A Good Conviction (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: parkway subway station, candy store robbery, subway attendant, Joshua Blake, New York, Judge Berman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Wrongful prosecution of a young man for a murder he did not commit is at the core of A Good Conviction. Mr. Weinstein has fashioned a tense, emotional, fast-paced story, told largely from the perspective of Joshua Blake, sent to Sing Sing for life by a prosecutor who may have known he was innocent. Josh struggles to survive in an environment completely alien to anything he has ever known or even imagined. He befriends some inmates, and has brutal exchanges with others, as he is inescapably corrupted by prison life. All the while he tries to understand how this could have happened to him, and what he can now do to restore his once promising future. Josh is aided in his quest by his cellmate Spider, by the NYPD detective who arrested him, by two defense attorneys and a New York Daily News reporter who are infuriated by the miscarriage of justice perpetrated against him, and by Darlene, a hooker he met on his first day in New York. He is forcefully opposed by Manhattan ADA Roger Claiborne, and by an uncaring criminal justice system that is loathe to admit a mistake. A Good Conviction is set in Manhattan, Rikers Island and Sing Sing. Many readers have nostalgically relived their New York experiences in Mr. Weinstein's descriptions of familiar neighborhoods, even as they suffer along with the horrors of Josh's prison life. Some of the action takes place during the New York City Marathon.

From the Publisher

Most Americans are comfortable in the belief that if they don't commit a crime, they have no risk of going to jail. Unfortunately, that's not always the way things are.

In addition to writing a compelling novel, Mr. Weinstein has put forth a wakeup call about a problem which plagues the American criminal justice system. While most prosecutors are honest and try to afford all defendants the fair trial to which they are entitled, far too many prosecutors fail to uphold this sacred obligation.

Most often, those prosecutors who cheat to get a conviction do so by suppressing evidence that goes against their case, evidence that would produce `reasonable doubt' in a juror's mind. Sometimes, they even conspire to make up evidence which alleges guilt, for instance by planting a "stoolie" who will then testify about admissions by the defendant which never happened.

Don't believe it? Think it can't happen in America, the land of justice for all?

Consider these damning reports by very credible organizations ...

* The Chicago Tribune reported that 381 murder convictions were reversed because of police or prosecutorial misconduct. * Columbia Law School documented "chronic prosecutorial suppression of evidence of innocence." * Barry Scheck et al (in Actual Innocence: When Justice Goes Wrong and How to Make it Right ) report numerous cases of prosecutorial misconduct, usually by suppression of evidence that would have proven innocence. * The book In Spite Of Innocence: Erroneous Convictions in Capital Cases , published by Northeastern University Press, cites 400 wrongful convictions. * The heart-wrenching play The Exonerated presents the true stories, in their own words, of seven persons who were wrongfully convicted

How likely is it there are many more such cases that have never come to significant public attention? Is it possible that what we do know is but the tip of the iceberg?

When you have read A Good Conviction, you will know that wrongful prosecution could happen to anyone. It could happen to you.

Mr. Weinstein would like to hear your views, about his book and about the important issues it portrays. Please consider posting a Customer Review for A Good Conviction and a comment on his "So You'd Like to ... Stay Out of Jail" Discussion Guide which is found near the bottom of the amazon page for A Good Conviction.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: WingSpan Press (May 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595941622
• ISBN-13: 978-1595941626
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,179,323 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible story, May 30, 2007

By	Montclair NJ - See all my reviews

This gripping story demonstrates how one's life can take a 180 degree turn in a moment. Innocent actions can be misinterpreted and unfortunate consequences result. Weinstein is a great story teller and this is a very well crafted story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great second book, September 3, 2007

By	Bernie Dishler (Elkins Park, PA) - See all my reviews

I am amazed at the research that Weinstein has done for both of his books. A Good Conviction, like The Heretic, is a real page turner with a lot of suspense. However, the book is more than just suspenseful. Weinstein illuminates an issue that is very serious and through a fictional account he sensitizes the reader to the plight of the many people who are incarcerated for crimes that they did not commit. I reccommend the book highly and cannot wait for his next book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finished the book months ago - still on my mind ........, May 30, 2007

By	Kim Capp (NYC) - See all my reviews

The characters and their emotions were so vividly portrayed that I still think about them as if I knew them. Lovers of New York City will walk the streets of the city and visualize "A Good Conviction" happening. You will walk past a certain news-stand and wonder if the owner remembers Josh. When you read a book that you don't want to end....that is a good book. "A Good Conviction" is a good book.