Sunday, April 30, 2006
'The time was the early 1960's,' Part II
Just finished Sebastian Junger's 'A Death in Belmont.' Verdict: Thumbs up. Now I better duck. For there's indeed a lot of criticism and emotion swirling around this book and the entire issue of the Boston Strangler. ... But before ducking for cover, I do think Alan Dershowitz was too harsh in his review of the book. As I suggested earlier, the review sounds like a trial lawyer arguing (not to mention a law professor lecturing). Roughly the same applies to this review by a district attorney who tries to tear apart Junger's arguments. But Junger is not approaching the subject from the perspective of a legalistic courtroom lawyer -- and he's pretty upfront about how he speculates a lot. Junger also wasn't the first to make a connection to the tragic early 1960s murder of a Belmont woman, a controversial conviction in that case and Al DeSalvo, who confessed to being the Boston Strangler but later recanted. Others at the time made the same connections as Junger, apparently including then Attorney General Edward Brooke. I'm not saying I agree with all of Junger's hedged conclusions. But he makes a persuasive case that a miscarriage of justice could have occurred four decades ago. ...
Want a further peek at the strong emotions still surrounding the Boston Strangler case? Read the 'Belmont Kid' comments on the Amazon review. ... Then read the comments at an Amazon forum, where Leah Goldberg (daughter of the murder victim at the center of Junger's book) levels her criticisms at Junger, who, I think, addressed many of the issues she raises. But I won't and can't get into the details. ... Other books about the Strangler case can be found here and here (Junger mentions both in his book).
Just finished Sebastian Junger's 'A Death in Belmont.' Verdict: Thumbs up. Now I better duck. For there's indeed a lot of criticism and emotion swirling around this book and the entire issue of the Boston Strangler. ... But before ducking for cover, I do think Alan Dershowitz was too harsh in his review of the book. As I suggested earlier, the review sounds like a trial lawyer arguing (not to mention a law professor lecturing). Roughly the same applies to this review by a district attorney who tries to tear apart Junger's arguments. But Junger is not approaching the subject from the perspective of a legalistic courtroom lawyer -- and he's pretty upfront about how he speculates a lot. Junger also wasn't the first to make a connection to the tragic early 1960s murder of a Belmont woman, a controversial conviction in that case and Al DeSalvo, who confessed to being the Boston Strangler but later recanted. Others at the time made the same connections as Junger, apparently including then Attorney General Edward Brooke. I'm not saying I agree with all of Junger's hedged conclusions. But he makes a persuasive case that a miscarriage of justice could have occurred four decades ago. ...
Want a further peek at the strong emotions still surrounding the Boston Strangler case? Read the 'Belmont Kid' comments on the Amazon review. ... Then read the comments at an Amazon forum, where Leah Goldberg (daughter of the murder victim at the center of Junger's book) levels her criticisms at Junger, who, I think, addressed many of the issues she raises. But I won't and can't get into the details. ... Other books about the Strangler case can be found here and here (Junger mentions both in his book).
