Prejudicial Error [Paperback]

Bill Blum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1996

Appointed by the court to represent an African-American gang leader who has been accused of killing an LAPD vice cop, John Phillip Solomon is forced to confront his longtime nemesis, who represents the prosecution. Reprint. NYT. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A down-on-his luck attorney prone to drink and self-pity gets a chance at redemption when he takes on a high-profile case that seems impossible to win. No, it's not The Verdict; it's California administrative law judge Blum's sharply written debut novel. His protagonist is John Philip Solomon, former chief trial deputy in the Los Angeles DA's office, who now is reduced to "the kinds of cases first-year lawyers handle." It's not exactly a sterling opportunity when he is tapped to defend an accused cop killer. Prosecuting the case is the man who took Solomon's place, Howard Ainsworth, the odds-on favorite to be the next DA. The arresting officer is Mary Delgado, whose affair with Solomon four years ago cost him his job. It sounds contrived, but Blum handles this plot adroitly. In fact, the narrative carries the ring of authenticity, especially the courtroom scenes, in which every question leads to an unexpected answer. Moreover, Solomon's transformation from floundering loser to competent attorney is convincingly portrayed. Blum mixes an insider's knowledge of courtroom procedure and cutthroat politics with some fast pacing and no-frills storytelling: he fills in the histories of his main characters while the trial builds to an exciting finish, and then detonates a few key surprises at the end. Though the final scene is a little too much like a TV pilot, this is a well-constructed thriller from a writer to watch.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

John Solomon, former star prosecutor for the Los Angeles district attorney's office, is down on his luck and sodden with alcohol when a second chance arrives in the form of defending an accused cop killer. Solomon's client is angry and brutal and quite probably innocent, as Solomon discovers in the course of preparing the defense. Corruption reaches into the very heart of the judicial system, and exposure threatens many lives as well as careers. First novelist Blum has scripted an entertaining courtroom suspense drama that is somewhat spoiled by weak plot devices and some rather corny last-minute theatrics. Despite the author's somewhat cynical view of his profession, this novel will find favor with legal groupies in large public libraries.?Elsa Pendleton, Boeing Computer Support Svcs., Ridgecrest, Cal.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451183096
• ISBN-13: 978-0451183095
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,769,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-crafted courtroom drama, July 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Prejudicial Error (Paperback)

I recently read Blum's third book, "The Face of Justice," and was so impressed that I picked up a copy of his debut novel, "Prejudicial Error."

It's always interesting to see the trajectory of a writer's progress and Bill Blum's first effort was extremely well-written and dense with fully realized characters. Although the subject matter is not new--down on his luck lawyer takes on case that can make or break him--Blum transcends the formula that in less-skilled hands would have been cliche ridden.

Blum has a dark cynical view of L.A. and the legal system that is well articulated and brought to life with strong characters and trenchant observations on the society and politics.

Finally, I love the way this guy knows the law--you can tell he's been there in the trenches because he gets the procedural facts right and everything else, too.

Highly recommended.