextual narratives found in the gangster films produced since The Godfather. The intense relationship between masculinity and ethnicity in the gangster film, especially within the movie-generated mythology of the Mafia, is carefully analyzed, and the book tracks the trends in the genre up to and including the landmark HBO television series The Sopranos (1999-2007). A selected filmography is included. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors


Stephen Wade - 2010
    Stephen Wade s useful introduction to this fascinating subject will help you discover and investigate the life stories of individuals who had a criminal past. The crimes they committed, the conditions in which they lived, the policing and justice system that dealt with them all these aspects of criminal history are covered as are the many types of crime they were guilty of murder, robbery, fraud, sexual offenses, poaching, protest and public disorder. Graphic case studies featuring each type of crime are included, dating from the Georgian period up until the present day. All of these cases are reconstructed using information gleaned from the many sources available to researchers libraries, archives, books and the internet among them. 'Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors' is essential reading for anyone who wishes to explore the criminal past and seeks to trace an ancestor who had a criminal record."

The Mammoth Book of Drug Barons


Paul Copperwaite - 2010
    Nineteen thrilling stories from the murky world of major international drug dealing, detailing the lavish lifestyles of larger-than-life characters like Curtis Warren, Howard Marks, Pablo Escobar, George Jung, and many others: from the jungles of South America to the pot farms of Canada; from China, Thailand, and Afghanistan to Spain, London and Liverpool.

West Cork: A Place Apart


Jo Kerrigan - 2010
    A world of stunning landscapes, craggy cliffs, colourful villages, wild bogland, glorious harbours, fabulous beaches, and rocky mountains; West Cork stands apart as one of the most desirable places to live, work, and visit. The famous spots are all here: Mizen and Beara, with their extraordinary seascapes; Baltimore and Schull, beloved of sailors from all over the world; Gougane Barra, with its timeless peace - and many, many more. There are secret places too, off the beaten track, and the book takes the reader down many side-paths and byways to hidden corners and unexpected treasures, sharing on the way some of the legends and traditions of this region - and always the most wonderful and heartstopping scenery. From a writer and photographer team who lovingly share their responses to the region they are lucky enough to call home: Jo Kerrigan, historian and journalist with national and international publications, and Richard Mills, multiple award-winning press and wildlife photographer.

The Last Days of Cleveland: And More True Tales of Crime and Disaster from Cleveland's Past


John Stark Bellamy II - 2010
    . . West Park sisters Helen, 11, and Marguerite, 10, who died after eating Rough-on-Rats brand poison in their grandmother's basement--were they victims of a genetic "suicide mania," or of the cruelest caretaker since Hansel and Gretel's stepmom? . . . The wealthy but oh-so-unlucky Corrigan family, whose turn for the worse only began with the sinking of their luxury yacht on Lake Erie . . . and many other gripping tales.

Green Fields (Engaged Writers)


Bob Cowser - 2010
    Reminiscent of the best crime writing of Capote, Didion and Baldwin.

The Ship of Seven Murders: A True Story of Madness & Murder


Alannah Hopkin - 2010
    It explores how on 25th June, 1828, the Mary Russell sailed into Cork Harbour from the West Indies. Seven crew members lay in the main salon, brutally and inexplicably murdered by the captain.

Crime Investigation Australia - Volume 1


Ian Parry-Okeden - 2010
    Based on the popular Foxtel series that shocked the nation, this chilling book explores the most gripping and compelling cases committed in Australia through access to the key detectives, family members and witnesses.

The Hanging Of Susanna Cox


Patricia Ernest Suter - 2010
    The fatal episode led to her hanging in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1809, the last public execution of a woman in the commonwealth. But was Susanna really the culprit? The legend of her fate, repeated in Pennsylvania German broadsides by the generations that followed, suggests she herself was a victim. Now, in this first full-length investigation into the tragedy, new evidence reveals some startling facts about how indifference, an undeveloped court system, and the inexact science of nineteenth-century forensics combined to determine Susanna's tragic fate. A full look at how Susanna's "sad song" became romanticized through broadside ballads follows, complete with illustrations.

Black Mafia Family: The Rise and Fall of a Cocaine Empire


Mara Shalhoup - 2010
    After a 10-year climb to the top, the Flenory's had it all - a fleet of Bentleys and Ferraris and a 500-man workforce opperating in 6 states. This is their story.

Hanged in Lancashire


Martin Baggoley - 2010
    In the closing years of the eighteenth century there were over 200 capital crimes and the early chapters discuss those condemned to death for highway robbery, croft breaking, riot and sodomy. As the nineteenth century progressed for which the death penalty could be imposed decreased, until - with the exception of treason and piracy - only murderers faced the noose. The author has selected chapters that discuss botched hangings and possible miscarriages of justice, and ends with a chapter devoted to the last two men to be executed in this country, in 1964. A compelling read for anyone interested in local and social history, written by an experienced criminal historian.Martin Baggoley was born in Eccles and after working as a civil servant trained as a probation officer, working for the last 33 years in the Manchester area. He gained a masters degree in criminology and has written on the history of crime and punishment for a number of publications in the UK and USA. His other books for Wharncliffe are Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in Manchester and Strangeways: A Century of Hangings in Manchester. Now semi-retired, he lives with his family in Ramsbottom.

Foul Deeds In Islington


John J. Eddleston - 2010
    This title takes the reader on a sinister journey through a selection of the most shocking and revealing murders committed in Islington, north London during the last two centuries.

Perth Murders and Misdemeanours. Geoff Holder


Geoff Holder - 2010
    

Foul Deeds in Kensington and Chelsea


John J. Eddleston - 2010
    

Mysteries of Police and Crime: A General Survey of Wrongdoing and Its Pursuit. Volume 1 of 2


Arthur Griffiths - 2010
    It includes the writings of major legal theorists, including Sir Edward Coke, Sir William Blackstone, James Fitzjames Stephen, Frederic William Maitland, John Marshall, Joseph Story, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and Roscoe Pound, among others. Legal Treatises includes casebooks, local practice manuals, form books, works for lay readers, pamphlets, letters, speeches and other works of the most influential writers of their time. It is of great value to researchers of domestic and international law, government and politics, legal history, business and economics, criminology and much more.++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++Harvard Law School Libraryocm26700585First edition November 1898. Reprinted January 1899"--T.p. verso. Includes index.London; New York: Cassell, 1899. 2 v.; 23 cm.

Legal Executions in the Western Territories, 1847-1911


R. Michael Wilson - 2010
    For each territory, entries are arranged chronologically and entered under the name of the condemned. Each entry provides the date, location, background and actions of the crime; details of the trial and execution of sentence; and references to the crime and execution in contemporary newspapers.

Passion, Poison and Power: The Mysterious Death of Sir Thomas Overbury


Brian Harris - 2010
    Two years later six people went to the gallows for his murder in a case which was said to involve wizardry, love potions, coded letters and a poisoned enema. Following them into the dock were the most glamorous couple at the court of King James. The husband, who was widely rumoured to be the King's lover, was convicted of Overbury's murder despite his protestations of innocence; but was he actually guilty? His pretty young wife confessed to the murder; but did she actually commit the crime? And the Lord Chief Justice was convinced that the case had a far wider and more sinister significance than appeared on the surface, possibly involving the suspicious death of the Prince of Wales. Despite an exhaustive inquiry conducted by England's most feared prosecutor, the whole truth never came to light; even the official report of the trials is suspect. In this entertaining account of one of the most sensational crimes in English history, Brian Harris re-evaluates the evidence and proposes a new solution to this intriguing Jacobean mystery. "a most interesting and scholarly account...tells the story carefully, analysing all he evidence and providing much surprising comment on the judicial process of the time...a fascinating account" Keith Lawrey, Graya

Murder in Colonial Virginia


Charles A. Mills - 2010
    Behind the facade of graceful mansions and quaint cobblestone streets evil lurks. A general look at crime, followed by four prominent murders from the period 1766-1806: (1) Ambrose Madison: The Master Slave Relationship, (2) Colonel John Chiswell: The Celebrity Murderer, (3) Richard Randolph: The Love Triangle, and (4) George Wythe: Family Matters.

'Constructive Bloodbath' in Indonesia


Nathaniel Mehr - 2010
    In the space of just a few months, the army massacred between 500,000 and one million innocent people, mostly rural peasants who had joined the Communist Party in the hope of improving their lives. The killings paved the way for the seizure of power by a military junta headed by General Suharto. Suharto’s regime became synonymous with corruption and human rights abuse, but his willingness to integrate Indonesia into the global capitalist system made him a darling of the United States and Great Britain. To this extent the massacre – one of the most devastating mass murders of the 20th Century – constituted what Noam Chomsky called a “constructive bloodbath” from the point of view of prevailing Cold War orthodoxy, and the US and Britain did what they could to encourage the slaughter. ‘Constructive Bloodbath’ in Indonesia examines the relationship between Suharto and his Western allies before, during and after the killings.“Nathaniel Mehr’s ‘Constructive Bloodbath’ in Indonesia details in lucid, balanced, and instructive prose the mass slaughter of more than half a million mainly poor, rural Indonesians in 1965 and 1966. For those that are not afraid to learn some hard and unpleasant truths, ‘Constructive Bloodbath’ in Indonesia is essential reading.” Michael D. Yates, Associate Editor of Monthly Review and author of Naming the System: Inequality and Work in the Global Economy

Tyburn Tales: The Criminal Chronology of York Castle


William Knipe - 2010
    'Carefully compiled' in 1867 'from prison documents, ancient papers, and other authentic sources', this extremely rare book contains the full details of the crimes, trials and executions of every murderer, highwayman, rogue and rebel ever to swing from the York Tyburn.From nobles such as Lord Hussey, Sir Robert Aske and the Earl of Northumberland (who mounted the scaffold 'with a firm step'), to notorious villains such as William Nevinson, Dick Turpin (whose right leg started to shake as he awaited the drop) and Knaresborough schoolteacher-turned-murderer Eugene Aram, it is an enthralling tour through the executions of the North.Including the last words and prison letters of many of the condemned, and laced with a grim humour (as seen in the case of the murderer who begged the hangman to check the rope carefully lest it break and leave him 'a cripple for life'), it will fascinate anyone with an interest in criminal history.

Legal Executions After Statehood in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon: A Comprehensive Registry


R. Michael Wilson - 2010
    Entries are divided into sections by state then arranged chronologically by date of execution. Each entry includes a biographical sketch of the condemned, and details of the crime, trial and execution of sentence.

Southampton Murder Victims


Jim Brown - 2010
    This has resulted in fascinating accounts of 80 murders committed in Southampton between 1783 and 2009, including some that took place abroad on the high seas and subsequently investigated by Southampton police under the Merchant Shipping Acts.Jim Brown has also outlined the changes in legislation relating to what was for many years a mandatory death sentence and the alterations to the court systems over the period.Included in the accounts are Jim’s recollections of investigations in which he was personally involved as a member of the murder squad, and these give a special insight in the methods employed by the police in the 1950s and 1960s.Many individual cases show interesting aspects of law and the varied ways in which unfortunate victims were killed, by shooting, bludgeoning, strangling, stabbing and poisoning. The various motives include drunken and domestic rage, jealousy, robbery and sex.The book contains many illustrations, some of them official police photos showing the scene of the crime and published for the first time.The murder accounts appear in strict chronological order, allowing the reader to dip into the period of their choice. The earlier cases will also arouse nostalgia for roads and premises that have long since vanished.Included in the accounts are Brown’s recollections of investigations in which he was personally involved as a member of the murder squad, and these provide a unique and fascinating insight into the methods employed by the police in the 1950s and 60s.The book contains many illustrations, some of them official police photos showing the scene of the crime and published for the first time, making Southampton Murder Victims a must-read for the bloodthirsty, the historians and the just plain curious.