Lucasville: The Untold Story Of A Prison Uprising (Paperback)

by Staughton Lynd (Author)
Key Phrases: overcoming racism, juror number, north hole, Officer Vallandingham, The Court, George Skatzes (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"[T]his is a very worthy study because it raises significant questions, not just about SOCF [Southern Ohio Correctional Facility] but also about the American prison system as a whole." The Historian Lynd has researched his case quite thoroughly, and readers will be convinced that the Ohio prison system stinks to high heaven." Ohioana Quarterly "[O]f interest to anyone who follows prison politics or the often enigmatic workings of the justice system." --Library Journal "Lynd presents a startling, bold case... Lucasville is a compelling account of an historic prison rebellion and an appalling miscarriage of justice. It deserves the widest possible readership." --Against the Current "Mr. Lynd relates in a detailed event chronology how the uprising started and spread. He also examines in great detail the farce of the post-riot trials. Given the bias and flaws in the trials, Mr. Lynd speaks strongly in favor of an amnesty, citing the amnesty following the infamous riot at Attica." Prison Legal News "Mr. Lynd is a masterful storyteller and he has a hell of a story to tell. [He] has written a definitive history of one of the longest prison riots in U.S. history and its aftermath. That alone is worth the price of admission...What makes the book unique in the historical sense is the remarkable range of primary and secondary sources; Lynd writes with a lawyer's pen but a poet's ear...This book is a reminder that prisoners--even death row prisoners--are human beings, too. Lucasville is a resounding affirmation of our common humanity." --Michael Mello, author of The Wrong Man: A True Story of Innocence on Death Row "They rose above their status as prisoners, and became, for a few days in April 1993, what rebels in Attica had demanded a generation before them: men. As such, they did not betray each other; they did not dishonor each other; they reached beyond their prison 'tribes' to reach commonality." --Mumia Abu-Jamal "There is a temperature at which the welder's torch becomes so hot and burns with such purity that its flame is no longer yellow, orange, or red, but burns blue. Then it is capable of cutting through steel. Staughton Lynd wields the blue flame of truth, cutting through the lies, threats, evasions, and misrepresentations of the authorities of the state of Ohio." --Professor Peter Linebaugh, Department of History, University of Toledo; author of The London Hanged and co-author of The Many-Headed Hydra "Lucasville is one of the most powerful indictments of our 'justice system' I have ever read. What comes across is a litany of flaws deep in the system, and recognizably not unique to Lucasville. The detailed transcripts (yes, oral history!) give great power to the whole story." --Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States

Product Description
In 1993 prisoners took control of the maximum-security prison in Lucasville, Ohio. Their 11-day ordeal started with a dispute between the warden and Muslim prisoners and ended with a negotiated settlement, but only after nine prisoners and one hostage had been killed. In the months that followed, leaders of the uprising were singled out by the state, tried, and sentenced to death despite compelling evidence of their innocence. Lucasville tells the inside story of the uprising, the subsequent trial and sentencing.

Eminent historian and lawyer Staughton Lynd brings the full power of evidence to bear as he retells the Lucasville story. He argues compellingly that the five men sentenced to death have been unfairly convicted. In addition, he describes the uprising from the inside—how the prisoners worked together, black and white, even Muslims and members of the Aryan Brotherhood, for the improvement of conditions.

The ease with which the state has been able to use its resources, and the court's, to bring the Lucasville 5 to the point of execution raises questions that will make readers want to rethink not only the justification for these convictions, but the legitimacy of the death penalty in any case.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press; 1 edition (June 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592130941
• ISBN-13: 978-1592130948
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,204,989 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A defense for the defenseless..., December 13, 2008

By	Derek A. Ide (Toledo, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lucasville: The Untold Story of a Prison Uprising (Hardcover)

This book is an absolutely stunning insight into the world of Lucasville. It brings the reader an extremely interesting narrative, laced with important facts and context, which provide an easy yet piercing read. Lynd challenges those who believe those young men circulating in our prison system are simply "thugs," "criminals," and are unworthy of human dignity. He explains the racial character of the riot and the overcoming of these tensions in the face of a common oppression shared by all those "in blue." Lucasville is a sad, yet fantastic story and should be read by anyone who believes that the white working class is inevitably racist and racism is impossible to be overcome. The prison "tribes" were broken down and Aryan Brothers, Muslims, and "Black Gangster Disciples" stood up to collectively show their power, despite some initial tension. More importantly, Lynd shows how draconian prison conditions, the stripping away of rehabilitation services, racial profiling, slave labor, brutality, and a host of other issues can culminate into prisoners fighting back. The role of the state, in a larger picture, should also be taken into account; building a prison where you plan to hire a majority of whites, suffering from the decently paid industrial job loss due to outsourcing and neoliberalism, to guard a largely black prison population can only create tension and hostility. Read this book, you will not be disappointed.

5 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ohio Reader, September 25, 2004

By	John Risner (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucasville: The Untold Story of a Prison Uprising (Hardcover)

Straughton Lynd's book is a total one sided view of the "Lucasville 5". His release of the names of the inmates who cooperated with investigating authorities has compromised their health, safety, and welfare...even those who have been transferred out of the state of Ohio. It is my understanding that because of this, the book is not being permitted into Ohio's correctional facilities and rightfully so.

Mr. Lynd has apparently allowed his aversion to the death penalty and unwillingness to hold inmates accountable for their crimes to cloud his objectivity and his sense of responsibility. The death of 10 inmates and 1 correctional officer deserved better than Mr. Lynd's self-serving effort.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars One Sided, May 17, 2008

By	D. Brubaker "Dilli" (Ohio Dept. of Corrections) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lucasville: The Untold Story of a Prison Uprising (Hardcover)

This book was written very "One sided".
The other Lucasville books are much less, unbias and give a better picture of what went on those 11 days.