Author:Clive Stafford Smith
Shortlisted for the 2013 Orwell Prize.
THE STORY CONTINUES: TWO NEW CHAPTERS FOR THE PAPERBACK EDITION
In 1986, Kris Maharaj, a British businessman living in Miami, was arrested for the brutal murder of two ex-business associates. His lawyer did not present a strong alibi; Kris was found guilty and sentenced to death in the electric chair.
It wasn't until a young lawyer working for nothing, Clive Stafford Smith, took on his case that strong evidence began to emerge that the state of Florida had got the wrong man on Death Row. So far, so good - except that, as Stafford Smith argues here so compellingly, the American justice system is actually designed to ignore innocence. Twenty-six years later, Maharaj is still in jail.
Step by step, Stafford Smith untangles the Maharaj case and the system that makes disasters like this inevitable. His conclusions will act as a wake-up call for those who condone legislation which threatens basic human rights and, at the same time, the personal story he tells demonstrates that determination can challenge the institutions that surreptitiously threaten our freedom.
True stories of wrongful convictions are by their nature utterly compelling. In Injustice, Clive Stafford Smith details a spectacular example of a bogus conviction, and the many lives ruined by it...A superbly written account of only one case, but one of thousands.
—— John GrishamClive Stafford Smith is an extraordinary lawyer, but he is also a great storyteller and his account of the Kris Maharaj death row case is a powerful thriller, beautifully told.
—— Helena Kennedy Q.C.Stafford Smith is a true hero and this book helps explain why.
—— Jon RonsonIf you believe in the death penalty, read this book. It will change your mind and change your life. A book that zaps through you at 2,000 volts – just like the current used to execute a man in the electric chair.
—— Susan HillAn empowering read for anyone who cares about the humane implementation of justice - no matter where it is.
—— Colin FirthA terrific read. Stranger than any fiction and much more exciting than Miami Vice.
—— Geoffrey Robertson Q.C.Impressive and moving… Until you know how the trial went wrong, how the death penalty is actually carried out, how redress is remote, it is impossible to make a difference. But we can, and we must. Inaction by any one of us is the handmaiden of injustice.
—— Michael Mansfield Q.C.When you need to inspire yourself for the return to work
—— Kirsty Brimelow , The TimesA forensic examination of the murder trial in America of British businessman Kris Mahraj
—— ObserverA timely story, this book examines not only the crimes at its heart, but also the way in which women who report being raped are often placed under suspicion themselves
—— StylistA False Report is a reporting triumph: a heartbreaking deep-dive into a case gone horribly wrong; a bone-chilling portrait of a monstrous criminal; and a forceful cri de coeur on behalf of the victim whose claims fell on deaf ears. You'll never read another crime story quite like it.
—— Robert Kolker, author of Lost GirlsMiller and Armstrong show how gender bias, and the many myths about sexual assault, still have far too much influence in the way law enforcement investigates these crimes.
This harms victims and allows perpetrators to go free, potentially to commit additional assaults.
But this brilliant book is also a thrilling depiction of an investigation gone right, showing us how good police work, informed by the latest research, can achieve justice for victims of sexual violence.
Well-researched and compassionate, A False Report is essential reading for police, prosecutors, and lawmakers, and for all those seeking to do better for victims of sexual assault.
A chronicle of the history and scale of corruption which has haunted football for decades, with revealing portraits of the men at the centre of the organisation
—— Joel Sked , i