4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much more than criminal cases, 23 Dec 2003
By Daniel Packman - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Ready for the People: My Most Chilling Cases as a Prosecutor (Hardcover)
As someone lucky enough to get an advance copy of "Ready for the People", My Most Chilling Cases as a Prosecutor. I can tell you that this book is much more than an account of three horrifying crimes and their progression through "the system."
Deputy District Attorney Batt provides an essential course in criminal justice that is invaluable for anyone connected with our legal system and for everyone who wants to know the whole truth.
The reader will see the crimes as they are committed, watch as the cases are tried, and hear what the crooks, cops, victims, lawyers, and judges really say, on and off the record. This book reads like a novel and I had to keep reminding myself that it is all true: the pain of the victims, the viciousness of the criminals, the strength and dedication of some of the characters and the bigotry and ignorance of others, even among those sworn to uphold the law.
I was drawn so completely into the action that I found myself cheering when things went well, gasping in horror when they didn't, and laughing out loud at times. Mercifully, there is plenty of humor to leaven the heavy load of misery in these chilling tales.
"Ready for the People" is a legal textbook, a Buddhist study of putting faith into action, a fast-paced and completely absorbing thriller, and a celebration of the strength of the human spirit. Buy the book!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Intriguing Picture..., 25 Aug 2004
By J H Murphy "Hank Murphy" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Ready for the People: My Most Chilling Cases as a Prosecutor (Hardcover)
...of the L.A. justice system. I won't repeat the other reviews, but two or three things deserve note. First, Johnnie Cochran wrote the introduction...high praise indeed. Second, the appendix - "Twenty-five rules for giving effective testimony" - is interesting reading in itself. Overall, the book is not compelling reading, not forcing you to read it in one sitting, but it's interesting and varied. I consumed it in three sittings if memory serves. The pace is generally good, although I felt the Buddhism dragged a bit, but that was only a couple of instances. So - recommended - *especially* if you are a fan of mysteries set in Los Angeles! I await Marissa Batt's next work with more than a little interest.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good read, 2 Feb 2004
By Mindy Emmons - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Ready for the People: My Most Chilling Cases as a Prosecutor (Hardcover)
Ms. Batt gives a good view of how the criminal justice system works without getting into boring details. It kept my interest and I couldn't put it down, as when I'm reading a good novel. The characters involved in the three cases were well-developed. I hope she writes a sequel.