Trial by Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham
In this dramatic true account about the power of sensationalized crime, one woman's case is exposed for its sexism, flagrant disregard for the truth, and, ultimately, the dangers posed by an unbridled prosecution.
Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse--offering her too many options of all the wrong kind. Her innate sensitivity left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the street, where she was left to fend for herself before she reached double digits. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster.
But in 1953, a catastrophic twist of fate would catapult her out of obscurity and into the headlines.
When a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary--a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted.
The frenzy of public interest and willful distortion paved a treacherous path for Barbara Graham. In Trial by Ambush, author and criminal lawyer Marcia Clark investigates the case exposing the fallacies in the demonizing picture they painted and the critical evidence that was never revealed.
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Community Reviews
Barbara had it rough, neglected childhood, living a life of petty crimes throughout her adulthood to make ends meet. Barbara was anything but straightlaced. Although, it was expected of a woman in the 50s to be gracious, gentle and in her position to be scared and yielding to the men for guidance. Not only that, the justice system, ironically did her no justice. The prosecution ambushed her while she is in jail, setting traps to have forced confessions. Hence the title. It really felt like the prosecutor held a personal vendetta against her, but Barbara bravely held ground.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved that the author included little side stories about her time as a defense attorney/prosecutor (including the OJ Simpson case!). This book took a compelling look at a historical case that was so poorly handled, while shedding light on how things may or may not have changed in the legal system over the years.
My thanks to Thomas and Mercer Publishing, The Author, Marcia Clark, as well as NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Trial by Ambush.
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