Sowega: A Tale of Southern Justice [Paperback]

Frank Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2008

Summary "What separates men from each other is not measured by physical distance; it is measured by the thoughts in their minds." The Author In this fictional version of a 1968 civil rights murder trial in Southwest Georgia, SOWEGA, Robert Lee "Jackpot" Jest, an uneducated young black man, is defended by an equally young white indigent defense lawyer. They come from entirely different worlds in Georgia. Attorney Clay Garland accepts the pro bono case when no other defense lawyer in Southwest Georgia would agree to defend him. Jackpot is charged with the murder of the local sheriff's grandson and is detained for over a year to avoid the real possibility of a lynching, an act not unknown to the political and racial heritage in Forrest County, Georgia. The pretrial events and the trial itself take the reader down what appears to be an obvious path to conclusion, only to be jolted in another direction. Clay encounters a retired army sergeant with connections to civil rights leaders in Atlanta, a voodoo Root Doctor, white supremacists, and the mafia-all of whose actions affect the outcome of the trial, a trial which gains national publicity and symbolizes as a microcosm the various opposing political and legal forces of the 1960s civil rights era in Georgia. Robert Lee Jest-a pawn on the chessboard of hate, prejudice, and Southern politics-emerges as an inspiration to Clay Garland. This is the story of how these two disparate young men come together in a common cause and the judicial proceedings that ultimately produced celebrity for one and Southern Justice for the other.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Biography Frank Kieffer Martin, a senior partner of the Martin Firm, has practiced law in Columbus, Georgia, since 1964, after graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law. Over the years, he served Columbus as mayor (1991-1994), as public safety director (1991-1994), as assistant district attorney (1966-1970), and as vice-chair of the Columbus Olympic Committee (1993-1996), and he has garnered numerous awards, including being the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Award for Outstanding Service to Armed Forces Veterans in 1993 and the Frances M. Duncan Award from the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities in 2000. He also served as President of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers (1991) and as Legal Delegate (1985, 1988) for People to People, a Citizens Ambassador Program, exchanging legal knowledge with lawyers and judges in various countries, including Italy, Greece, Egypt, Sweden, Russia, Hungary, and France. He has three children, resides in Columbus with his wife, Helen, and continues to practice law. Sowega is his first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (February 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 143436271X
• ISBN-13: 978-1434362711
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,163,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Tale, March 28, 2008

By 

ugagirl24 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sowega: A Tale of Southern Justice (Paperback)

Sowega offers a rare, honest look into the intricate workings of the American justice system. Set in the Deep South, with characters as rich as the breathtaking landscapes of Southwest Georgia, the story grabes the reader right from the start. Clay Garland, a young lawyer on the cusp of a thriving career as a trial attorney in his hometown of Columbus, Georgia, accepts a pro bono murder case in Southwest Georgia, Sowega. Clay bravely heades to this rural territory armed with nothing but his naivety and determination to do the right thing. Although ninety miles apart in distance, Clay quickly realizes that he is, indeed, in a whole new world, and that things are done differently "down here in Sowega" resulting in dire consequences not only for Clay, but all those involved in the murder case. The reader is left not only with lingering questions about the blurred lines between right and wrong, but forced to face the truths that exist not only in Sowega, but in all of us. You'll love it.