The Whole Truth: A Case of Murder on the Appalachian Trail [Paperback]

H. L. Pohlman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

paper 1-55849-166-X A death-penalty trial is lent a fascinating air by its very low-profile, routine nature in Pohlman's (Political Science/Dickinson Coll.) careful, revelatory delineation of the legal process. Here is a lucid narrative of a typical murder trial, written to give the average citizen a taste of how our legal process works when not turned by the media glare into a prurient sideshow. This case concerns the murder of one young woman and the shooting of another while they were camping in central Pennsylvania. There is no doubt as to the murderer (he confessed), but there certainly is about the extent to which he was responsible for his actions. The question of the jurys impartiality is raised by the fact that the victims were gay: would this rural, conservative, religiously inclined venue deal the death penalty to a local mountain man for his violence against two out-of-state lesbians? Truth and justice fade behind a fog of legal maneuverings that Pohlman, remarkably, illuminates without putting the reader to sleep: lawyers battles regarding evidence disclosure and jury selection, a question of the defendants diminished capacity and a ``Twinkie-style defense, and questions about the degree of nuance in categories of criminal guilt. Pohlman also does a good job portraying the human weaknesses of the lead players, from the district attorney, for whom ``avoiding the anxiety of `Godlike' decisions was more important . . . than avoiding the infliction of a punishment that in his own opinion had no legitimate purpose,'' to the savvy judge who nonetheless displays outrageously misplaced confidence in the defendant's understanding of what is happening to him at his plea-bargain session. Pohlman ably spotlights tough legal nuts (does the adversarial judicial system facilitate or hinder the truth; are the conflicts raised by this legal process inimical to fairness and propriety) that, while hardly new, are so fundamental to our notion of justice, they strike reflective chords every time they are raised. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Massachusetts Pr (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155849166X
• ISBN-13: 978-1558491663
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #275,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Law > Perspectives on Law > Judicial System

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Murder Mystery for Legal Scholars, March 29, 2000

By 

Sonderweg (Frederick, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Whole Truth: A Case of Murder on the Appalachian Trail (Paperback)

This is an excellent book. It details the shooting of Rebecca Wight and Claudia Brenner, two lesbians hiking near the Appalachian Trail in Adams County, Pennsylvania. When Stephen Roy Carr, the "mountain man," saw them engaged in sexual activity, he shot at them with a .22 caliber rifle, killing Wight and injuring Brenner. What follows is a reconstruction of those events, Carr's subsequent capture, and the legal proceedings that followed.

Pohlman does an excellent job describing the events that occured that day in the woods in May 1988 - so well that it reads like a murder mystery. He is also equally strong in presenting the legal issues at hand. Did Carr shoot the women because of his anti-homosexual beliefs, or was he simply jealous? Could the victims and their families expect justice in a conservative small town such as Gettysburg, PA, where the jury could conceivably lessen Carr's crime because of their own anti-homosexual beliefs? The author makes good use of interviews with the prosecuting and defense attorneys in the case, as well as with the State Police officers associated with the investigation. One quickly realizes that what would appear to be an open-and-shut case - no one really belived Carr *didn't* shoot the women - can easily develop into a complcitaed web of legal issues. This happens as easily in small-town America as it does in O.J. Simpson's L.A.

I grew up in Adams County, and I was in junior high when this incident happened. I remembered hearing about it and even remember seeing it in the local news paper. For me, it was incredibly interesting to go back as an adult and read about these events. Just recently, I was able to use the author's description of the crime scene to retrace the steps Brenner and Wight took on that fateful day. That should give you some idea as to how detailed this book is.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth reading!, March 14, 2000

By 

Jane E. Schryer "janebird" (Brookings, Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Whole Truth: A Case of Murder on the Appalachian Trail (Paperback)

Pohlman, a political science professor, has done an excellent job of shedding light on the inner workings of the criminal justice system and raising issues with which every thoughtful American should be concerned. I read this book in two sittings and found it fascinating. The story is dramatic, the writing tight and clear, and the treatment of the issues even-handed.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Appalachain Trail murder, November 16, 2009

By 

Deeann Davis "Under Paid" (Tulsa, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Whole Truth: A Case of Murder on the Appalachian Trail (Paperback)

This is a good book. It exposes some of the extreme prejudice against lesbians. To stalk and murder a woman because she is gay is beyond fanatic hatred. If you're a lesbian this book will outrage you. Once you realize how vulnerable you can be it will make you really mad, and more careful.