American Murder: Criminals, Crimes and the Media

Investigating the wayHollywood scoops upnotorious criminals and turns them into legends, thisentertaining who’s-who guideprovides thumbnail sketchesofsuch killers as Ma Barker, Black Beard, Al Capone, John Wesley Hardin,and Charles Starkweather. Noting that some figuresare glamorized in popular culture (Jesse James),while others are demonized (Charles Manson),this encyclopedic collectionexplores the legends’ emotional truths as depicted in movies, stories, and songs. Facts of the real cases behind these notorious criminals are also presented, including thelandmarkrulings that pioneered new approaches to criminal justice.