When the Husband is the Suspect [Hardcover]

F. Lee Bailey (Author), Jean Rabe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765316137 | ISBN-13: 978-0765316134 | Publication Date: March 4, 2008 | Edition: 1st

From the bestselling author of The Defense Never Rests, a look at the modern spate of spousal homicides.

 

This book provides an overview of several of the most famous homicidal husband cases of recent years, including:

- Sam Sheppard, who inspired the TV series and movie The Fugitive

- Jeffrey McDonald, who became the subject of the bestseller Fatal Vision

- Mister Perfect, Brad Cunningham, who was convicted of bludgeoning his wife to death

- Michael Peterson, who was the subject of the IFC documentary series The Staircase and a Lifetime movie original starring Treat Williams

- OJ Simpson, whose dream team of lawyers defended the former pro-football player and movie star of the brutal murder of his ex-wife as the entire nation watched

-  Claus von Bulow, immortalized in the book and movie Reversal of Fortune

-  Robert Blake, former TV star, who was suspected of engineering the death of his conwoman wife

-  Scott Peterson, a philandering sociopathic husband who almost escaped arrest for the murder of his wife and unborn child.

-  Lambert "Bart" Knol, who claimed he suffered from "substance-induced persistent amnesia" when he was accused of killing his wife of 38 years

 

These cases and others are presented in an objective manner by a knowledgeable voice that recognizes that suspicion, and sometimes even conviction, are not always synonymous with guilt.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers expecting that Bailey-one of the best-known criminal defense attorneys of the last half-century-would provide insight into spousal homicide will be disappointed by this book, which adds nothing fresh to our understanding of the 20 cases discussed. The case studies (including some of the most prominent examples of accused wife-killers, such as O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake, Sam Sheppard, Scott Peterson, Claus Von Bülow and Jeffrey MacDonald) are presented in chronological order, but the chapters jump around in time, becoming confusing and sometimes repetitive. Bailey's commentaries at the end of each chapter often digress to general criminal-justice issues rather than focusing on novel interpretations of the evidence. The chapter on Simpson (Bailey was a member of his defense Dream Team) is a tease-the author begins his comments by noting that "a proper delineation of what would need to be said" in Simpson's defense "is best left for another day." And the account neglects defense lawyer Barry Scheck's contributions to the football star's acquittal with his discrediting of the DNA evidence. Facts referred to in the commentary do not always appear in the main text, and the choice of breadth over depth leaves readers feeling short-changed.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Bailey, one of the most recognized and flamboyant defense counsels of our time, here discusses 20 cases of murderous husbands, including Sam Sheppard, O. J. Simpson, and Claus von Bulow. Rather than scientific examination of incriminating factors or sociopathological analysis, however, he basically chats up details of these high-profile murders. Coauthor Rabe, a successful fantasy novelist, summarizes and details significant attributes of each case in rat-a-tat Dragnet style. Then Bailey weighs in on the meaning of the details and with lawyerly insights. His pearls are italicized, though since Rabe refers to him in the third person, there would seem to be no further need to distinguish his rap from hers. Anyway, he’s forthright, cutting through niceties and damning both investigators and attorneys. His takes on Robert Blake and Jeffrey MacDonald raise interesting questions, to say the least, and his appraisal of footballer Rae Carruth is a celebration of how not to commit and prosecute a murder. Sadly, Phil Spector is not limned, though Scott Peterson is, most rewardingly. --Mike Tribby

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765316137
• ISBN-13: 978-0765316134
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,897,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars poorly written, March 24, 2008

By 

Amelia Sunderland "tesslouise" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When the Husband is the Suspect (Hardcover)

I could give this book two stars just because I disagree with some of Bailey's conclusions; I hardly think anyone other than Bailey still believes O.J. Simpson is innocent!

But more importantly, I've read more than half of this book and am not sure I will be able to finish it, because it contains so much unbearably awful writing. Sentences that don't make sense, no matter how many times I re-read them, annoy me. In some places, a comma is used instead of a semicolon, creating a run-on sentence; in some places, a clause is repeated twice; in some places, Bailey will refer to "that person" (Marilyn Sheppard had sex with "that person") without first telling us to whom he is referring.

I find this book, like so much true crime, difficult to recommend.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Shows bias, January 23, 2010

By 

Debra L. Tomlinson "Avid reader" (MURFREESBORO, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When the Husband is the Suspect (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is extremely biased. Apparently, Mr Bailey believes that every one of the subjects in this book is innocent and that they were framed. At least that was my impression before I got sick of reading about these "victims". I know defense lawywers are supposed to believe that the client is innocent but this book is just so much garbage.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating case reports, March 29, 2008

By 

Reader "Book Lover" - See all my reviews

This review is from: When the Husband is the Suspect (Hardcover)

This subject is so interesting to me, and the approach this book takes is just excellent. The overview of the cases - many cases I am familiar with, but Bailey has added more details in background and court information - and the knowledgeable, objective analysis is so interesting. I could not put this book down and having read it I have a much better understanding of the tragedies these cases were to all involved.