He has written a firsthand account of the time he spent in the darkest corridors of america for a crime he did not commit. Chasing justice did direct and order the smith county sheriffs department to transport the defendant from the smith county jail to dallas, texas, where kerry max cook was interviewed and. After nearly 40 years, murder charges dropped against. Kerry cook is an innocent man who wrongly served two decades in texass notorious death house for the brutal 1977 rape and murder of 21yearold linda jo edwards. On the evening of june 29, 1978, i took an elevator to the top floor of the smith county jail in tyler, my hometown, to interview kerry max cook, who had just been convicted of capital murder and. Kerry max cook served over 20 years in a texas prison on death row. In the summer of 1977, cook was staying in tyler, tx.
Kerry max cook, lobbyist, booking agent, agency, contact. Cook served over 20 years in texas notorious death house for a 1977 rape and murder he did not commit. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit by kerry max cook. Kerry max cook was born in stuttgart, west germany, and moved to texas with his family in 1972. Chasing justice kerry max cook kerry cook is an innocent man who wrongly served two decades in texass notorious death house for the brutal 1977 rape and murder of 21yearold linda jo edwards. Chasing justice kerry max cook 352 pages adult chasing justice is a novel by kerry max cook, about his own life and his story of freeing himself after two decades on death row for a crime he didnt commit. Friday is the 39th anniversary of the murder, and for kerry max cook, the man wrongly accused of committing it, the anniversary will come just days after the. Kerry cook is an innocent man who wrongly served two decades in. Im out of prison, but 36 years after my arrest, my conviction still stands under texas law. Forty years earlier, mayfield had been a brazen lothario, carrying on a seventeenmonth affair with edwardswho was half his ageunder his wifes nose. Hearings for kerry max cooks attempt at exoneration begin. I spent 22 years on texas death row for a murder i didnt commit. Chasing justice by kerry max cook houston chronicle. He served over 20 years in a texas prison on death row.
Kerry max cook is a former death row inmate who was wrongfully convicted of the rape and. Kerry max cook born 1956 is an american former death row inmate who was wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of 21yearold linda jo edwards in 1977. Wrongful incarceration the standdown texas project. In an advance blurb for the memoir, former fbi director and federal judge william s. What distinquishes kerry and makes him so exceptional is his ability to motivate others to believe.
That man, james mayfield, was in the courthouse too, waiting in a hallway for his turn to testify. On the evening of june 29, 1978, i took an elevator to the top floor of the smith county jail in tyler, my hometown, to interview kerry max cook, who. Finally in the spring of 1999 longoverlooked dna evidence was tested and it linked another man to the rape and murder for which cook. The 2016 hearings to determine whether kerry max cook should be exonerated hinge on two beliefs the state believes the defenses information has been available since the 90s and is not new to the case. Chronicles how a smalltown murder became one of the worst cases of prosecutorial misconduct in american history, and sent the author, an innocent man, to hell for 22 harrowing years cook is one of the longesttenured deathrow prisoners to be freed. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit by kerry max cook at barnes. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. June 6, 2016, convicted murderer kerry max cook walked into a tyler courtroom. This was the crowning moment of a grueling sevenyear effort by centurion on cook s behalf. In november, 1997, kerry max cook was freed after spending nearly 20 years on death row for a murder in which he had no involvement. Beginning in the summer of 1977, when linda jo edwards was found raped, murdered and mutilated in her tyler apartment, smith county fought hard to kill kerry max cook for the deed. Stunning new evidence in the case of kerry max cook casts serious doubt on his 1978 murder convictionand points emphatically at another man. Kerry speaks at acadia university to catapult camp on his exoneration after 22 years on texas death row. I usually do not repost articles that others writers send to my email, but i decided to make an exception for this one.
Sessions noted, kerry max cook has written a brutal but compelling account of his 22 years on texass death row for a murder he did not commit. Kerry cook was an innocent man who became one of the longest tenured death row prisoners in u. On the evening of june 29, 1978, i took an elevator to the top floor of the smith county jail in tyler, my hometown, to interview kerry max cook. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit, his bestselling memoir about how he was wrongly accused of the brutal 1977 rape and murder of 21yearold linda jo edwards. Cook had arrived on death row in 1978 and was finally getting justice, like other. This is his unbelievable story and the only firsthand account of its kind. Today, cook is a free man and the proud father of a young son.
Actor robin williams, author kerry max cook, actors richard dreyfuss, cary elwes, and chad lowe attend the launch party of the new book by kerry max cook entitled chasing justice. Kerry max cook is a former death row inmate who was wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of 21yearold linda jo edwards in 1977. Kerry cook is an innocent man who wrongly served two decades in texass notorious death house for the brutal 1977 rape and murder of 21yearold linda jo. He was awarded a soros justice fellowship to write the book. A passionate proponent of abolishing the death penalty internationally, he appeared at amnesty international usas bringing. Chasing justice is an immensely compelling story that is hard to believe. Chasing justice download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
A shocking look inside death row, a legal thriller, and an inspirational story of one mans ultimately triumphant fight against extreme adversity, chasing justice is a landmark work, written with the powerful authenticity of cook s own hand. Kerry max cook books list of books by author kerry max cook. Book kerry max cook for public speaking harry walker agency. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit reprint by kerry max cook isbn. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit, which can be purchased at a lower price at. In 2007, when chasing justice finally came outa detailed account of. I was raped by other inmates and dehumanized by smith county prosecutors who tried me 3 times with evidence later found to be fraudulent. You can also jump to coverage of his 2007 book, chasing justice. He talks about how he finally walked free, and what american justice looks like from death row. Kerry max cook has written a brutal but compelling account of his 22 years on texas death row for a murder he didnt commit.
At 21 years old, kerry max cook was convicted of a murder he didnt commit and then spent the next twentytwo years on death row. Kerry max cook born 1956 is an american former death row inmate who was wrongfully. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit kerry max cook on. Contact the harry walker agency to schedule kerry max cook as your next keynote speaker. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Four stories kerry max cook the plea frontline pbs. Scars remind us of where weve beenthey dont have to dictate where were going my name is kerry max cook. Kerry cook is an innocent man who in 1977, was wrongly convicted for the rape and murder of a 21 year old girl in his town. Meanwhile cook s attorneys argue that information they have. Click download or read online button to get chasing justice book now. The book depicts his struggles against all odds to free himself from an inept justice system that would not let go, despite mounting and eventually overwhelming evidence of his innocence. Kerry max cook second from left stood with exonerees a. Cook has written a book published by harpercollins entitled chasing justice which details his conviction, the widespread prosecutorial abuses.
My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit cook, kerry max on. Reposted below is a compelling article written by michael hall with texas monthly, regarding the current plight of kerry max cook, a man who hopes to obtain a complete exoneration for a murder that he did not commit as later demonstrated by dna evidence. Chasing justice was nominated for the edgar award by mystery writers of america. Kerry cooks chasing justice is a heartbreaking story of a horrendous act of railroading in east texas. Kerry max cook, photographed in austin on december 10, 2016. But its not, and kerry cook s account of his nightmare is fascinating. An inmates harrowing firstperson account of a travesty of texas jurisprudence. The texas court of criminal appeals ruled police and prosecutorial misconduct has tainted this entire matter from the beginning. A brilliant and unprecedented work, chasing justice is the riveting chronicle of how a smalltown murder became one of the worst cases of prosecutorial misconduct in american historyand sent the author, an innocent man, to hell for twentytwo harrowing years. Praise for chasing justice kerry max cook is a remarkable human being, and his memoir, chasing justice, is captivating. He was born in stuttgart, germany, and moved to texas with his family in 1972. Kerry max cook on innerviews with ernie manouse youtube. Kerry max cook is one of the longesttenured deathrow prisoners to be freed.
David barron covered kerry max cook s first capital murder trial in 1978 for the tyler couriertimes telegraph and his second trial in 1992 for the houston chronicle, where he has been employed since 1990 as a sports reporter. His struggle for freedom is said to be one of the worst cases of police and prosecutorial misconduct in american history. My story of freeing myself after two decades on death row for a crime i didnt commit. View bios, testimonials, and inquire about speaking fees. The second conviction obtained under jack skeen and david dobbs was thrown out.
Richard dreyfuss on playing kerry max cook texas monthly. Chasing justice by kerry max cook, by david barron, published by the houston chronicle on march 11, 2018. It is going to break through political barriers and be a catalyst for reform. Chasing justice is a novel by kerry max cook, about his own life and his story of freeing himself after two decades on death row for a crime he didnt commit. Kerry max cook spent 20 years on death row for a murder he didnt commit.
1287 1230 93 508 221 734 741 484 1196 96 15 1377 10 967 320 908 299 866 1511 1510 465 837 306 360 1315 1372 1408 1013 934 1389