Death of an Angel: The Inside Story of How Justice Prevailed in the San Francisco Dog-Mauling Case [Hardcover]

Joseph Harrington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2002

Death of an Angel

On January 26, 2001, Diane Whipple was mauled to death by two huge dogs.

The case fractured into other agendas. Instead of remorse or sympathy by the dog owners, there was arrogance, confrontation, even accusations. Instead of the simple idea of recompense to the life-partner of the victim, there was monolithic silence of civil laws that ignored same-sex relationships.

Media around the world latched onto the story, calling it: "the dog mauling case"

The seriousness of the case was soon apparent. For innumerable talk shows, it posed issues of public safety and the responsibilities of animal lovers. Network television brought the issue of the rights of same-sex partners into national prominence.

The ultimate irony of this case-from-hell is perhaps that, because two attorneys hardened their hearts against the victim of their carelessness, several much larger issues now can be debated with informed intensity. Now, in a concrete instance, the public can see why commitment between two people of the same gender is deserving of many of the same legal protections as those afforded heterosexual couples. By exploring the personalities and motivations of the participants in this drama, the author shows how widely the fractures from this case have spread. Such issues as animal rights, human responsibility for pet6s, the purpose of adoption, and the rights of same-gender partners will never be quite the same again.

As a result of the events related in this book, California Law itself has changed.

The investigation of this horrific case was led by the senior officer of the San Francisco General Work Detail, Lieutenant Henry Hunter. This book is a tribute to his leadership and the careful prosecution by the District Attorney's Office, under the guidance of DA Terence Hallinan and the handling of the jury trial by prosecutors ADA James Hammer and ADA Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. This book is about those men and women of law and order who saw that justice ultimately prevailed in the monstrous and preventable death of a wonderful human being.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Death of an Angel" has more twists and turns than a Hitchcock thriller. -- Marty Nolan, West Coast correspondent for the Boston Globe, May 1, 2002

Director Ann Lettis wrote: A story that I personally feel should be read by every dog owner. -- Responsible Dog Owners Association of New York

Nels Hohnson wrote: Harrington has a hit. A fascinating inside look. Uncommon backstage access to police and prosecutors. -- Marin Independent Journal, July 21, 2002

One underlying theme of this fine book is the excellence in police work in helping prosecutors achieve justice. -- Frank Jordan, retired San Francisco Mayor and Police Chief, May 15, 2002

P.J. Corkery wrote: An Amazingly compelling book. Well done, intriguing, and respectful. -- San Francisco Examiner, June 6, 2002

P.J. Corkery, columnist for the San Francisco Examnier, called Death of an Angel "Amazingly compelling, written with respect." -- P.J. Corkery, Examiner, June 15, 2002

From the Publisher

What attracted us to this story at Quantum Entertainment was its compelling features -- the death of a wonderfully human being at the negligent hands of her own neighbors.

One further intriguing quality of this story was the author's idea to use the Internet in a new and exciting way.

Anyone who purchases the book can access - through email -- additional information in the ongoing events revolving around this case -- like the civil suit and the appeals process. Since publication the author has written five additrional chapters involving the stunning developments during the sentencing portion.

We at Quantum Entertainment call this the "Book that goes on Giving."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 525 pages
• Publisher: Quantum Entertainment; First edition. edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971889902
• ISBN-13: 978-0971889903
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,263,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking true crime to a new level, August 7, 2002

By 

robert e. burger "boburger" (arcata, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of an Angel: The Inside Story of How Justice Prevailed in the San Francisco Dog-Mauling Case (Hardcover)

I have read so-called true crime since the classic "In Cold Blood," but even Truman Capote and, later, Norman Mailer, in "The Executioner's Song," failed to bootstrap the genre out of gore as its main attraction. (The rest of the practitioners follow a well-worn formula as interesting as a Danielle Steele soap.) Now along comes this book, Death of an Angel. Is it really true crime? Hey! It's about a notorious crime, but one in which the judge overruled the jury and let the perps off. What it's really about, and why everyone's talking about it, is that it gets into police work and under the carpet of the DA's office in a way that even "Law & Order" doesn't do.
OK, the formulaic Date, Time, Place at the beginning of each chapter and episode seems like a cop-out -- pardon the expression -- but in this cop-heavy report full of all sorts of twists and turns it turns out to be a pleasant guide to events.
This is a thoughtful read, so unusual in any crime book. In fact, I quickly forgot about the crime in following the fast-paced action of police procedural. The all-too-human reactions to this hideous event come through, but not garishly.
"Death of an Angel" has so manyn things going for it I wouldn't be surprised if it found a dozen different audiences. It's a book I will keep around.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your average true crime book, February 1, 2003

By 

patti foster (Nevada City, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of an Angel: The Inside Story of How Justice Prevailed in the San Francisco Dog-Mauling Case (Hardcover)

I just finished reading Death of an Angel by Joseph Harrington. I was most impressed with the clarity and compassion of Mr. Harrington's writing. I have read various true crime books,and found many of them to be simply pages of facts and no meaningful theme. Mr. Harrington presents a compassionate look into the lives of those involved in this tragedy while skillfully weaving the important facts into the story. He took a complex puzzle and put it together perfectly! I highly recommend reading this book. It's one you won't put down until you have you have read the last word on the last page.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars My mistake: reading this book, October 14, 2005

By 

SaraB (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of an Angel: The Inside Story of How Justice Prevailed in the San Francisco Dog-Mauling Case (Hardcover)

Well, where to begin in my review of one of the most poorly written books I had the displeasure in reading. Let me first explain that the book was a gift and I only read it out of desperation on a long plane flight. First off, the sheer length can only be a testament to the apparent vanity of the author applauding his own cleverness, as he rambles on incessantly through pages of incorrect grammar, spelling errors, and contrived story line. Although this is "true crime" and the plot is based in fact, the book manages to lose any of the real life suspense or drama of the case and turns it into a narrative more predictable and less interesting than those concocted in a 6th grade creative writing class. Even the title reeks from maudlin undertones! That should have clued me in, it was my mistake when I brought this book with me on my flight.