The Death of Old Man Rice: A True Story of Criminal Justice in America

Book Description

Rarely rivaled by real life or fiction as a gripping narrative, the William Marsh Rice case is the subject of Martin L. Friedland's authoritative account. . . . A fascinating depository of information that invites readers to develop their own theories of what happened. . . . A gripping and completely trustworthy account of one of the great criminal stories of our century.
--Houston Chronicle

Friedland proves himself an indefatigable researcher, breathing life into a case laid to rest decades ago.
--Publishers Weekly

I found the book fascinating!
--James A. Baker III, former U.S. Secretary of State

The Story of One of the Most Remarkable Trials in All History! Sensational trials--the Menendez brothers, the Rodney King case, the Preppie Murder--are not unique to the age of television. The year 1900 saw one of the most dramatic criminal trials in American history, described by one newspaper at the time as America's most remarkable murder case.
When William Marsh Rice, the founder of Rice University, was found dead in the New York City quarters he shared with his only servant, suspicion immediately fell on Albert Patrick, a young lawyer. Rice, whose fortune was pledged to Rice Institute (later Rice University), had, it seemed, been killed by chloroform poisoning and his will forged to give Patrick his vast estate. Patrick was immediately arrested and, in a spectacular trial, tried for first-degree murder, a crime then punishable by execution.
In this combination murder mystery and murder history, Martin Friedland recounts the events leading up to the trial and the case as it played itself out in court. Skillfully guiding the reader through the trial and its outcome, Friedland sheds new light on the events, casting doubt on what, at first glance, seems an ironclad case.
Provocatively illustrated with over 60 photographs that capture the circumstances of the trial and the mood of New York City at the turn of the century, The Death of Old Man Rice is not only a gripping tale of murder and intrigue, but a timely window onto many aspects of criminal justice in America. Touching on issues of great contemporary relevance-- such as the influence of the popular press; the purchase of expert witnesses; the problems of multiple appeals; the inadequacy of penal institutions; and the advantages of wealth--Friedland combines scholarship with suspense in his trademark who done it style.
A murder mystery, a historical study, and a fascinating window into the world of forensic science, The Death of Old Man Rice is that rare book that can engage any reader.

Customer Reviews:

the death of old man rice.......2000-04-10

just see how the crimal justice system doesnt work unless you've got a ton of money and can buy your way out this guy had to pay a price...death.

Reconstructing Criminality in Latin America

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Reconstructing Criminality in Latin America
Carlos A. Buffington, Robert Aguirre
Manufacturer: SR Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Crime and Punishment in Latin America: Law and Society Since Late Colonial Times

ASIN: 0842026215

Book Description

The only reader currently available on criminality in Latin America, Reconstructing Criminality in Latin America reconstructs the way in which different Latin American societies have viewed, described, defined, and reacted to criminal behavior. Crim

COPS AND KIDS: POLICING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN URBAN AMERICA, 1890-1940 (HISTORY CRIME & CRIMINAL JUS)

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A well written monograph, an enjoyable read

COPS AND KIDS: POLICING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN URBAN AMERICA, 1890-1940 (HISTORY CRIME & CRIMINAL JUS)
DAVID B WOLCOTT
Manufacturer: Ohio State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0814210023

Book Description

Juvenile courts were established in the early twentieth century with the ideal of saving young offenders from "delinquency." Many kids, however, never made it to juvenile court. Their cases were decided by a different agency—the police.

Cops and Kids analyzes how police regulated juvenile behavior in turn-of-the-century America. Focusing on Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit, it examines how police saw their mission, how they dealt with public demands, and how they coped daily with kids. Whereas most scholarship in the field of delinquency has focused on progressive-era reformers who created a separate juvenile justice system, David B. Wolcott's study looks instead at the complicated, sometimes coercive, relationship between police officers and young offenders. Indeed, Wolcott argues, police officers used their authority in a variety of ways to influence boys' and girls' behavior. Prior to the creation of juvenile courts, police officers often disciplined kids by warning and releasing them, keeping them out of courts. Establishing separate juvenile courts, however, encouraged the police to cast a wider net, pulling more young offenders into the new system. While some departments embraced "child-friendly" approaches to policing, others clung to rough-and-tumble methods. By the 1920s and 1930s, many police departments developed new strategies that combined progressive initiatives with tougher law enforcement targeted specifically at growing minority populations.

Cops and Kids illuminates conflicts between reformers and police over the practice of juvenile justice and sheds new light on the origins of lasting tensions between America's police and urban communities.

Customer Reviews:

A well written monograph, an enjoyable read.......2006-01-08

Wolcott's thoughtfully written monograph combines a careful examination of urban juvenile justice systems in the United States with fascinating descriptions of real children brought into these systems. The author explores methods of policing adolescents in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and how these methods changed throughout the decades in response to differing philosophies of child reformation and crime prevention. Wolcott also examines race relations, gender inequities, and the origins of youth gangs. The issues presented unearth the roots of modern debates about "getting tough on crime". All told, an enjoyable academic work, suitable both for the classroom and for serious general readers.

Crime and Punishment in America Reference Library Cumulative Index Edition 1. (Crime and Punishment in America Reference Library)

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Crime and Punishment in America Reference Library Cumulative Index Edition 1. (Crime and Punishment in America Reference Library)

Manufacturer: U·X·L
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0787691747

Book Description

Book Description

This text includes complete discussion of theories of organized crime, major forms of organized crime, and deterrence. It goes beyond other texts in providing a thorough discussion of the history of organized crime as well as emerging new crime organizations.

Disposable Children: America's Child Welfare System (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series)

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Disposable Children: America's Child Welfare System (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series)
Renny Golden
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0534264662

Book Description

Disposable Children: America's Child Welfare System is a compilation of first-hand accounts from those who are directly involved with the juvenile justice and welfare systems--case workers, judges, and most importantly , children who have been caught in the sytem and whose lives have suffered from it. Golden provides considerable background information on the systems, ills of each, and how we can attempt to remedy these ills. With a focus on Chicago, plus additional material across the nation, Golden gives a condemning portrayal of the child welfare system and offers some solutions for these endemic problems.

Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis

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The liberal Rush Limbaugh
Indispensable
Indispensable
YES!
SLOPPY

Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis
Christian Parenti
Manufacturer: Verso Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Law Enforcement | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1859847188

Book Description

Consider the following: Over 1.7 million Americans live in prison, a three hundred percent increase since 1980; In some US cities, one third of all young Black men are in jail, on probation or awaiting trial; In California, spending on prisons has eclipsed allocations for higher education; Starbucks, Jansport and Microsoft all use prison labor to package their products; Corrections Corporations of America, the nation's largest private jailer, has been dubbed a 'theme stock for the 90s.' Why is criminal justice so central to American politics? Lockdown America not only documents the horrors and absurdities of militarized policing, prisons, a fortified border, and the federalization of the war on crime, it also explains the political and economic history behind the massive crackdown. Written in accessible and vivid prose, Lockdown America will propel readers toward a deeper understanding of the links between crime and politics in a period of gathering economic crisis.

Customer Reviews:

The liberal Rush Limbaugh.......2003-04-03

When I embarked upon reading this book, I thought I would be getting a fair and precise look into the American legal system. What I got was anything but that. Anybody wanting to read this book should know that Parenti is an extreme left-winger and this book is an acidic ribbing of the Republican Party, police offers, etc. etc. I do admit that Parenti is quite knowledgeable about the justice system and he provides many examples -- this book is full of examples to back up his points. But there is a problem: the only examples he gives are examples of police malfeasance, he never tells police success stories.
Also, my other major complaint is that throughout much of the book, he assumes a Rush Limbaugh personae and just starts taking irrelevant, low blows at people. He calls Rudy Giuliani a "ghoul," he sarcastically calls Dan Quayle "that towering intellect," and he even goes so far as to make fun of the way New York City Police Chiefs dress while they are off duty.

Overall, this book is not very scholarly in tone. It states that there is a problem, but he never offers a solution to the problem - it is just a couple hundred pages of non-stop whining and Limbaugh-esque mocking of people he disagrees with.
If you are looking for a good introduction to contemporary American justice and the legal system, I HIGHLY suggest you look elsewhere.

Indispensable.......2002-07-17

This is the best book I've ever read that deals with the burgeoning police-state in the U.S. Parenti ranges far and wide by giving a sound structural analysis as to why police and their paramilitary style tactics have oversaturated our streets. Economics and politics are often at the crux of most social problems; Parenti understands this and gives the reader an intellectually fascinating and stimulating journey documenting just how our country has been transformed over the last thirty years into a civil libertarian's nightmare.
As Lockdown America demonstrates, the "social dynamite" and "social junk" need to be quartered and corralled by the ruling class, otherwise the owning class would be forced to put down rebellions and riots. The new American prison boom is dealt with by Parenti along with a myriad of other criminal justice issues. As mentioned above, the most accurate and satisfying aspect of the book is the manner in which it intelligently ties a politico-economic critique into its analysis of criminal justice (sic).
Go beyond nonsense television programs that purport to deal with crime and society, by devouring Parenti's book.

Indispensable.......2002-02-28

This is the best book I have ever read dealing with the burgeoning police state in the US. Parenti ranges far and wide by giving a sound structural analysis as to why police and their paramilitary style tactics have oversaturated our streets. Economics is often at the crux of most social problems; Parenti understands this and gives the reader an intellectually fascinating and stimulating journey, showing how our country has been transformed over the last thirty years into a civil libertarians nightmare.
The "social dynamite" and "social junk" need to be quartered and corralled, otherwise the owning class would be forced to put down rebellions and riots. The new American prison boom is dealt with by Parenti along with a myriad of other criminal justice issues. As mentioned above, the most accurate and satisfying aspect of the book is the manner in which he intelligently ties a politico-economic critique into his analysis of criminal "justice".
Go beyond nonsense television programs, which purport to deal with crime and society, by devouring Parenti's book.

YES!.......2002-01-26

This is a very well written, very thoughtful study of the last 30 years of the criminal justice buildup in this country. This book goes beyond complaining -- it explains with history, theory and rich empirical detail why the US has so many prisons. I've read several books on law and order, this is the best. Excellent for college students or regular folks.

SLOPPY.......2001-06-15

The (good) message of this book is undermined both by its conspiratorial tone and its sloppy reportage (resulting in many inaccuracies). There are many other books of this genre (e.g., Elliot Currie's Crime and Punishment in America, Michael Tonry's Malign Neglect, Frank Zimring and Gordon Hawkins' Scale of Imprisonment) which are much more sound and, for this reason, much more persuasive.

Book Description

Quick--get their attention before they turn the page!

That's the challenge today's advertisers are up against. Ant that's what award-winning advertising agency Turkel Schwartz & Partners has been doing for the past 15 years--stopping people in their tracks with powerful marketing messages that do their work quickly and insidiously--often before the viewer even knows what hit them.

Brain Darts is jammed cover to cover with examples of some of the world's most compelling design and advertising. Just open the book and you'll get the point.

Customer Reviews:

Still great stuff.......2006-02-16

I came across this book while searching TURKEL's Web site. It's a nice retrospective of the agency's work over the years for some pretty impressive clients. Granted, there's not a lot of cutting edge guerilla/viral stuff like Crispin does, but this book was published long before anyone knew what that was! Still, you'll find solid design and well thoughtout strategies to inspire you.

Brain Dead!.......2001-06-07

it's just rehashed, old and boring.....it is chest beating at it worst...It is like a glorified portfolio for the company.

Brain Darts: Smart Creative Made Simple.......2000-06-19

"With Brain Darts, Turkel Schwartz & Partners helps people better understand how simple and magnificent creative thinking and problem solving can be. Bruce Turkel's illustrations make the complex and esoteric very clear. His style and humor make the process of learning a joy. Of course, you can't articulate this stuff so well and make it so real without walking the walk, and Bruce Turkel does that part with long strides and a nice bounce in his step. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get the most out of this visit to the planet..."

"Darts" Misses The Mark.......2000-06-07

For me, this book was a bust. It's not that the creative is terrible: it's just not terribly good.So why give it one star as opposed to, say, two or three? Because of the utter lack of originality that pervades much of the work. For example, the Elbow Beach Resort ads are a pale imitation of Goodby Silverstein's far superior NCL campaign. Likewise, the work for Bet Shira is a shameless ripoff of Fallon's lauded Espiscopal Church ads of the 1980s. And the cover? It seems like a swipe from Target. As a marketing ploy designed to raise the agency's profile and impress potential clients, the book is undeniably brilliant. As a collection of original and daring creative, however, it is sadly lacking.

"Brain" Dead?.......2000-03-28

A towering monmument to mediocrity. With the exception of a handful of first-rate ads (Designing Eye furniture, Discovery Channel, The Peabody Hotel), the creative showcased in "Brain Darts" is devoid of wit, daring or originality. It's second rate stuff that doesn't begin to compare with the breakthrough work routinely created by fellow Miami agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky. I can't believe they honestly believed the ads for Bet Shira, Bacardi and Multivision - to mention just a few - actually merited publication in a book. This shows a shocking lack of judgement on the part of the authors.

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