Perfect Justice

by BERNHARDT, WILLIAM

• ISBN13: 9780345391339
• ISBN10: 0345391330
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-01-30
• Publisher: Ballantine Books

Summary

"BERNHARDT IS A MASTER LEGAL TOUR GUIDE, taking the reader through the labyrinth of the judicial system of America's heartland." --Mostly Murder A young Vietnamese immigrant is brutally slaughtered by a crossbow. The prime suspect is a ruthless member of a white supremacy group. When attorney Ben Kincaid reluctantly agrees to confer with the presumed murderer, he encounters a chilling certainty: an innocent man has been cast as a scapegoat. To rebalance the scales of justice, Ben chooses to represent the accused man--thereby placing both attorney and client at the explosive center of a community torn apart by xenophobia, racism, and violence. But the real fireworks will go off in court--in an incendiary murder trial with more twists than a dustbowl tornado (. "REWARDS ITS READERS WITH A GENUINELY SURPRISE ENDING WHILE ALSO RAISING SERIOUS ISSUES." --The Orlando Sentinel

Author Biography

William Bernhardt made his debut as a novelist with Primary Justice, a bestseller that launched what Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine called "one of the best new series going.  Bernhardt's subsequent novels include Blind Justice, Deadly Justice, Perfect Justice (which won the Oklahoma Book Award), Cruel Justice, and Double Jeopardy. His most recent novel is Naked Justice.<br><br>As an attorney, William Bernhardt has received several awards for his public service, and (in 1993) he was named one of the top twenty-five young lawyers in the nation. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his wife, Kirsten, and their children, Harry and Alice.

Excerpts

Rising to begin his cross-examination, Greg Monarch stared hard at Sandy Polson. She smiled faintly, tilted her head, held his gaze. In her eyes, he searched for a sign of madness, for evidence of where she'd been, where she now dwelled. He saw nothing.

If only the jurors could know her as he did. That was not possible though. He'd been shown her confidential presentencing report on the sly. There was no chance he could introduce something so remote in time, involving a witness's minor years. Hedgespeth had snorted when Greg tested that issue in chambers. Her drug dealing conviction he could get in, but nothing more. If she were to be further revealed, it would have to be by her present conduct in this courtroom.

How to bring that about? How to unnerve a witness who had no nerves? As Greg mulled that question, the spectators in the courtroom leaned forward with anticipation.

"Ms. Polson," Greg began. "You are still being held in the Chumash County Jail, facing charges related to the murder of Bob Wilson, are you not?"

"Yes, I am."

"And you have been in the Chumash County Jail awaiting trial since the day of your arrest?"

"Yes, that's true."

"And you still are negotiating what you finally will be charged with?"

"Yes, I am."

Greg was thinking again of Joe Hilliard's trial. Frankie, testifying against Hilliard, insisted he'd cut no deals with the prosecutor. Only later, when Hilliard was sitting on Death Row, did Greg find a confidential memo in the case file. . . .

"And is it true," Greg asked Sandy, "that your case has been continued from time to time to allow you to testify against Ira Sullivan?"

Dennis Taylor jumped up. "Objection, as to why the case was continued."

Hedgespeth waved him down. "Overruled."

Sandy Polson looked almost as if she were going to reach out and place a calming hand on Greg's arm. "Yes, it has been continued for that reason."

"Are you expecting any benefits in your case from your testimony?"

"I haven't been promised anything, no."

"So will you tell us why you're testifying here today?"

Sandy regarded him gently. "Because I don't feel anyone should get away with murder, Mr. Monarch."

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Excerpted from Perfect Justice by William Bernhardt
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.