Every day in the UK lives are suddenly,brutally,wickedly taken away. Victims are shot or stabbed. Less often they are strangled or suffocated or beaten to death. Rarely they are poisoned,pushed off high buildings,drowned or set alight. Then there are the many who are killed by dangerous drivers,or corporate gross negligence. There are a lot of ways you can kill someone. I know because I've seen most of them at close quarters.
As one of just a few judges licensed to try murder cases at the Old Bailey,the author has presided over many of the high-profile cases that all too often grab our attention in dramatic media headlines - for every unlawful death tells a story. But,unlike most of us,a judge doesn't get to turn the page and move on. Nor does the defendant,or the family of the victim,nor the many other people who populate the court room.
Peeling apart six dramatic murder and manslaughter cases,Unlawful Killings removes this distinction between'them'and'us'. By detailing the inner workings of the Old Bailey and UK law,the author makes clear that each of us has a vested interest in what happens in the court room - especially when it comes to the death of a fellow human being. Any one of us could end up in the witness-box or even in the dock. And yet most people have only the sketchiest idea of what happens inside a Crown Court. With breath-taking skill and deep compassion,the author describes how cases unfold and illustrates exactly what it's like to be a murder trial judge and a witness to human good and bad. Sometimes very bad.
Right now,with our courts straining under the weight of the many heinous crimes being committed,it's not merely the system that is flawed. The fracture lines that run through our society are becoming harder and harder to ignore and,from a unique vantage point,the author warns that we do so at our peril.
Publisher: Transworld Publishers LtdISBN: 9780857528438Number of pages: 336Weight: 555 gDimensions: 240 x 162 x 32 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
Absolutely superb. 5 stars for sheer readability alone. Her Honour entertains as she educates us about murder,about the law and about how we human beings are shaped as we create the culture we live with.Fresh,compelling,well-written and unflinchingly authentic.I really enjoyed this book.If ever I was on trial I would want my judge to be this one.She is compassionate,in control and understands the reality that exists outside the courtroom.Anyone who has worked in the Crown Court would recognise how true to life the court room scenes are. The fictional crime scenarios makecompelling stories. What is unique is that they are placed in a wider context which challenges the assumptions that lie behind our criminal justice policy.A great read for those who want to understand how the system works now and why it is going wrong.I inhaled this: brilliant,clear-eyed,compassionate and fascinating.The most exceptional book I've read in a long time. As a police officer in a former life I was mostly terrified of judges,so it was incredible to have this glimpse behind the pomp and ceremony of criminal court. Readers will be intrigued by the insight into the mechanics of the law,but what really makes this sing is its humanity. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion,and am heartened to know there is such compassion among our judges. A gripping,disturbing and deeply humane exploration of the darkest side of the human condition,from a judge who has seen it all. I devoured Unlawful Killings in a single sitting. I cannot recommend it highly enough.Beautifully written and utterly gripping.JUNE'S BOOK OF THE MONTH: Exceptional...a riveting and revelatory work.A superb work providing the reader with a truly authentic judicial insight into the human stories and legal and forensic framework that constitute today's criminal trials of those accused of unlawfully killing another human being. It is permeated too with clearsighted analysis of the backstory to such killings,whether that be the pull of street gangs,the blight of domestic violence,the tragedy of death on our roads or the infliction of violence said to have been caused by mental illness or the ill temper of those with a disordered personality. The author's wit and wisdom deserve as wide an audience as possible.A very rare gem. An author who uses hindsight to contemplate foresight whilst generating genuine insight.The book is written with authority,humility and compassion.Compellingly clever and sharply honest.
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