• Home
  • True Crime
  • Thrillers
  • Mystery
  • Sci-Fi/Fantasy
  • Horror
  • Business
  • History
  • Reader Favorites
    • Award Winners
    • Bestsellers
    • Box Sets
    • Coming Soon
    • New Releases

WildBlue Press

Great Reads from Exceptional Authors

Great Reads from
Exceptional Authors

  • Subscribe
  • Interested Authors
  • Blog
    • In the Media
  • About Us
    • Catalog
    • Privacy Policy
  • Partners
    • ImaginePublicity
    • MacGregor Literary
    • The House Of Mystery with Al Warren
  • Contact Us

THE POLITICS OF MURDER Featured In Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

The Politics of Murder is now available! Order your copy today!

“… Nash delivers a riveting, highly detailed procedural … she lays out a compelling and ultimately convincing case for O’Brien’s innocence.” – Kirkus Reviews

Attorney Margo Nash’s new true crime book, THE POLITICS OF MURDER: The Power And Ambition Behind “The Altar Boy Murder Case”, was recently reviewed by Robert V. Ward Jr. in the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Ward gave the book an excellent review and even said that Nash has convinced him that “Janet Downing’s murder investigation ought to be reopened, and O’Brien should have a new trial.”

THE POLITICS OF MURDER offers insight into one of Boston’s most controversial murder cases. Was fifteen-year-old Eddie O’Brien wrongfully convicted? Order your copy of the book and decided for yourself!

“Nash does a terrific job of retelling what is a complicated, compelling story in “The Politics of Murder.” The book is an excellent read for those who gravitate to crime stories, as well as for those who care about the pursuit of justice.

Janet Downing and her loved ones deserved a comprehensive and thorough investigation of her death by police and the DA. Under both the federal and state constitutions, O’Brien was entitled to a fair trial. After reading ‘The Politics of Murder,’ you come away thinking that, at the very least, government officials failed everyone involved in this tragedy.” – Robert V. Ward Jr. for Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly on January 19th, 2017

Source: http://masslawyersweekly.com/2017/01/19/making-a-case-for-reopening-the-eddie-obrien-case/

Filed Under: Blog, Margo Nash, THE POLITICS OF MURDER, True Crime Tagged With: Boston, Eddie O'Brien, Margo Nash, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Robert V. Ward Jr., THE POLITICS OF MURDER, True Crime, true crime book, true crime news, truecrime, wrongful conviction
January 23, 2017 By Ashley Butler 1 Comment

Comments

  1. Margo Nash says

    January 27, 2017 at 7:10 am

    Here is the entire article:
    In “The Politics of Murder, The Power and Ambition Behind ‘The Altar Boy Murder Case,’” first-time author Margo Nash makes a compelling case for Eddie O’Brien’s innocence. At the very least, Nash persuaded me that Janet Downing’s murder investigation ought to be reopened, and O’Brien should have a new trial.

    Downing, a 42-year-old mother of four, was found stabbed to death in her Somerville home in July 1995. Hours later, 15-year-old O’Brien, the best friend of one of Downing’s sons, was identified as a suspect.
    The book offers O’Brien’s conviction as an example of what can go horribly wrong when politics and the criminal justice system collide.

    Very well crafted, “The Politics of Murder” is a “CSI: Introduction to Forensic Evidence Manual”; however, it reads like an ole’-fashioned whodunit.

    As Nash tells the story, the justice system ran roughshod over O’Brien’s right to the presumption of innocence. His conviction was a foregone conclusion.

    The author, a Boston area attorney, first met O’Brien at his Somerville District Court arraignment on July 26, 1995, during which she was appointed his guardian ad litem by Judge Paul Heffernan. It was Nash’s job to help O’Brien navigate his way through the juvenile criminal justice system. The law assumed a young person such as O’Brien would need help in determining what was in his own best interests.

    At O’Brien’s side from the beginning, Nash had a front-row seat to a flawed police investigation into Downing’s murder, the many court proceedings, and all the other legal machinations that culminated in “Little Ed’s” conviction for first-degree murder.

    Nash believes and attempts to show how, under normal circumstances, it’s unlikely O’Brien would have even been a blip on police radar. O’Brien, who is white, was an altar boy from a good family. He had no history of violence and had never been arrested. His grandfather had been chief of police for the Somerville Police Department. In other words, O’Brien did not fit the stereotype of a bad seed. But as Nash notes, things were far from normal at the time of Downing’s death and O’Brien’s prosecution.

    District attorneys in Massachusetts rarely — as in almost never — spend their time in the courtroom prosecuting criminals. Generally, elected DAs are uber administrators; they delegate the function of prosecuting cases to their assistant district attorneys. In what was a significant departure from the norm, then-Middlesex County DA Thomas Reilly personally supervised the police homicide investigation into Downing’s death and subsequently tried the case against O’Brien.

    Nash questions Reilly’s motive for taking on the O’Brien case. What made this case so special?

    On Oct. 9, 1997, just eight days after the jury found O’Brien guilty of first-degree murder, Reilly announced his candidacy for attorney general.

    Nash was justified in worrying about O’Brien getting a fair trial, particularly when you consider the fact that police never found the murder weapon and O’Brien’s conviction rested on circumstantial evidence.

    Nash offers concrete examples of how the police and Reilly failed to follow-up leads that suggested someone other than O’Brien killed Downing. She calls the leads inconvenient truths for the investigative team.

    Also singled out for criticism in “The Politics of Murder” is O’Brien’s lawyer, Robert George. In Nash’s opinion, George, a veteran criminal defense attorney, performed poorly. He failed to obtain independent DNA testing on the evidence, and even worse, didn’t appear to fully grasp the nuances of the science of DNA, according to Nash. That, coupled with other oversights and omissions, proved fatal, leaving O’Brien essentially defenseless, the book suggests.

    Nash does a terrific job of retelling what is a complicated, compelling story in “The Politics of Murder.” The book is an excellent read for those who gravitate to crime stories, as well as for those who care about the pursuit of justice.
    Janet Downing and her loved ones deserved a comprehensive and thorough investigation of her death by police and the DA. Under both the federal and state constitutions, O’Brien was entitled to a fair trial. After reading “The Politics of Murder,” you come away thinking that, at the very least, government officials failed everyone involved in this tragedy.

    Robert V. Ward Jr. is of counsel to the Law Office of Kenneth V. Kurnos. He was founding dean of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth School of Law.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE POLITICS OF MURDER by Margo Nash

Buy THE POLITICS OF MURDER now:
Star Rating
Amazon Kindle eBook  eBook
Amazon Trade Paperback  Paperback
Audible Audio BookiTunes Audio Book  Audio Book

INTERNATIONAL KINDLE EBOOKS
USA  UK  Canada  Australia  Germany  France  Spain  Japan  Italy  Brazil  India  Mexico

GET A FREE AUDIBLE AUDIO BOOK

Get this Title for FREE at Audible with a free trialGet this Audible Title for FREE with a 30-day free trial
LISTEN TO THE FIRST CHAPTER

The House Of Mystery Interview

Listen to "KFNX The Politics of Murder: "The Altar Boy Murder Case Margo Nash" on Spreaker.

Brewster Book TV Interview

Brewster Book TV: The Politics of Murder – Margo Nash from Town of Brewster, MA on Vimeo.

More From Margo Nash

Audiobook Offer

Free Audiobooks!

It's always a good day for free audiobooks! That's right! Free audiobooks! Just a gift from us to you, our readers.   Browse by genre and select the cover to get more information and your free copy! Non-Fiction True Crime Business … [Read More...]

Holiday 2020 Audiobook Giveaway, get free audiobooks

Holiday 2020 Audiobook Giveaway

We know how hard 2020 has been. To help you end the year on a better note, we wanted to give you the gift of free audiobooks! Hence, the Holiday 2020 Audiobook Giveaway! You're probably thinking of gifts for others right now, like we always do during … [Read More...]

The Somerville Times Reviews Margo Nash’s THE POLITICS OF MURDER

The Somerville Times has recently reviewed attorney Margo Nash's new true crime book, THE POLITICS OF MURDER, that details the possible wrongful imprisonment of 15-year-old Eddie O'Brien. The article praises Nash's retelling of the story and shows … [Read More...]

THE POLITICS OF MURDER Featured In Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

“… Nash delivers a riveting, highly detailed procedural … she lays out a compelling and ultimately convincing case for O’Brien’s innocence.” - Kirkus Reviews Attorney Margo Nash's new true crime book, THE POLITICS OF MURDER: The Power And Ambition … [Read More...]

Margo Nash: Tough On Crime

Back in the day, say 1992 or so, when Massachusetts was changing all of its juvenile laws every time there was a horrendous newsworthy homicide, Wayne Budd was advising Governor Bill Weld (his predecessor at the U.S. Attorney’s office). He was the … [Read More...]

More True Crime Books

THE DECISION TO KILL Leslie Ghiglieri

THE DECISION TO KILL

A 1986 family tragedy propels this gripping true crime debut as a mother searches for answers in the shocking murder of her husband—and conviction of her son. For years, Cherie struggles to overcome the consuming grief she suffers from the loss of … [Read More...]

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

Due to Sullivan’s extensive writing about Ted Bundy (which has produced six books), he’s become a sort of magnet over the years, drawing out many people who were part of the Bundy story, but have otherwise kept a low profile over the decades; and … [Read More...]

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER Volume One The Early Years David Larson Kindle Cover

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER

Volume One The Early Years In 1944 Brooklyn, newborn Michael J. Hardy is rejected by his mother so she can run with gangster Bugsy Siegel, Hardy’s godfather. Shirley Rook rose to the top of the criminal ranks. As the Queen of New York City … [Read More...]

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER William Craig

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

It was a dreary winter afternoon in Ayer, Massachusetts, a quintessential New England town, the type which is romanticized in Robert Frost's poems. But on January 30, 1979, a woman’s scream was heard piercing the northeast tempest wind. In an … [Read More...]

CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS Craig McGuire

CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS

This is the true story of Carmine Imbriale – a gambler, a brawler, a bandit, a bookie, an enforcer. For two decades, Imbriale was a street-level operative in one of the most violent crews in the Colombo Family, and he endeared himself to some of the … [Read More...]

VAMPIRES, GATORS, AND WACKOS Frank Stanfield

VAMPIRES, GATORS, AND WACKOS: True Crime Stories From A Florida Newspaperman

Teens savagely murder a couple in the name of their vampire cult. A sex-starved teacher cannot get enough of her young male student. The case of a missing child keeps cops awake at night for years after his confounding … [Read More...]

THE CURSE OF THE TURTLE Suzanne Buchanan

Suzanne Buchanan Exposes The Sinister Truth Behind “The Backpacker Murders” and Thailand’s Mafia In New True Crime THE CURSE OF THE TURTLE

Koh Tao--a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, surrounded by pristine beaches, swathed in sunshine, and a mecca for tourists, divers and backpackers. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. In 2014, Koh Tao was the site of the brutal double murders … [Read More...]

DEADLY ASSOCIATES Kindle Cover

DEADLY ASSOCIATES: A True Story Of Murder, Survival, and Bringing Down the Chicago Mob

Coming January 29th to REELZChannel™! The DEADLY ASSOCIATES documentary! Step into Chicago during the 1960s and ‘70s, where mobsters influence everyone from strip-club owners to Teamsters, aldermen, judges, and local police. It is a world where … [Read More...]

Jane Doe #9 Kindle Cover With Quote

R. Kelly Victim Tells Her Story In JANE DOE #9

"Lizzette Martinez’s story embodies the fire energy that gives light and life to survivors all around her! Survivors need to see strength and perseverance despite opposition, and Lizzette models just that." - Melissa Schuman, actress and singer In … [Read More...]

WATCH ME DIE Bill Kimberlin

WATCH ME DIE: Last Words From Ohio’s Death Row Inmates

Step inside the death chamber and behind the walls of Ohio’s death row. Bill Kimberlin, Psy.D, invites the reader on an extensive and unbiased journey inside Ohio’s death row in WATCH ME DIE: Last Words From Death Row. You will see how these … [Read More...]

Genres, Types

New Releases
Featured Books
Coming Soon
Award Winners

Business
History
Horror
Mysteries
Romance
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Thrillers
True Crime

eBooks
Paperbacks
Audio Books
Box Sets

Available

True Crime
• Ted Bundy
• The Last Jewish Gangster
• Carmine And The 13Th Avenue Boys
• Vampires, Gators, And Wackos
• The Curse Of The Turtle
• Deadly Associates
• Jane Doe 9
• Watch Me Die
• Mystery At The Blue Sea Cottage
• The Wheels Of Justice
• 16 Minutes
• Terror Town, Usa
• Raging On
• Grilling Dahmer
• The 'Peyton Place' Murder
• Cold Blooded
• Faith Based Fraud
• The Real Mr. Big
• The Son Of Seven Mothers
• 'The Son Of Sam' And Me
• Serial Killers
• Satin Pumps
• Out Of The Mouths Of Serial Killers
• True Crime Chronicles Volume Two
• The World Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers Volume Three
• The Enigma Of Ted Bundy
• True Crime Chronicles Volume One
• Killing Women
• From The Mob To The Movies
• The World Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers Volume Two
• To Kill Or Be Killed
• No Angels
• Monster
• Under A Full Moon
• 'Til Death Do Us ...'
• The World Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers
• First Degree Rage
• The 'Supreme Gentleman' Killer
• Beast Of New Castle
• The Garden State Parkway Murders
• How Now, Butterfly?
• The Encyclopedia Of The Ted Bundy Murders
• Survival
• Missing ... And Presumed Dead
• Wrong Numbers
• Tantamount
• Playing Dead
• Mothers And Murderers
• Dead Reckoning
• Underworld
• Gabacho
• The Gangster's Cousin
• Race To Justice
• Ted Bundy's Murderous Mysteries
• Travesty Of Justice
• Railroaded
• You Have A Very Soft Voice, Susan
• A Family Business
• Pathological
• Wrecking Crew
• The Last Man Standing
• My Son, The Killer
• Inconvenience Gone
• Toxic Rage
• The Killing Game
• Shots In The Dark
• The Case Of The Golden State Killer
• His Garden
• The Crate
• Burned
• The Case Of The Zodiac Killer
• A Murder In My Hometown
• Bullied To Death
• The Beast I Loved
• Summary Execution
• The Shawcross Letters
• Better Off Dead
• Sidetracked
• My Brother's Keeper
• Targeted
• Held Hostage
• Room 1203
• A Special Kind Of Evil
• Brooklyn's Most Wanted
• Outlaw Los Angeles
• Unsolved No More
• She Is Evil
• The Rise And Fall Of A Casino Mobster
• Outlaw Southwest
• A Clockwork Murder
• Raw Deal
• The Bundy Secrets
• Betrayal In Blue
• The Politics Of Murder
• Murderers Row
• Rough Trade
• Daddy's Little Secret
• Murder In The Family
• Failure Of Justice
• Ice And Bone
• Smooth Talker
• The Trail Of Ted Bundy
• A Taste For Murder
• Sketchcop
• Body Of Proof
• Kentucky Bloodbath
• No Stone Unturned
• Repeat Offender
• Dixie's Last Stand
• Vampire
• Man Overboard
• Bogeyman
• Murderers Row Volume Two
Thriller
• Blood Red Ivory
• No One Will Hear Your Screams
• The Screaming Room
• Bone Thief
• Crux
• Sword Of The Caliphate
• Last Son Of The War God
• Leviathan
• The Strait
• Enemy Of The People
• Cain
• Dark Visions
• Hunter
• The Reckoning
• Hard Dog To Kill
• 16 Souls
• Borderland
• Paper Wings
• Lockout
• Pitfall
Mystery
• The Humanzee Experiments
• The Killing Machine
• Murder At Mardi Gras
• The Right Thing
• Raven's Ridge
• Raptor's Ridge
• Napa Noir
• Melia Ridge
• Emerald Ridge
• Created
• Crevice
• Headlock
• Identity Crisis
• The Obituary
• Naked Addiction
• The Deadline
Horror
• Four
• Acadia Event
• The Red Son
• Highwayman
• The Equinox
• The Pure And The Hated
• Savage Highway
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
• Tribulations
• Happenstance
• Destruction Of Justice
• Blunt Force Magic
Business
• Leaderology
• The Age Of Pluralism
• Bamboo Strong
• Corporate Superpower
• Wordpress Websites For Business
• Productivity Tools For Business
Cookbook
• Frank Cullotta's Greatest (Kitchen) Hits
History
• Legion Rising
• The Korean Crisis
• Tempest Tost
• Saving Sandoval
• Killing Rasputin
Politics
• The (Redacted) Mueller Report
Romance
• When Fall Fades

New Releases

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

Due to Sullivan’s extensive writing about Ted Bundy (which has produced six books), he’s become a sort of magnet over the years, drawing out many people who were part of the Bundy story, but have otherwise kept a low profile over the decades; and … [More...]

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER Volume One The Early Years David Larson Kindle Cover

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER

Volume One The Early Years In 1944 Brooklyn, newborn Michael J. Hardy is rejected by his mother so she can run with gangster Bugsy Siegel, Hardy’s godfather. Shirley Rook rose to the top of the criminal ranks. As the Queen of New York City … [More...]

CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS Craig McGuire

CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS

This is the true story of Carmine Imbriale – a gambler, a brawler, a bandit, a bookie, an enforcer. For two decades, Imbriale was a street-level operative in one of the most violent crews in the Colombo Family, and he endeared himself to some of the … [More...]

THE HUMANZEE EXPERIMENTS Terry Persun

THE HUMANZEE EXPERIMENTS: This Time Science Went Too Far

Ten must track down and stop rogue scientists behind the development of criminal technology in THE HUMANZEEE EXPERIMENTS, the next installment of The 'Ten' Mystery Series! The International Security for Technological Innovations, a federal … [More...]

Coming Soon

THE DECISION TO KILL Leslie Ghiglieri

THE DECISION TO KILL

A 1986 family tragedy propels this gripping true crime debut as a mother searches for answers in the shocking murder of her husband—and conviction of her son. For years, Cherie struggles to overcome the consuming grief she suffers from the loss of … [More...]

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER William Craig

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

It was a dreary winter afternoon in Ayer, Massachusetts, a quintessential New England town, the type which is romanticized in Robert Frost's poems. But on January 30, 1979, a woman’s scream was heard piercing the northeast tempest wind. In an … [More...]

Recent Posts

  • THE DECISION TO KILL
  • TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One
  • THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER
  • ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER
  • CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS
  • Massive True Crime Sale. Today Only!
  • THE HUMANZEE EXPERIMENTS: This Time Science Went Too Far

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

eZine SignupJoin our email list and be the first to get hot deals, new releases and...
* Author updates
* Free eBooks
* Free audio books
* Enlightening and entertaining posts
* Advance notice of book deals, special offers

Follow Us

Blog Tag Cloud

best true crime books Bogeyman Bradley Nickell Brian Whitney Burl Barer Caitlin Rother Cold Case Crime Fiction Crime thriller Detective Detectives Facebook True Crime John Ferak Kevin Sullivan Las Vegas memoir Murder murder book murder mystery Mysteries Mystery mystery thriller Non-Fiction Ron Franscell Serial Killer serial killer books Serial Killers Steve Jackson Suspense suspense thriller Ted Bundy Thriller Thriller Books Thrillers True-crime truecrime True Crime True Crime Authors true crime book true crime books True Crime Original true crimes true crime stories True Murder WildBlue Press

Privacy Policy

As Seen On:

Our Authors Have Been Seen On...

Interested Authors Click Here
See Our Entire Catalog
SSL Secure Connection

Copyright © 2022 WildBlue Press. All rights reserved.
Website design by Denver Local SEO Marketing Company
THE POLITICS OF MURDER Featured In Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly