But an engrossing one Paperback I originally picked up this book because it takes place in some of the towns I travel through on my way to my vacation place in Northern Michigan I alternated between disbelief that something like this could happen and an anger at the destruction brought on by the prosecution and police behavior in this case The power of one woman who was believable but lied just about everything was amazing. However to quote the author The one small bit of redemption in this tragedy is that none were a match for three stubborn lawyers who knew a wrong when they saw one With all its failings.

An absolute nut case as an witness all combined put an innocent man in jail Then 4 men were arrested and tried for the same alleged murder What craziness can happen to innocent people in a small town with idiots at the helm This book highlights one case It is well written in an easy to follow narrative which includes snippets of actual court transcripts Along with a few actual photographs of the main characters. supposed to be based on fact But While it read like a novel it was hugely disturbing that this FICTION was actually fact I d like to attribute the utter incompetent DA.

Considering this murder and series of convictions happened in the town where I grew up and occurred when I was in high school I found it intriguing to read I knew a lot of the people or were friends with their kids I never realized the depth of the lies and conspiracies and wrong doings that occurred in my little town It s really like a story that keeps you frustrated and wonder how all these small town people could let something so wrong happen and then just look the other way I wouldn t be surprised if this ended up as a movie at some point The book is primarily factual with a hint of subjectiveness from the writer although I d have to agree with her opinion That woman the key witness was a total nut bag Paperback I liked this book but I was expecting because to some extent it is a true story It is difficult to give all my thoughts without using spoilers. A man is found dead in the bed of his pickup truck in December in northern Michigan Five people are ultimately accused of taking part in his death three are convicted by separate jury trials and two pled guilty of lesser charges As the book unfolds it is apparent that the prosecution had a poor case against the five One big piece of evidence perhaps the biggest came from a nutty crazy witness who seemed to makeup things as she needed or was told. Then at some point in my reading it struck me that the book was very biased for the defense v e r y As I read through to the end it was difficult not to notice the continuing bias of the author Although there were over 200 pieces of evidence entered into the record against the defendants hardly any of that evidence is discussed to any real degree in the book Why did three juries find them guilty Why did a judge pg 395 after all the appeals etc. pg 403 involved in the case continue to feel they were guilty until the very end I would like to think the author got it right and justice was finally served for the defendants That is what I thought the book was going to be about but I had a nagging feeling by the end that I had only heard one side to the story i. Hope justice was served If nothing else this is an easy interesting read about my neighborhood Paperback To all true crime lovers this one is really something There were so many angles to this complex case that were so frustrating yet so interesting at the same time What s even interesting is that this took place in the county that I live and work in Paperback Sometimes truth is stranger and wicked than fiction. Wicked Takes the Witness Stand tells the tale of a mysterious death in a small Michigan town in the mid 80s The death is never really solved despite the murder prosecutions of 5 men. What we learn is about power and its abuse about truth and its manipulation about citizens who should be critical of officials and about the heroic acts possible when a small group of lawyers dedicate themselves to pursuing truth at great personal and economic sacrifice. I picked up the book with low expectations and ended up with a 3 day reading obsession Wicked Takes the Witness Stand is highly recommended to readers who enjoy courtroom drama and the pursuit of justice. It is a cautionary tale that reminds us that even dedicated public servants can make mistakes that group think is a significant enemy of justice and that we all have an interest in ensuring that law enforcement and the courts seek truth even when that means we won t have answers. Mardi Link s non fiction account of justice in Northern Michigan is every bit as compelling as Anatomy of a Murder written than a half century before Paperback I am so grateful that I was young enough to be protected from reading about the horrific events of this case while living in the city in which it happened Rather I ve spent the last week reading this incredible story in shock awe and sheer disgust for the way this case was handled Every citizen should read this book especially those who have voted for some of the elected officials who played significant roles in it Paperback

Wicked Takes the Witness Stand: A Tale of Murder and Twisted Deceit in Northern Michigan By Mardi Jo Link

0472051695

9780472051694

English

448

Paperback

Mardi Link is the author of the memoirs The Drummond Girls A Story of Fierce Friendship Beyond Time and Chance and Bootstrapper From Broke to Badass On a Northern Michigan Farm She studied agriculture and journalism at Michigan State University and creative writing at Queens University of Charlotte She has worked as a newspaper reporter a street tree planter a seamstress and a tournament pool player Her books about Michigan murders When Evil Came to Good Hart Isadore s Secret and Wicked Takes the Witness Stand spent several weeks on the Heartland Bestseller List and won awards Mardis essays have been published in Creative Nonfiction Bellingham Review Bear River Review Publishers Weekly Traverse Magazine Mardi Link is the author of the memoirs The Drummond Girls A Story of Fierce Friendship Beyond Time and Chance and Bootstrapper From Broke to Badass On a Northern Michigan Farm She studied agriculture and journalism at Michigan State University and creative writing at Queens University of Charlotte She has worked as a newspaper reporter a street tree planter a seamstress and a tournament pool player Her books about Michigan murders When Evil Came to Good Hart Isadore s Secret and Wicked Takes the Witness Stand spent several weeks on the Heartland Bestseller List and won awards Mardi s essays have been published in Creative Nonfiction Bellingham Review Bear River Review Publishers Weekly Traverse Magazine and the Detroit Free Press She lives in Traverse City Michigan on The Big Valley site_link If this had been fiction I would have thrown it down as being implausible But it s true I moved to Traverse City about the time that this was happening and remember hearing about it on the news But I didn t know even half of the story It s incredible that a woman like Debbie Parmentier could even exist But given her history and if even half what she said about herself is true then she was seriously disturbed But then she became the vehicle for the police and prosecutor to use to convict four men of the same crime Even the jury members in the third case asked why she wasn t being arrested for perjury Nope you just have to read it I can t explain how whole groups of men were taken in by this woman led around by their noses and manipulated into doing things and accepting things that they wouldn t have thought to do before they met her It s just incredible that s the only word for it Mardi Link in her astute way points the finger at police prosecuting attorneys and judges who once they have found out their own mistakes try to cover up and hold the line instead of coming out and admitting yep we screwed up Let s get those innocent men out of jail now shall we Way to go Mardi Loved this book Paperback I ve always enjoyed Mardi Link s true crime books about Northern Michigan cases and this one was finekept me interested through all of the twists and turns of this late 80s early 90s caseeven as many of the main characters in the case were not particularly likeable. This was a detailed telling of a case full of miscarriages of justice and governmental and judicial misconduct and ended with several eventual heroes who prevailedeven as there were also plenty of folks involved who did not fare so well. Not a quick read that s what makes our justice system great That three smart hardworking men with right on their side can still trump manipulation ego and power May it always be so Paperback OMG it s stunning that this really happens This is a true story An innocent man sent to prison with literally no evidence against him for murder A small town a dead man under odd circumstances a vindictive seemingly vengence driven prosecutor an utterly incompetent medical examiner police medical examiner in this case to utter Fiction but I can t as this is a true account of the ALLEGED murder of Jerry Tobias This is worth a read if you want a glimpse into small town corruption incompetence preconceived guilt of an innocent man and his known associates to also be indicted 16 months later for a murder that may in fact not be a murder All I keep thinking while reading is Wow Really Wow Paperback Love Love Love I enjoy reading true crime books Being from Michigan I was excited to read this one I ve been to Gaylord several times but had no idea of this outlandish misjustice that happened there These poor men Life was forever changed for them by the lies told by a psychopath and so many people in the justice field The people we are suppose to trust Thankfully they found the lawyers who didn t give up on them Paperback On a bitterly cold afternoon in December 1986 a Michigan State trooper found the frozen body of Jerry Tobias in the bed of his pickup truck The 31 year old oil field worker and small time drug dealer was curled up on his side on the truck s bare metal pressed against the tailgate clad only in jeans a checkered shirt and cowboy boots Inside the cab of the truck was a fresh package of expensive steaks from a local butcher shop the first lead in a case that would be quickly lost in a thicket of bungled forensics shady prosecution and a psychopathic star witness out for revenge. Award winning author Mardi Link s third book of Michigan true crime Wicked Takes the Witness Stand unravels this mysterious and still unsolved case that sucked state police and local officials into a morass of perjury and cover up and ultimately led to the separate conviction and imprisonment of five innocent men This unbelievable story will leave the reader shocked and aching for justice Wicked Takes the Witness Stand A Tale of Murder and Twisted Deceit in Northern Michigan.

. While reading this book I was constantly astounded I had to keep checking. continue to feel the defendants were guilty Why did the various prosecutors e. Yes this is non fiction.g.e. the side that benefited the defense