The story of a rope, a symbol, and rough justice in America. The hangman's knot is a simple thing to tie, just a rope carefully coiled around itself up to thirteen times. But in those thirteen turns lie a powerful symbol, one that is all too deeply connected to America's past -- and present. The last man to be hanged in the United States was Billy Bailey, who was executed in Delaware in 1996 for committing a double murder. Even today, hanging is still legal, in certain situations, in New Hampshire and Washington. And the noose remains a potent cultural symbol. An incident in Jena, Louisiana, in 2006, in which nooses were used to menace black students, made national news. Yet little has changed: according to author Jack Shuler, there have been nearly 100 "noose incidents" just in the last two years. The Thirteenth Turn unravels these stories, from Judas Iscariot, perhaps the most infamous hanged man, to the killing of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, the murderers at the heart of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, and beyond. In his travels across America, Shuler traces the evolution of this dark practice. As he investigates the death of John Brown, or the 1930 lynching that inspired the song "Strange Fruit," he finds that the very places that perpetrated these acts now seek to forget them. Shuler's account is a kind of shadow history of America: a reminder that vigilantes and hangmen play a crucial role in our national story. The Thirteenth Turn is a courageous and searching book that reminds us where we come from, and what is lost if we forget.
Don Weber brings his fifty-plus years of experience in writing and the criminal law to the reader. This book is a must-read for true-crime enthusiasts, Ripperologists, and anyone interested in increasing their knowledge of crime and criminal trials. The bestselling author gives the reader the details of forensic science and the criminal law in simple, easily understood language. The author has tried hundreds of criminal jury cases, both as a prosecutor and a defense lawyer. He details the real-life use of DNA science, psychological profiling, bite-mark comparison, gunshot analysis, and many other aspects of forensic evidence. The book also explains most aspects of criminal law and procedure, such as the little understood Felony Murder Rule and the valuable but often overlooked use of the Grand Jury and the prior consistent statement rule. Along the way, real trials, and historic trials that never happened, are detailed. From the badly botched murder of the Czar and his family to the forensic evidence that saved Wyatt Earp from the gallows, historic crimes are described and autopsied. The fictional trial of Robert Kennedy for the murder of Marilyn Monroe and the trial and execution of Jack the Ripper are based on actual facts taken from the historic evidence. Readers who want to sharpen their skills concerning crime and evidence and increase their understanding of criminal trials must have this riveting and informative book in their library. Were Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday saved from the gallows by forensic evidence? Would Robert Kennedy have taken the witness stand in his trial for the murder of Marilyn Monroe? The trial and hanging of Aaron Kosminski for the Jack the Ripper murders.
The third installment of the Kate the Chemist series that shows kids that everyone can be a scientist! Perfect for fans of the Girls Who Code series. Kate's school is having their first-ever STEM Night and the prizes are incredible! Kate is determined to win and comes up with the perfect experiment. But as she and her best friend, Birdie, start preparing, they find that Kate's project keeps getting messed up. Will Kate be able to use her science know-how to find out who is behind the STEM night sabotage? And will she fix her project before it's too late? From Kate the Chemist, chemistry professor and science entertainer as seen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Wendy Williams Show, and The Today Show, comes a clever and fun middle grade series that is the perfect introduction to STEM for young readers! Make Your Own Lemon Battery! Experiment Inside! Praise for Kate the Chemist: Dragons vs. Unicorns: "Proves that science and fun go together like molecules in a polymer."--School Library Journal "It's a great introduction to the basics of Chemistry that is readily accessible to a variety of ages . . . . The way the everyday chemistry is blended in is done seamlessly, and has [me and my ten-year-old son] noticing how we are all doing a little bit of science everyday." --GeekMom.com