No comments about Rage: The True Story of a Sibling Murder.

1 comments about The Chaparral Murders: Dollar Store Justice.

1. Margaret M. Stoddart's The Chaparral Murders chronicles the true story of Rusty Phillips, who was arrested and charged with the 1982 murders of Glenn Roberts and his son Timmy in the rural town of Parsons West Virginia and how he was eventually convicted of one of the charges-the murder of Timmy (the murder of Glenn was never solved).
   
   Today, after twenty-five years of a sentence of life imprisonment, there still remains, according to Stoddart, a great deal of doubt if in fact Phillips was the murderer or if a murder did actually occur rather than an accidental death.
   
   Stoddart is the stepdaughter of Edith Roberts, the mother of Timmy and the widow of Glenn. In the Preface to The Chaparral Murders, Stoddart states that she had written her book in order to document a series of horrific events in the life of Edith that began in 1982. As we read The Chaparral Murders, a composite picture slowly emerges that not only recounts the tragic deaths of Glenn and Timmy Roberts but also the seemingly unjustified conviction of Rusty Phillips that is reflective of a pattern similar to hundreds of other cases of wrongful conviction that have transpired over the years in the USA. It should be mentioned that every year many poor souls have been wrongfully convicted of a crime they didn't commit because they were either pressured to accept guilty pleas or were poorly represented by incompetent and unprepared attorneys. In most instances, the convicted are unable to afford costly attorneys and thus are left with little choice than to accept whatever attorneys are assigned to them. In addition, many of these attorneys are often overworked with little funds at their disposal to prepare an adequate defence. Was this the case with Rusty Phillips?
   
   As our narrative unfolds, we immediately notice that Stoddart has produced an extensive and exhaustive portrait of Rusty Phillips, his socio-economic environment as well as all of the various characters that played a role in his conviction.
   
   
   Beginning with the opening chapter we are introduced to Tucker County West Virginia that Stoddard describes as a close parochial community with a strong religious backbone and a family focus.
   
   There were very few major crimes in the county and thus you can well imagine the reaction of the town's people when sixteen-year old Terry Roberts discovered the dead body of his father Glenn Roberts in the family's trailer home.
   
   Apparently, the fatal shot that killed Glenn Roberts was fired at a very close range. When the law authorities questioned Terry, he indicated that his brother Timmy never returned home the night of his father's murder. The police contacted various relatives in an effort to locate Timmy who at the time was a prime suspect in the apparent murder of his father Glenn. After several days Timmy's body was found in a wooded area about one hundred feet from a truck that belonged to Glenn Roberts-"mud, water, brush, flies, and maggots nearly obscured the corpse."
   
   At the time as the deaths of Glenn and Timmy Roberts, Rusty Phillips was twenty-three years old and had just been released from the Randolph County Jail. Phillips was never exactly a model citizen and did have a few convictions beginning when the time he was a minor and continuing when he was an adult. And as Stoddart mentions, "his colorful past gave him a unique appeal to the teens."
   
   Stoddart meticulously presents her readers with the investigation of the murders of Glenn and Timmy as well as providing background material as to who Rusty Phillips was and his upbringing.
   
   In addition, there is considerable ink devoted to the break ins of the Veterans of Foreign Wars building as well a house trailer wherein both seemed to point to Rusty Phillips as being the culprit and the unifying thread was always to get Rusty, the diabolical criminal terrorizing Tucker County. However, as we more fully delve into the findings of Stoddart, we are likewise left with the conclusion, as is stated in the narrative, that the conviction of Rusty Phillips for first-degree murder is based solely upon mere shreds of circumstantial evidence and a botched up and inconclusive investigation.
   
   The Chaparral Murders has many strong points particularly its impressive and comprehensive research considering that Stoddart began from scratch in amassing her information, and although it will probably will not receive as much attention as it deserves, it certainly merits reading. It is detailed but never dull, methodical but never hair-splitting with events that are recounted in retrospect, offering the reader a vivid description of what may have occurred when Glenn and Timmy Roberts lost their lives. Moreover, the book is not a bland exposition of a criminal trial but rather constant question that haunts every page of the book: did Rusty Phillips murder Timmy Roberts and did he receive a fair trial?
   
   This is a timely book for a society that seems to lightly punish celebrities for some of their indiscretions yet ignore the indigent who are equally entitled to competent representation, particularly when it comes to the crime of murder where often we witness a miscarriage of justice. As Stoddart concludes: "a 2004 report by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants concluded that wrongful convictions in the United States may be as high as ten thousand annually. The poor are at constant risk of wrongful conviction due to prosecutorial misconduct and unqualified incompetent, and underpaid defence lawyers."
   
   Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures

No comments about Kathy the Cannibal.

5 comments about When Capone's Mob Murdered Roger Touhy: The Strange Case of "Jake the Barber" and the Kidnapping That Never Happened.

1. The Roger Touhy case has always fascinated me. I once firmly believed--back in my "armchair expert" days--in the innocence of Roger Touhy of the alleged Factor kidnapping, though, like author Tuohy, I was also skeptical of Touhy's own book The Stolen Years, which presented Roger as basically an "innocent bootlegger" rather than a real gangster. Mind you, I haven't necessarily changed my mind on this. Touhy may very well have been framed. It's just that there has always been a lot of evidence both for and against a frameup. Such as the wiretapped conversations between members of Touhy's gang and Jake "The Barber" Factor after Jake's release, threatening to kidnap him again unless further ransom was paid. Author Tuohy--no relation to Roger--neatly explains this by revealing that members of Touhy's gang were involved in the frameup. It's very believable but the credibility of the book is not enhanced by its numerous factual errors. Most deal with characters only marginally associated with the case but still undermine the book. Alvin Karpis was never a labor slugger for Capone. He was a bank robber and kidnapper whose only motivation to become involved in the Hamm kidnapping was pure profit. Karpis had no interest in framing Touhy for the Hamm job and certainly nothing to do with the Factor case. Karpis was, in fact, a friend of the Touhy gang and they had a mutual friend in "Baby Face" Nelson, whom Karpis introduced into the Dillinger gang. Melvin Purvis, who arrested Touhy for the Hamm job, which Touhy was subsequently acquitted of, was probably just another innocent dupe. Attached to the Chicago FBI office at the time was an Illinois highway patrolman, a so-called expert on the local underworld who seems to have actually been a double agent for Capone. It is curious that author Tuohy never stumbled upon this but he should have, as this was probably the "informant" who misdirected Purvis in Touhy's direction. Instead, the author implies that Purvis was part of the frameup, stating, erroneously, that Purvis knew through informants that Karpis had engineered the Hamm kidnapping. Purvis had no knowledge of this at the time. The FBI did not learn of the Barker-Karpis gang's involvement in the Hamm case until the following year, when they first heard of it from dying Dillinger gangster Eddie Green. The information on Gus Winkler (true name Winkeler) is also erroneous. Winkler was arrested for a million-dollar Lincoln, Nebraska bank robbery but he did not sell out his accomplices to beat to the rap. In fact, he was as innocent of this robbery as Touhy was of the Hamm and (probably) Factor kidnappings. Winkler simply bought back the stolen bonds from the actual robbers and returned them, beating the rap this way. None of the actual Lincoln bank robbers went to prison, through information from Winkler or any other way. No one--at least no one who's talking--knows why Winkler was killed but some evidence suggests it was just Frank Nitti consolidating his hold on the Capone empire by eliminating potential rivals, another of whom was North Side gangster Ted Newberry, a mutual friend of Touhy and Winkler. The connections of Touhy and Newberry to Mayor Cermak are well known but the case for Capone involvement in Cermak's murder, as presented here and elsewhere, is highly speculative at best. Personally, like many other researchers, I doubt that Capone or Nitti would have used a loser like Zangara for a hitman, or to have been stupid enough to have staged the assassination of Cermak while he was meeting the President-elect. Getting back to Touhy himself, the author does make a good case for Roger's innocence of kidnapping but his research strayed too far into other areas of gangster history in which his expertise is less than certain. Some source notes would have helped but the obvious errors detract from the author's equally obvious research. Still, someone--the Outfit? Jake the Barber? or both?--wanted Touhy out of the way in 1959. This book does go a long way toward explaining that. Despite its obvious faults, this book is a worthwhile addition to any gangster aficionado's library.



2. If you're into mafioso, read this! I loved it. Bought a copy for my brother to read for his birthday--good stuff.



3. Mob stories like Tuohy are a fascinating study in psychology of criminal deception. While criminal enterprises require a measure of loyalty. The question is always, loyalty to what, to whom, and for how long? Tuohy really understands the incredible gullibility to those who want to believe in surface appearances, while he keeps his eye on his own main chance. Unquestionable it takes the kind nerves of steel that only a sociopath has to be able to betray those around him to the extent that Tuohy (the con)does.

   Author John William Tuohy's startling account of Ken Lelek and StarNet is even more incredible. It must have required amazing personal courage - few people would have the guts it to do it and expect to get away with it.

   The "mob" world is not for the faint of heart, though. The moral of the Tuohy yarn is that in the end the ferryman expects his due.




4. An amazing story, I'm surprised it hasn't been turned in to film yet. Tuohy (The author) has tackled a difficult subject, an, considering the complexity of the issue has done well with it. Highly recommended



5. A complex tale of gangsters, political kickback, mob wars and corrupt politicians told with wit and humor at a good pace. Highly recommend this book.

No comments about Lisa, Hedda & Joel: The Steinberg murder case.

4 comments about The Enforcer: Johnny "Pops" Papalia: A Life and Death in the Mafia.

1. The Enforcer is a wonderful book for anyone who has a feeling for the life of the mafia. Johnny Papalia was a one of a kind who beat all the odds in life and the mafia. This book is highly recomended. 5 Stars



2. Probably the best Canadian organized crime history yet! And I have read several.With Pops killed and the Musitanos getting 10 years (Feb 5/00),the Papalia story continues. What's next for Organized crime in Canada?



3. I read this book 3 times and every time I learned something new. I can honestly say that I already knew all this. I am Frankie's adopted son. I didn't know much about this buisness and when I asked he himself told me to read this book. After never understanding I understand. And I garentee you that this book is a real life and indepth look at life in the real Canadian Mob. It will tell you about the family's buisness and personal affairs. If you have ever wondered about the inner workings of a true Mafia family, this book will tell you. Nothing sugarcoated just the truth.



4. This is one of the best books about organized crime/mafia l have ever read; it is concise, factual and full of much detail and well reasoned explanations, it was great to read a book by a journalist who has done his research well and is also a very good writer. This book brilliantly captures the rise of Johnny Pops and the Mafia in Canada, especially Hamilton, Ontario in the 20th century.
   
   All the rackets of gambling, stand over, [...], labor and drugs are well covered and explained as the author links various criminals together and how they interacted, co-operated and fought each other. The book details the violent, and uncertain world of Johnny Pops and other criminals and Pops comes across as a man who was scared of nothing except the tax man and later in life going back to jail where he spent a quarter of his life. This book is great read for true crime buffs.

5 comments about Mockery Of Justice: The True Story of the Sheppard Murder Case.

1. I thought the writing in "The Wrong Man" was dull. Then I read this book...some of the worst writing I've seen in recent years. Cynthia Cooper manages to take a compelling story and make it a struggle to read with her awkward, turgid style.

   Skip this book. There are much better books on this case available.




2. This book brings to life the fascinating Sheppard case, shedding new light onto the tragic events surrounding the murder of Marilyn Sheppard and the travesty of the criminal justice system in Cleveland, OH. The book provides a systematic and extremely readable examination of the evidence, while capturing the essence of the characters involved and the times in which they lived. Author Cynthia Cooper leaves you in no doubt of the innocence of Dr. Sheppard, the culpability of the Cleveland police, and the identity of the real killer. This is a captivating, well researched and extremely well-written book. This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.



3. The reason I gave only 4 out of 5 stars is because in my opinion there should have been a bit more editing to help the continuity. At times the changing from one person's perspective to another's and jarring leaps from one time frame to another makes for choppy reading. Also there are times when it becomes confusing as to who is thinking or speaking because of odd phrases and awkward word placement, otherwise it truly is a fine read. If you enjoy minute details and background you won't be disappointed with "Mockery of Justice" and in the end the authors more than prove that Dr. Sam Sheppard was railroaded by the police, coroner's office and by the Cleveland press of the 1950's. The author, who is also the son of Dr. Sheppard gives almost a blow by blow account of how he and others have uncovered decades old lies, cover-ups, rumors and ultimately the clues that point to the probable identity of the true killer who has gone unpunished for so long. If you like true crime and micro-detailing you'll enjoy this book and come away convinced of the wrongful conviction of an innocent man and the brutal murder of a young mother and wife and the unraveling of a 50 year old mystery.



4. The Sheppard murder case is probably the most famous in America, certainly the most famous prior to O.J. Dr. Sam Sheppard, a relatively prominent doctor from suburban Cleveland, was accused of murdering his wife. The case was tried in the newspapers, and he was convicted before the trial even began, served a dozen years in prison, and then was acquitted by a second trial. There are still legal proceedings going on in this trial (his family wants a full exoneration for him) and interest in the case continues.

   Dr. Sam (as he is known to distinguish him from his son, Sam Reese Sheppard) was apparently wrongly convicted, and according to police investigators in the book, never would have been indicted under similar circumstances now. A more thorough investigation of the other people in the lives of the Sheppards would have been conducted also. The authors make a good case that the investigation in 1954 was very sloppy and incomplete, apparently because they'd already decided who the culprit was.

   Unfortunately, this is all told in wooden prose, almost unreadable at times. Further, in the first half of the book there are numerous flashbacks (or flashforwards, depending on your point of view) with the action shifting between 1954 and the 90's. The second half of the book jumps between several suspects that were looked at in the investigation conducted by Sheppard's son (who's one of the co-writers) along with a host of other people, including the other author of this book. It's all not very well sorted (I found myself leafing back and forth trying to remember who various people were, and losing interest, to be frank) and somewhat confusing, though the conclusion seems obvious enough.

   There is much to like about this book. Unfortunately, most of what is likable about it is buried under a mass of barely-readable prose, and told in such a way as to make it considerably less than compelling. Frankly I wish I could give this book a higher rating. Reality, however, has to set in. It's not that good a book, except on the level of exonerating Sam Sheppard.




5. Cynthia L. Cooper is an attorney and journalist who had been researching the Sheppard case since 1990. She wrote the bulk of this book with input from Sam Reese Sheppard. The 'Prologue' mentions newspapers stories that were not fact but fiction, [Is this unusual?] Dr. Sam's trial by newspaper was a mockery of justice (p.36). Many fingerprints were found in the house after the murder, few were identifiable (p.45). Chapter 5 gives the circumstances of the murder. There was no blood spatter on Dr. Sam (p.53). His face was battered (p.60). The Cuyahoga County coroner had greater power than any other coroner in the country (p.65). Coroner Gerber was out to get Dr. Sam (p.66). There was no freedom of information in Cleveland (p.73). The evidence analysis was incomplete (p.79). When one detective analyzed the crime scene his report was censored because it refuted the prosecution's case (pp.79-80). Blood drops on the stairs was human (p.81). It could only have come from a bleeding person, the third adult in the house that night (p.82). This was proof of innocence, but there was no Brady ruling then.
   
   Gerber's testimony about a "surgical instrument" was prosecutorial perjury, he couldn't tell what it was (p.88). The jury decided on guilty, yet chose second degree murder. No murder weapon was ever found (p.93). The intruder carried the weapon into the house and kept it when they exited. The publication of Paul Holmes' book in 1961 showed changes in public opinion (p.96). Dr. Paul Kirk's examination provided exculpatory evidence. The murderer of Marilyn Sheppard would have been coated with blood (p.103). There was no blood spatter on Dr. Sam's belt, pants, shoes, or socks. The killer struck with his left hand (p.104). Magazine articles began to question the conviction (p.117). Real world crimes are not like the dramas on television (Chapter 10). In 1989 Sam R. collected the documents on the case and family history (p.133). Ohio authorities refused to comply with the freedom of information law (p.135). In 1993 Cynthia Cooper received evidence long suppressed that confirmed Dr. Sam's story about a chase in the night (p.141). A freshly made tool mark on the basement door indicated a break-in (p.142).
   
   Part Two covers modern events. Pages 153-155 tell how they pictured the individual from the known facts. Chapter 12 tells about "uncharged suspects", How to explain 'confessors'? [Are they like guests on a talk show?] Chapter 15 considers two neighbors as possible suspects. Polygraphs measure stress, they are not "lie detectors" (p.209). Chapter 17 has the life of Richard Eberling. The murder of Myrtle Fay "was written off" (p.263). Did she die like Marilyn Sheppard (p.261)? Chapter 19 tells of the death of Ethel May Durkin and how they discovered it was murder. Chapter 20 tells about the man who said he washed the windows before the murder - Eberling wasn't there (p.295). Why wasn't dripping blood cleaned up (p.299)? Who was Richard Eberling (pp.310-316)? Chapter 21 tells what was done to attempt a solution after 41 years. Chapter 22 returns to the 1966 acquittal of Dr. Sam. The authorities ignored the evidence of an intruder in the 1954 trial, they framed a conviction (p.325). Coroners in Ohio have unchecked power (p.326). More than half the murders are unsolved (p.327). The book ends with a plea against the death penalty. But it is better to seek just trials where the accused has the advice of forensic experts (like OJ Simpson). The conviction of Tom Mooney and Dr. Sam Sheppard ruined their health and lives after their acquittal.
   Journalist James Neff wrote the better book, but this book provides personal views and background information no other book can have.

1 comments about Who Was Jack the Ripper?: A Collection of Present-Day Theories and Observations.

1. An interesting concept - fifty people who have various connections with research on the Whitechapel Murderer (aka Jack the Ripper) each have one page to state their case. Entries range from the fascinating to the forgettable, but most have something worthwhile to say and this small tome is worth a place on any true crime fan's bookshelf

1 comments about Lone Wolf: True Stories of Spree Killers (Virgin True Crime).

1. I read this book not knowing very much about what spree killers are, and along the way I learned an awful lot about them and what makes them tick. The book looks at a series of case histories, some of the British but mostly from the US. Each case had detailed biographies of these killers and covered in gruesome detail their horrenmdous acts of spree killing.

   As well as the case histories there are good sections of the beliefs and motivations of these men, including a lot of stuff about neo-Nazis and religious fanatics.

   Its a good read and bound to become the standard work on a subject that just won't go away. Well recommended.

No comments about Question of Murder: Compelling Cases from a Famed Forensic Pathologist.