Average customer rating:
- Disappointing book in a great series
- criminally negligent writing
- Is this the last one?
- Same Old Story
- Not a bad read, but inconsistent with past Badge of Honor
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Final Justice
W. E. B. Griffin
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0399149260
Release Date: 2003-01-27 |
Amazon.com
That there's an Establishment in any big city cop shop is no surprise, but the pols, police, press, and prosecutors who hang out together in W.E.B. Griffin's Philadelphia are so tightly connected that there's hardly any room to breathe in this Badge of Honor thriller. While a couple of minor characters from outside this old-boys' network make a few cursory appearances, plus the obligatory perp, it's mostly an inside story about golden boy Matt Payne, Main Line scion and third generation cop who's just been promoted to Homicide, and his mentors, friends, and family. The perp is a clever psychopath who rapes and murders his way across country while he's buying and selling exotic cars. Griffin fills in the story with plenty of carefully detailed department procedures in this newest in one of his many bestselling series (Honor Bound, Men at War, Brotherhood of War, The Corps). Justice triumphs and, of course, there's plenty of hero worship and not a flawed cop on the force, which won't surprise or displease the author's legion of true blue fans. --Jane Adams
Book Description
Just as with his remarkable military novels, millions of readers have been captured by the rich characters and vivid realism of Griffin's police dramas. "Griffin has the knack," writes The Philadelphia Inquirer. "He sets his novel before you in short, fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes. Before you know it, you've gobbled it up."
Now, in Final Justice, Detective Matt Payne-newly promoted to Sergeant and assigned to Homicide-finds himself in the middle of three major assignments. The first, a fatal shooting at a fast-food restaurant, seems simple, but rapidly becomes complicated. The second begins complicated and only gets more so, as Payne becomes involved with a local guru who has fled the country, leaving behind the mummified body of his girlfriend in a trunk. And, as if that weren't enough, the self-absorbed star of a series of improbable police movies comes into town-and it is his presence that will complicate Payne's life most of all.
Filled with color and detail and plots as real as the headlines, this is a riveting novel of the men and women who put their lives on the line, from the cop on the beat to the commissioner himself.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing book in a great series.......2006-05-25
I loved all of the other books in the series, but this book was very disappointing. The time frame of the book was placed in modern day, versus in the seventies, yet the characters are all of the same age. The seventies time frame made gave the series some flavor that this one was missing. The series was great until this book as it was realistic. In this book matt Payne becomes a super cop and is using his gun more often than any other cop. The other books were good to not make it a Hollywood gun battle, but this book was no where as creative or enjoyable as the others.
criminally negligent writing.......2005-12-07
This is my first WEB Griffin novel ... any my last. The thin story, amateurish writing and plot inconsistencies congeal into an incoherent waste of time. Here's what I mean....
Mr. Griffin has the annoying habit of using the same words and phrases over and over and over again takes me out of the story to wonder if he read what he had written. Some examples: "critters", "take the door", "doers".
He often repeats knowledge the reader already has, such as conversations or events. Most authors would summarize previously imparted information with "Matt explained what had happened." Mr. Griffin takes no such shortcuts.
His characters are -- to put it nicely -- blithering idiots. For example, the newly promoted, top-of-the-list Sargeant Matt Payne somehow forgets points of law, evidence handling, police procedures and so forth. The fictional citizens of Philadelphia should be concerned.
Occasionally, the author tries to build some suspense by overly explaining a procedure or plan. Alerted by all the detailed information, the reader may suspect something is about to go awry. (For example, his explanation of how a prisoner is transported.) Of course, nothing happens. Maybe it's fun to be the teacher, but Mr. Griffin should remember he's really a storyteller.
I imagine even the dim bulbs in Mr Griffin's police department would recognize bad writing and stop this critter before he does it again.
Is this the last one?.......2005-08-22
The title suggests that maybe this is it for the Badge of Honor series. I hope not. I agree that sometimes he goes of on detailed tangents about the Philly PD and its inner workings, but he always comes back to the starting point.
The novels in this series were set in the early 1970's, but suddenly in this one we're in at least the late 90's. For the first time the characters are using cellphones and digital cameras, and reporter Mickey O'Hara is now driving a Buick Rendezvous. Digital cameras figure in the plot as the rapist/murderer likes to take pictures of his victims but leaves his camera behind at one scene. Payne, et al, are able to track him through the purchase records.
Sometimes Griffin is predictable: Payne is the center of controversy; he and Detective Jesus Martinez hate each other's guts, while he maintains a friendship with Detective Charley Mc Fadden; he meets beautiful women and has intense sex with them; he again manages to deliver instant justice via gunshot wounds.
But this time he doesn't do well with it. He gets a little loopy after this, his third major "good" shooting since coming on the job. It seems like Griffin realizes that readers of the series may find it a little unseemly and he reflects that in Payne's reaction to this incident.
All in all, though, it's not a bad book, nor is the series. From what I hear the depictions of Rizzo and Company in the earlier novels aren't too far off the mark, and I'd also bet that there were Peter Wohls, Denny Coughlins, Jason Washingtons, and Charley Mc Faddens in the Philly PD.
Enjoy.
Same Old Story.......2005-05-29
I'm a huge WEB Griffin fan, but I was disappointed in Final Justice. Mr. Griffin has lapsed into a too-often used formula for the Badge of Honor series. The formula goes something like this: Matt Payne gets a new assignment; Wohl, Lowenstein, Coughlin and Washington then proceed to pontificate on how inexperienced and unqualified Payne is for his new assignment and proceed to illustrate in 100 different settings and circumstances why Payne is inexperienced; Payne falls for a girl; Payne eventually solves the crime and/or catches the bad guy. Mr. Griffin needs to put this series to bed if he has run out of new and fresh ideas for it.
Not a bad read, but inconsistent with past Badge of Honor.......2004-07-20
The book, though a little inconsistent in parts, is still a good read for fans of the Badge of Honor series. The timeframe is supposed to take place 6 months in the future after the end of The Investigators. It probably would have made more sense to be 2 to 3, or even 5 years after. Car radios have been replaced with cell phones; Jason Washington is a Lieutenant in Homicide and on the Captain's list (he was a SGT in Special Operations at the end of The Investigators), Chief Inspector Coughlin is now a Deputy Commissioner, and Staff Inspector Mike Weisbach of the newly created Ethical Affairs Unit designed to replace Internal Affairs, is now in charge of Internal Affairs, a separate entity from Special Operations. Of course, there is also the new Mayor, DA, and Police Commissioner, with no explanation of their demise after only 6 months. Matt Payne is true to form with the ladies, either having two or three on the string or getting them shot (we think; it is unclear whether "Terry" survives the ordeal). I liked the fact that there was more of a hint to a relationship for Peter and Amy. However, I was a little disappointed with the last 60 pages. It was as if the author was tired of writing the book and was looking for a quick ending and really didn't leave room for an additional sequel which would have been nice. It was, overall, a fast-paced and enjoyable read for 3/4th of the book.
Average customer rating:
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Access to Justice: Final Report to the Lord Chancellor on the Civil Justice System in England and Wales
Harry Woolf
Manufacturer: HMSO Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Law | Subjects | Books
Courts & Procedures | English Law | Law | Subjects | Books
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0113800991 |
Average customer rating:
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Final Justice: Police and Death Squad Homicides of Adolescents in Brazil
Ben Penglase
Manufacturer: Human Rights Watch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books
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Social Services & Welfare | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books | AIDS | Abuse | Adults | Aging | Children | Class | Communities | Culture | Death | General | History | Leisure | Marriage & Family | Medicine | Men | Occupational | Race Relations | Religion | Research & Measurement | Rural | Social Groups | Social Situations | Social Theory | Suburban | Urban | Women
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ASIN: 1564321231 |
Average customer rating:
- Satisfying end to a strong trilogy!
- By very far not Cresswell's best
- Satisflying Sequel
- Final Justice
- action-paced romantic suspense
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Final Justice (MIRA)
Jasmine Cresswell
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Cresswell, Jasmine | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0778321401 |
Book Description
Somebody really wants Melody Beecham dead.
As an operative with the covert government group Unit One, Melody Beechan has made her share of enemies. Her would-be assassin could be any number of criminals she's put behind bars. But when the evidence points to someone who has no knowledge of her connection to Unit One, the pool of suspects suddenly expands to include almost every person she's ever met.
Melody's partner, Nick Anwar, isn't about to let the woman he loves becomes the victim of a stone-cold killer. As a web of intrigue and danger follows Melody from Mexico to Washington and New York, Nick comes up with a daring plan to trap their elusive quarry. It will take chilling deception, ruthless determination and complete trust. Because although a killer is out for revenge, Nick and Melody are looking for final justice.
Customer Reviews:
Satisfying end to a strong trilogy!.......2005-09-29
Cresswell's stand-alone romantic suspense has been OK reads for me. Nothing that got me that excited but far better than some duds I've come across. Her Unit One trilogy featuring Nick Anwar and Melody Beecham was an unexpectedly enjoyable read starting with the two protagonists' romance. Melody is capable and strong without being brassy and harsh as I've found some kick-ass heroines to be; Nick is downright sexy and their romance develops at a pace that's realistic yet without losing any steam. That's the advantage of trilogies, I find. Lots of room to balance the romance and the action/suspense. Cresswell's trilogy beat Merline Lovelace's Cleo North-Jack Donovan trilogy hands down!
By very far not Cresswell's best .......2005-08-30
If you compare this book with another one written by JC like: "Dead Ringer", "The Third Wife", "Conspiracy" and obviously its prequels. You'll think that she wrote this book just to finish the series. Albeit is a thriller in more than half book it has its very boring parts, for example the Xmas dinner or how Melody or Nick "fought" with Josh at the gym among others. I agree that this book is more a personal biography of Melody and Nick and has almost nothing to do with Unit One. So I think that JC could had finish this series with another idea. This doesn't mean that this book is a waster but definitively not the best of the writer.
Satisflying Sequel.......2005-05-09
I really pleased with the Final Justice. It was action-packed and full of twists and turns. Although the killer is no big surprise. You will enjoyed the journey getting there. This is the best of the series.
Final Justice.......2005-05-06
Melody Beecham is used to danger, but not to someone personally wanting revenge on her, although there are ample suspects when she becomes a target for murder. Over her brief career, she's seen that justice is done on dozens of people who are enemies of the US. As part of a secret organization in the government, it's her job to protect the United States, by any means necessary. Now, it seems to be someone's job to use just those means to eliminate her. Is it a career criminal, or is it more personal? It's up to the man who loves her to find out before she is taken out.
*** Weaving a complex web of betrayal that spans decades, Ms. Cresswell delivers her trademark suspense to her legions of loyal fans. ***
action-paced romantic suspense .......2005-04-27
The secretive quasi government agency Unit One works on destroying criminal masterminds within the United States though they never appear in court handing over arrests to the FBI. Completing a sting, Agent Melody Beecham is shot; this upsets her partner Nick Anwar who loves her. He informs his superior he no longer wants to team up with Melody because he cannot control his emotions.
That changes when suddenly someone tries to assassinate Melody several times in different locales. Many people have motives to eliminate Melody who has insured numerous criminals tasted justice. Nick defies orders and is willing to die to keep her safe, but knows they must lure the culprit out into the open with Melody as the bait, but a personal spin makes the pair more likely to meet their maker rather soon.
Though some doubts about the legality of this Mission Impossible covert Unit One team lingers in the backdrop, fans of action-paced romantic suspense will appreciate this fabulous thriller. The story line is fast-paced from the opening sting to the final altercation, but it is the lead couple who makes the plot work. The support cast, especially their boss grooming Nick as his replacement if he proves not to be a fanatic, augments the insight into the duo and enhances the scenarios. Readers will appreciate this complex tale with a final incredible spin.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
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Carrier #22: Final Justice (Carrier)
Keith Douglass
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Men's Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0515138495 |
Book Description
The United States finds itself besieged on all fronts. While a militia group is planning a bombing at the Super Bowl, the greatest threat is yet to come--from the deranged leader of North Korea. Now, Carrier Battle Group Fourteen must fight not only for its own survival--but to prevent the outbreak of World War III.
Average customer rating:
- money does not buy happiness
- Vivid and very well written
- The OJ Trial 20 years before...
- Truthful
- Scary and true to life
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Final Justice: The True Story of the Richest Man Ever Tried for Murder
Steven Naifeh , and
Gregory White Smith
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451405137 |
Amazon.com
This story is remarkable not for the actual amount of money that T. Cullen Davis had, but for the way in which he was allowed to spend it during his murder trial. Not only did he bring into Dallas the best, the flashiest, and the most vindictive defense attorney money could buy, he also was allowed to turn the whole trial into an unbelievable (at least outside of Texas) circus in which even the jury members were treated to prime steaks every night, courtesy of the defendant. Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith deliver this tale with both tact and panache: they discover the sad substance beneath the surface glitter, they bring to life the many eccentric characters involved, and they have a fine sense of the absurd.
Customer Reviews:
money does not buy happiness.......2006-12-13
ALL I CAN SAY IS " WHAT A STORY" .
Vivid and very well written.......2000-04-27
This is a fascinating and disturbing tale that illustrates just how hard it is to convict somebody who has a lot of money and power. Cullen Davis, warped little rich boy dominated by his incredibly wealthy and megalomanic father, grows up to inherit most of the fortune and position. What does he do with it? He chases sex kitten type women, showers them with lavish gifts, and abuses them.
Naifeh and Smith raise the true crime genre to something close to literature here. We have the usual litany of sickies and psychopaths, the usual police incompetence, prosecutors who can't prosecute, etc. The "final justice" in the title is somewhat ironic since multimillionaire Cullen Davis is never found guilty of any of his crimes, the worst of which was the cold-blooded murder of his wife's 12-year-old daughter; the least of which, perhaps the killing of her kitten. The juries in Texas just would not convict him (although they have put a number of poor people on death row). Instead they admired him for his money, stupidly since he just inherited it. And before the book is over, he blows most of it.
We get a terrible sense here that people with riches in positions of power really can get away with murder. People look up to them regardless of their crimes. It helps us to understand how murderers like Sadaam Hussein and what's his name in Yugoslavia continue in power. It's not just that people are afraid of them, they look up to them and find ways to excuse their crimes. This is the human tribal mind at work: better our corrupt and evil leader than theirs, and better a corrupt and evil leader than no leader at all. The women in this one come off as particularly subject to manipulation by power and money, although that was not necessarily the authors' intent. They wanted to show just what a sick, sick man Cullen Davis is, and they succeed in that. But incidentally they revealed the women around him, especially his gold-digging wives, as sad, sad creatures who would be abused and wallow in it for the sake of being close to all that money and power and maybe getting a little of it. One has the sense that they couldn't help themselves.
This is a good read that will rouse your sense of indignation.
The OJ Trial 20 years before..........1999-06-15
it actually happened!!!
Don't look at the facts. Facts are **BAD***!! Let's attack the victims and divert attention away from what the case was all about...the murder of a twelve year old girl and a family aquaintance.
OJ's "Dream Team" (what a joke) must've used this case as a template for OJ's defense, because the similarities are eerie.
Highly recommended.
Truthful.......1999-03-04
This book is really, the most precise account of the murders and trials. Some of the other books on the murder trials of Mr. Davis are very goddy and don't focus on the facts of the case. I really think that Mr. Naifeh did an excellent job with the content and details of this novel.I hope that people will not simply judge a case or story by one book, and know that you must have a numerous amount of facts and reality before you try to judge someone or something.
Scary and true to life.......1998-09-17
At the time of the Davis murders, I was living in Fort Worth and had a second-hand acquaintance with some of the people involved. Smith and Naifeh got it exactly right: not merely the facts but the "feel" of the case. Texas is a microcosm of the U.S., with all our best and worst qualities exaggerated. The Davis case exemplified our fascination with sex and sleaze, our love/hate relationship with the wealthy, and a legal system that's as much showmanship as The Majesty Of The Law -- and the results were an ironic commentary on what we truly value. (Somehow, the fact that Priscilla Davis was a mother whose 12-year-old daughter was brutally murdered got lost in the shuffle.) The book is engrossing and truly scary, and I highly recommend it.
Average customer rating:
- Brannon series #5
- ANOTHER STUART BRANNON ADVENTURE!
- A fine western written with a Christian perspective
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Final Justice at Adobe Wells (The Legend of Stuart Brannon, Book 5)
Stephen Bly
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
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ASIN: 0891077448 |
Book Description
When Brannon and his sidekicks arrive in Mexico to buy cattle from Senor Pacifica, they learn that he has been killed by a band of ex-Confederate soldiers, who have also stolen his cattle. Brannon sets out to find the murderous men and and return the catt
Customer Reviews:
Brannon series #5.......2004-12-29
Stuart travels south of the border to buy cattle, but finds the cattle stolen and their owner murdered. This is not the work of ordinary thieves, but of a former Confederate officer determined to finance the "liberation" of Baja California for the glory of the Confederacy. This time, however, he's tangled with the wrong man, because Brannon is not about to let wrong go unpunished if he can help it.
In the process, Brannon comes to admire the newly-widowed Victoria Pacifica, and wonders if he's met the one woman who can help him finally love again.
Another keeper. Bly may be occasionally sparse on detail - although he gives you just enough to let you "see" where you are - but he's still long on action and character. Brannon is as straight and true as ever ... and there are no simpering heroines in a Bly book.
ANOTHER STUART BRANNON ADVENTURE!.......2000-10-09
Good old-fashioned western! Love that Stuart Brannon! Brannon tackles an army bent on liberating Baja, California. They make the fatal mistake of rustling his cattle to finance the venture. Victoria Pacifica provides intriguing romance and Brannon fans hold their breath: will she be the woman to lay to rest the ghost of his beloved dead wife?
A fine western written with a Christian perspective.......1998-06-30
This is a fast-paced western filled with vivid images and non-stop action. Brannon is a western hero who has come to understand his relationship with God. But, his past and the criminals of the Southwest just won't leave him alone. The Christian perspective of the author is even-handed and non-preachy. Read one of Steven Bly's books and you'll be hooked. A fine author!
Average customer rating:
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Final Justice (Angel of Mercy Series #7)
Al Lacy
Manufacturer: Multnomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1576732606
Release Date: 1998-03-31 |
Book Description
Silver Moon is in her teens when her Cheyenne village is destroyed by Colonel John Chivington's cavalry unit. As Silver Moon grows, she becomes consumed with hatred until her one goal is to kill the man responsible. But when a smallpox epidemic breaks out among the Cheyenne, Christian nurse Breanna Baylor Brockman comes to care for the sick, and the nurse's compassion for Silver Moon and her people begins the girl's journey toward conversion and healing.
Average customer rating:
- Preponderance of Evidence
- outstanding
- Boring and incompetent writing
- Excellent book on the OJ case
- Triumph of a Clever Lawyer
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Triumph of Justice: The Final Judgment on the Simpson Saga (Random House Large Print)
Peter Knobler
Manufacturer: Random House Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Civil Law | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books
General | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books
General | Law | Subjects | Books
Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Civil Law | Administrative Law | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0375702199
Release Date: 1998-04-29 |
Amazon.com
Daniel Petrocelli is the attorney who represented Fred Goldman and his family in their civil suit against O.J. Simpson for the death of their son Ron. (As such, he also coordinated the simultaneous prosecution of suits brought by Ron Goldman's biological mother and by the estate of Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.) In Triumph of Justice, Petrocelli tells readers how he was able to succeed where Marcia Clark and Chris Darden failed, convincing a jury that Simpson was indeed liable for the deaths of Goldman and Brown Simpson.
Petrocelli takes us behind the scenes, revealing how he got--and almost lost--the job soon after Simpson walked out of the criminal trial. He goes through rigorous depositions and cross-examinations in nearly complete detail, poking holes in Simpson's ludicrous alibi. Although he has very little good to say about Simpson (whose football exploits he admired before taking on the case), Petrocelli does have professional compliments for his legal adversaries. It's an important element to note--unlike other books from Simpson trial insiders, Triumph of Justice doesn't have aggrandizement or apologies for its author as the top priority. The mission here is simple--to tell the story of how justice was done--and Petrocelli achieves his objective nobly.
Book Description
When Daniel Petrocelli was first approached to represent the family of Ron Goldman in the O.J. Simpson civil trial, he was one of the few people in America who had paid little attention to the Simpson criminal trial. His first inclination was to turn down the case. But as friends and clients urged him to accept, as he got to know not only the Goldmans but the facts of the case and the human tragedy lurking behind it, Petrocelli realized this was something he had to tackle head on.
Never having tried a murder case, putting his firm's considerable reputation at risk, confronting a media swarm for which he was totally unprepared, and facing an overwhelming financial disadvantage, Petrocelli nonetheless went on a personal and increasingly passionate mission to bring about justice. Triumph of Justice is a chronicle of that mission. Petrocelli's insights, observations, and inside information not only show us how he convinced a jury to find O.J. Simpson liable for $33.5 million in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman--proving to the American people that their legal system does indeed work--he also makes the story a compelling and exciting legal read.
Among the revelations detailed in these pages:
Petrocelli's ten-day, no-holds-barred deposition of O.J. Simpson
What Petrocelli learned from the incendiary depositions and interviews of Kato Kaelin, Faye Resnick, Marcus Allen, A.C. Cowlings, and others
The surprising realizations that emerged from a mock jury trial, which Petrocelli lost
His dramatic face-to-face courtroom confrontation with O.J. Simpson on the witness stand
What happened that night in Brentwood
Petrocelli also offers insight into the larger issues--of race, wealth, celebrity, and police competence--surrounding the case. He places the trial in its proper context and, in so doing, examines legal questions and issues about our justice system that affect and reflect upon every one of us.
Triumph of Justice proves, conclusively, that O.J. Simpson told lie after lie and that he did indeed kill his ex-wife and an innocent man. It is the story you haven't heard about the trial you didn't see and is the closest, most in-depth look at an important murder case since Helter Skelter.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Preponderance of Evidence.......2006-08-31
"Triumph of Justice" is probably the best account by an "insider" of the Simpson legal and criminal saga. Civil attorney Daniel Petrocelli was hired by the Goldman family to represent them and bring justice for their son and brother, Ron and he takes the reader along on his first meeting with the Goldmans, to sharing memories of Ron, the tragedy of his life being cut so short, and the depositions and half-truths given by Simpson. Parts of the civil trial may be a bit heavy handed for the more impatient, but getting an inside glimpse of the civil trial, which received far less media attention that its criminal counterpart (not to mention, a firmer no-nonsense judge who would not allow cameras in his courtroom, nor any media pandering)is worthwhile. Far from being shown as a charasmatic, personable former athlete, Simpson comes across as a smarmy, cocky, self-absorbed guilty individual. His civil trial attorneys seemed, at least thru "Triumph", overwhelmed with the enormity of their client and the many half-truths and blatant lies he told. By comparison, Petrocelli steamrolled both them and Simpson and finishing the book, you come away with a deep sense of regret that Petrocelli couldn't have represented the State in the criminal matter.
Despite the heavy size of the volume, the reading is relatively smooth. Will "Triumph" truly close the book on the Simpson case? Probably not, but it should definitely be the case's swan song.
outstanding.......2005-11-17
The definitive book on the Simpson case. Daniel Petrocelli and his fellow lawyers brilliantly dissected and debunked every myth about the Simpson case. I found the book very entertaining and well written and an excellent primer on how to do direct and cross examination of a witness.
The book also demonstrated the powerful differences between a criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit. The plaintiff lawyers brilliantly used the civil rules of discovery to their benefit. They made a discovery demand for Simpson to provide all the evidence he had of any sort of police conspiracy, contaimination of evidence, evidence of any third party who did the murder, etc. Simpson could not produce a single piece of evidence to support any of these theories. And since he could not produce any such evidence, the court properly refused to allow him to argue those theories at trial. Trials are solely about what can be proven and disproven. They are not forums to throw out every cockamaimie theory you can come up with (the criminal trial in this case).
The civil rules also required Simpson to submit to "requests for admission" a powerful mechanism to reduce what has to be proven at a trial---if the opponent admits it, you don't have to prove it. Simpson had to admit that the blood collected at Bundy and in his car was his. And he had absolutely no evidence whatsoever to back up any claim that it was planted.
The civil rules also required Simpson to submit to a deposition and to testify at the trial. If he had refused to testify, he would've forfeited the case. And of course in his deposition and in his trial testimony he lied continuously and in easily provable ways. For every lie he gave the plaintiffs had one and usually at least two different witnesses to impeach Simpson, often testimony from his close friends, Taft, Cowlings, Kardashian and his estranged girlfriend Paula Barbieri, amongst others.
Finally, and most devastatingly, they found the photos of Simpson wearing the same shoes that were worn by the killer at the murder scene. Simpson had previously denied ever owning such shoes. And to try and debunk the photo? He brings in a kooky JFK conspiracy buff as his photo "expert". Then when 30 other photos from a different photographer show up, one of them printed in a newspaper 8 mo before the murders, the game was over for Simpson.
An innocent man doesn't have to lie when he's on trial. Simpson lied. I thought the most powerful argument that Petrocelli made in his rebuttal was concerning the attempt by Simpson's lawyers to trash the reputation of Ron Goldman. If Simpson was truly innocent, why would he try to trash and debase the memory of Ron Goldman? According to Simpson's theory, Ron Goldman died fighting to save the life of the mother of Simpson's children! In fact, if there really someone else who did the murder, then Goldman's heroics might've prevented the killer from going into the home and murdering Simpson's children. But instead Simpson's lawyers ended up mocking Ron Goldman. Only a guilty man does that.
Boring and incompetent writing.......2003-06-10
Petrocelli (and/or his ghost writer) have put together a book that is replete with incorrect use of the language in terms of tenses and punctuation marks, and the writing style is without any real sense of flow. I found this effort tedious and poorly organized, certainly not worthy of an attorney of his stature -- unless it was written soley for the money that nearly any book about O.J. Simpson can produce.
Excellent book on the OJ case.......2003-04-26
Truimph of Justice is an excellent book on the Civil Trial,of OJ Simpson,aka The Killer.
Daniel Petrocelli writes clearly and keeps the reader interested at all times.The reader is informed of all details and legal jargon is explained very well.Mr Petrocelli's thoughts on the case are balanced,and he is not biased,because anyone reviewing the evidence against Simpson would come to the conclusion that Simpson is CLEARLY guilty of double homicide.The writing makes you feel sad for Fred Goldman and his family who endured the murder of their son and the not gulity verdict of the man who obviously killed him and Nicole.
That Simpson was found guilty in the Civil trial is justice for the Goldmans and the Browns,because it was never about the money
that Simpson was ordered to pay(33 million)but it was about accountability.I have read reviews of this book and other books on the case and some people still come to the conclusion that Simpson didnt do it...i find that mindset laughable.Read the book and find out what a selfish rotten individual Simpson really is,hes a wife beater and a double murderer,
Triumph of a Clever Lawyer.......2002-08-08
Chapter One claims "conclusive evidence" but this does not match the facts: "a cap with hairs matching his hair" only shows that OJ had prior access to the place. There is no mention of any DNA match. The other claims are just as misleading or one-sided. It ignores the testimony of the ME who did the autopsies: "the forensic evidence says the murders occurred after 11PM". How was that black glove planted - see the "Legacy of Deception". The limo driver picked up OJ at 11PM, giving him an alibi that caused the jury to find him not guilty, despite planted evidence. DP criticizes the prosecution lawyers as "haggard" and "apologetic". I think this was caused by their reasonable doubts - they no longer believed OJ was guilty. DP then says "from what little I knew at the time there wasn't any concrete proof that the incriminating evidence against Simpson had actually been planted by the police officers". What does he now know, and when did he know it?
Money was raised for the civil suit, they would not work on speculation. They appealed to the public. Yet they criticized OJ for raising money the same way! DP claims Paula dumped OJ, but he admits Paula returned from Las Vegas to sleep with OJ. Some break-up! Chapter Six tells about the depositions. DP will try to give the worst interpretation to any statement; he is so clever at this. Neither the agent at the LAX ticket counter, or the passenger on that flight, saw any cuts on OJ's fingers. He tells about his use of the Schwartzes. DP treats OJ's friends with disgust - because they don't think the way he wants them to think!! Chapter Thirteen says Fuhrman was a "star witness". How could he alone find evidence that the other detectives did not see? "He should have told the truth". DP suggests Kardashian hid the bloody clothes and knives! DP then claims the golf bag contained the bloody knife. Chapter Sixteen tells about the National Enquirer picture of OJ and those shoes. I remember those suede shoes were fuzzy but the sole had sharp details! There was a problem with the shadows, and the light on the sole. The Dec 1997 issue of 'Popular Mechanics' provides other examples of photo editing. This book has no pictures. Compare it to the other books, or true crime books in general.
Chapter Eighteen tells about the "mock trial". They used people off the street, tried out various arguments, then picked the ones most likely to convict. Is this the 'triumph of justice'? DP says the blood evidence was collected before OJ returned home from Chicago. But he doesn't tell that the blood sample from OJ and from the victims was collected before the evidence was submitted for testing! Evidence tampering had a powerful effect on the mock jury, so DP decided to negate this topic. The right judge can determine whether you win or lose; the defendant's law firm had prior problems with this judge! DP tells how they eliminated jurors who knew of Fuhrman's perjury. Chapter Twenty One tells how the trial was fixed. All the evidence collected by the LAPD would be assumed to be correct. It could not be questioned unless there was new evidence. In effect, any previously disputed and doubted evidence became Official Fact! Did somebody plant the glove? Did somebody else get the victim's blood before the Crime Lab got the evidence? Yes, but it didn't matter! "It does not matter how the evidence was collected". The defense was even prevented from arguing that anyone else was the killer! Only the evidence that showed Simpson was guilty would be allowed in the trial. Even Fuhrman's perjury would be excluded. DP says only the victim's or OJ's blood was found at the murder scene. But when the blood and skin found under Nicole's fingernails did not match OJ (or Ron or Nicole), they had a clever answer for this. OJ had no scratches or bruises at all. The blood on OJ's socks was less degraded than from the autopsy vial. Unpreserved blood would be more degraded, not less! Could this be a sign of manipulation of evidence? Read how DP cleverly turns this about. Note their care in framing questions so OJ could not say "someone planted it". DP claims the limo driver said the Bronco was not in Rockingham at 10:03; but the limo driver did not arrive before 10:22! Is this honest?
Is absence of evidence a proof of guilt? DP cleverly misrepresents the purpose of the control swatch; they are NOT supposed to contain anyone's DNA. They tell of the questioned Buffalo photo. Since the camera was stolen, there was no way to corroborate the story! The defense's photo expert pointed to differences between the other negatives on the film. They claim "the shoes in this particular photograph ... have not been altered or changed in any way". But the question was the photograph altered in any way? See it for yourself. Was Nicole was the target, and Ron the innocent bystander? The 25-30 wounds on Ron say he was the target of a frenzied attack, and Nicole was quickly killed as the innocent bystander. DP says "they found blood dropped all over his house". In fact, drops of blood were found outside leading to the front door, but not inside the house. Were they planted by someone who had no access to the house? DP says the cuts on OJ were made by the victim's fingernails, but it did not match OJ by type or DNA! DP is one clever lawyer! The FBI and LAPD donated thousands of dollars of their services to assist a private litigant. You can decide if this is a vendetta of bias. The judge's instructions to the jury: the criminal verdict didn't matter, nor the custody verdict. Did his other rulings help to fix the case? DP does NOT tell that the verdict was timed to interfere with President Clinton's State of the Union address. Part of a right wing conspiracy? The last chapter claims OJ "was worth substantially more" than $25 million "because of his notoriety as a famous killer". How big a lie is that? The red liquid blood found by the bodies after midnight says they were murdered after 11:30PM. OJ Simpson is innocent.
Chapter Twenty One tells how the trial was fixed. All the evidence collected by the LAPD would be assumed to be correct. It could not be questioned unless there was new evidence. In effect, any previously disputed and doubted evidence became Official Fact! Did somebody plant the glove? Did somebody else get the victim's blood before the Crime Lab got the evidence? Yes, but it didn't matter! "It does not matter how the evidence was collected" (p.279). The defense was even prevented from arguing that anyone else was the killer! Only the evidence that showed Simpson was guilty would be allowed in the trial (p.380). Even Fuhrman's perjury would be excluded (p.383). Page 415 says only the victim's or OJ's blood was found at the murder scene. But when the blood and skin found under Nicole's fingernails did not match OJ (or Ron or Nicole), they had a clever answer for this. OJ had no scratches or bruises at all. Page 442 tells about the blood on OJ's socks; it was less degraded than from the autopsy vial. Unpreserved blood would be more degraded, not less! Could this be a sign of manipulation of evidence? Read how DP cleverly turns this about. Page 450 tells of their care in framing questions so OJ could not say "someone planted it". On page 511 DP claims the limo driver said the Bronco was not in Rockingham at 10:03; but he earlier testified he did not arrive before 10:20! Is this honest.?
Page 532 tells of OJ wearing a "dark sweatsuit"; did they find this at his home? Is absence of evidence a proof of guilt? DP cleverly misrepresents the purpose of the control swatch (p.567); they are NOT supposed to contain anyone's DNA. Page 573 tells of the questioned Buffalo photo. Since the camera was stolen, there was no way to corroborate the story. The defense's photo expert pointed to differences between the other negatives on the film. Page 597 has the quote "the shoes in this particular photograph ... have not been altered or changed in any way". But the question was the photograph altered or changed in any way? See it for yourself. Page 602 claims that Nicole was the target, and Ron the innocent bystander. The 25-30 wounds on Ron say he was the target of a frenzied attack, and Nicole was quickly killed as the innocent bystander.
On page 608 DP says "they found blood dropped all over his house". In fact, drops of blood were found outside leading to the front door, but not inside the house. Were they planted by someone who had no access to the house? DP says the cuts on OJ were made by the victim's fingernails. But the blood under Nicole's fingernails did not match OJ by type or DNA! He is one clever lawyer! Page 616 notes that the FBI and LAPD donated thousands of dollars of their services to assist a private litigant. You can decide if this is a vendetta of bias. Page 623 tells of the judge's instructions to the jury. The criminal verdict didn't matter, nor the custody verdict. Did his other rulings help to fix the case? Page 626 tells of the verdict.
The last chapter claims OJ "was worth substantially more" than $25 million "because of his notoriety as a famous killer". How big a lie is that? The red liquid blood found by the bodies after midnight says they were murdered after 11:30PM. OJ Simpson is innocent. Read the book and see for yourself. ["Killing Time" by Freed and Briggs is the one best book.]
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8 Titles in the Rosato & Associates Series: (1) Everywhere That Mary Went (2) Final Appeal (3) Running From the Law (4) Rough Justice (5) Mistaken Identity (6) Moment of Truth (7) Vendetta Defense (8) Courting Trouble (Set of 8)
Lisa Scottoline
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WYBX0A |
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