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Title: Murder, Culture, and Injustice: Four Sensational Cases in American History. by Walter L. Hixson ISBN: 1-884836-67-4 Publisher: University of Akron Press Pub. Date: 01 November, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.67 (3 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Great book
Comment: I suggest anyone who loves crime to go out and buy this book. It gives you a good perspective of 4 great trials of american history.
Rating: 1
Summary: Attempting to Revise History
Comment: The author is a professor of history who has written about four murder cases as a "scholarly inquiry". He claims the verdicts in all four cases were wrong! The author is wrong about Lizzie and OJ; the jury verdicts were correct.
Page 24 does not mention the other suspects: Brayton, Carpenter, etc. Page 41 quotes Lizzie as saying "she heard her (Abby) come in", but misdirects the reader to think of the guest bedroom. But if Abby did come in she would take the back stairs to her room, not the front stairs to the girls' rooms; Andrew did just that. Page 42 repeats the lie about the "broken handle" of the hatchet; it was sawn off! Page 44 quotes Fleet as to a cursory search; in fact they searched the house "down to a bump in the wallpaper". Page 47 tells that the new hatchet did not fit the wounds, but doesn't tell about the shred of gilt paint found. Page 48 quotes two boys as saying the barn was "nice and cool"; perhaps lightly dressed boys had a different experience from adults?
The author claims Lizzie was "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" (p.56) but can give no proof. Only Bridget and Lizzie were known to be present from 9AM to after 11AM. Bridget was seen outside around 9:30 when Abby was killed; Lizzie was seen outside at 11AM when Andrew was killed. If one person killed them both then neither Bridget or Lizzie did it. No bloodstains on dresses, no murder weapon found. Lizzie said "it wasn't Bridget or anyone who worked for Father"; the jury said it wasn't Lizzie. The author knows Bridget was ordered to wash the windows that morning (p.57) but doesn't know its significance. Page 59 mentions that the testimony about an attempted poison purchase was barred; could it be that they knew it wasn't Lizzie? It is dishonest to say Arnold R. Brown "insists that (WSB) dropped into the Second Street home to murder the Bordens" (p.265). Hixson should have read David Kent's "Forty Whacks".
The last murder case seems to be the reason for this book. It is an attempt to rewrite the historical facts on the trial of OJ Simpson.
Page 207 tells why a preliminary hearing was used rather than a grand jury. This put all the witnesses on the record just after the murders, and prevented the prosecution from concocting a story months later. It was not a mistake to hold the case in downtown LA where the facilities were superior, and closer to the command post. Page 210 tells of "TIME" magazine's darkened mug shot of OJ, but does not realize this was done to hide the fact that OJ had no scratches or bruises on his face! Page 214 does NOT mention that Johnnie Cochran Jr. was an Assistant DA in the 60s, and the #3 DA in the late 70s; why? Page 215 says "media coverage ... had now become more favorable to the defense"; how was that measured? One page 219 he talks about DNA tests, but doesn't say the flesh and blood found under Nicole's fingernails did not match the blood type and DNA of OJ Simpson, Ron Goldman, or Nicole herself! Page 229 says the limousine driver saw no white Bronco when he came to pick up OJ, but claims he saw the Bronco obstructing his view when he left; is the author inventing facts? The truth is that rehearing the limo driver's testimony convinced the jury to acquit. Page 233 says "brown leather gloves" but the crime scene photos show black leather gloves (with Caucasian limb hair!).
Why is OJ Simpson innocent of the murders? When the police arrived at 12:15AM they found two bodies whose red blood was trickling down the sidewalk. The photos taken showed this red blood. This means the murders occurred after 11:30PM, because the blood would be black and clotted if they were dead for over an hour. Since the limo driver left for the airport with OJ at 11PM, he could not have been present at the murders. In 1999 Herb MacDonnell said this in a newspaper interview, and discussed other facts in this case. Perhaps the author should show more regard for these facts?
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating perspective
Comment: Like most people I know, I never wanted to see or hear another word about OJ Simpson. I was however interested in some of the other cases discussed. This book puts all the cases into cultural perspective. It is hard to realize how much we are influenced by the attitudes and social norms of our times. Only with hind sight is everything clearer. My son is 13 and hopes for a career in law and politics. I have encouraged him to read this also. This should be required reading for everyone involved in the media or law.
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Title: The Cases That Haunt Us by John Douglas, Mark Olshaker, John "Douglas ISBN: 0671017063 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Murdered by His Wife by Deborah Navas ISBN: 1558493344 Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press Pub. Date: 01 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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