Spence is the author of 18 books, including his revealing look at the criminal justice system in. For several times in the book bugliosi specifically cites his respect for spence s abilities as a defense attorney as his impetus for. Gerry spence has spent a lifetime of defending many highprofile cases such as karen silkwood, randy weaver at ruby ridge, imelda marcos and the case brought against penthouse magazine. News nationworld neighbors see weaver differently three idahoans call him devoted father, three others label him dangerous radical. Gerry spence bio, age, net worth, wife, education, cases. Mom was a religious fanatic who wore a pistol on her hip and raged about. A true story of insanity and the law, doubleday new york, ny, 1983. Order autographed ruby ridge books ruby ridge official web site. Attorney gerry spence of ruby ridge fame to assist. One especially informative book was ambush at ruby ridge by alan w. Gerry spence is a semiretired american trial lawyer. Though the joneses guilt seemed eminently clear to the county and the prosecution, gerry spence, renowned for his work on the cases of karen silkwood and randy weaver at ruby ridge, took the case pro bono and the courtroom battle exploded into three years of intensely moving jury trials, recounted here from the record of the case.
The title sounded promising, and gerry spence was the defense attorney for randy weaver. Gerry spence starts his book with his experience defending randy weaver. Renowned trial lawyer gerry spence reflects on justice in a powerful personal retrospective. Several times in the book bugliosi specifically cites his respect for spences. Spence said later in an interview, its occasionally done when there seems to be a gross absence of proof. Gerry spence is the author of many books, including from freedom to slavery. Remembering ruby ridge, fbi murder of weaver family 821. This is a rare interview with legendary trial lawyer, gerry spence about his 18th book addressing the dangerous presence of a police state in america.
By using the stories of some of his most famous jury trials dating back to the 1970s, spence demonstrates that the flaws in our criminal justice system are longstanding and in desperate need of correction. Ruby ridge was the site of an 11day siege in 1992 in the northwest united states in boundary county, idaho, near naples. Ruby ridge official web site ruby ridge official web. The answer to that question becomes clear in gerry spence s new book, police state. Randy had received a commitment from noted lawyer gerry spence to be his defense attorney. Gerry spence has been a trial attorney for more than five decades and proudly represents the little people. Spence did not lose a civil case from 1969 2010, and he has never lost a criminal case. Martins press new york, 2006 256 pages generalized hate often has a narr. For those of you who do not know, randy weaver was the separatist involved in the ruby ridge incident, which left his son, wife, and at least one federal officer dead, all over a shotgun barrel that was 14. The trial lawyer who defended randy weaver was gerry spence, and his book from freedom to slavery details the missing facts of the weaver family massacre left out by corporate media gerry spence, born, reared and educated in wyoming, is recognized nationwide for his powerful.
Bloodthirsty bitches and pious pimps of power the rise and risk of the new conservative hate culture by gerry spence st. In this, the fifth and final article on the standoff at ruby ridge, we will. The legacy of gerry spence the spence law firm, llc. The blood hadnt cooled on ruby hill before the national media announced that i had taken the defense of randy weaver. The summation of gerry spence for randy weaver famous trials. Charges and the defense strategy in the ruby ridge weaver and harris trial.
Starting with his description of the ruby ridge debacle massacre by the fbi, spence s from freedom to slavery is a warning i hope not a voice crying out in the wilderness that corporations and the media owned by corporation with the status of real persons and the government are staged to wring from citizens their fundamental rights. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Dad was a venomous racist who couldnt hold a steady job. Gerald leonard spence born january 8, 1929 is a semiretired american trial lawyer. Gerry spence audio books, best sellers, author bio. It began on august 21, when randy weaver, members of his immediate family, and family friend kevin harris resisted deputies of the united states marshals service usms and the hostage rescue team of the federal bureau of investigation fbi hrt. There was very little written with respect to weaver. Gerry spence is like a kindly old grandfather type.
The siege at ruby ridge tv movie 1996 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Gerry spence has been called the greatest trial lawyer of a generation. They shortened the stock enough that even at 18 the shotgun was under oal and illegal. From freedom to slavery share book recommendations with. Weaver charged with homicides at ruby ridge, spence has tackled some of. The smoking gun ebook by gerry spence official publisher. From freedom to slavery, by gerry spence ruby ridge. Ruby ridge exhausive account of the appalling murders of randy weavers young son, sammy, and his. Daniel gross published an article in the trial diplomacy journal about it based on gerry spence s defense in the ruby ridge trial in idaho. On the same day that randy weaver surrendered to law enforcement, he met with attorney, gerry spence. Most of what was included in this book i have read in other publications. Marshals service elaborate, multimilliondollar 18month surveillance of weaver, an idaho backwoods resident known as a white separatist, indicted on a minor firearms charge many claim was a government act of hatred and blackmail. Gerry spence has 32 books on goodreads with 5 ratings.
Spence born gerald leonard spence, 1929, was and still is one of americas greatest trial attorneys. Gerry spence project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. He graduated cum laude from the university of wyoming law school in 1952, and has spent his lifetime representing the poor, the injured, the forgotten and the damned against what he calls the new slave master, a combine of mammoth corporations and gargantuan. Stay tuned next week for the final installment of the standoff at ruby ridge. Gerry spence has written a terrific book on the problems with todays. Weaver charged with homicides at ruby ridge, spence has tackled. I should reread the gerry spence book, it was eye opening. He has fought and won for the family of karen silkwood, defended randy weaver at ruby ridge, and represented hundreds of others in some of the most notable trials of our time. With gerry spence s permission, it is reproduced here. Gerry spence was asked by gritz to defend weaver, and in turn defended his action to do so in a letter to alan hirschfield, the former chairman of chief executive officer of columbia pictures and twentieth. Attorney gerry spence of ruby ridge fame to assist family of jack yantis idaho rancher slaughtered by sheriffs by martin hill november 11, 2015. Neighbors see weaver differently three idahoans call him. To answer public questions about ruby ridge, the senate subcommittee on terrorism, technology and government information held a total of 14 days of hearings between september 6 and october 19, 1995, and subsequently issued a report calling for reforms in federal law enforcement to prevent a repeat of ruby ridge and to restore public confidence.
In 2010, spence was still listed as an active partner in the spence law firm, located in jackson, wyoming, and continues to make public appearances. Also during 1992, gritz attracted national attention as mediator during the government standoff with randy weaver at ruby ridge, idaho. Spence a flamboyant and arduous trial attorney was famous for never having lost a criminal case either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney. Gerry spence on why he agreed to defend randy weaver. I am going off memory here but if i remember correctly there is a barrel length and an overall length. Every knee shall bow tells the compelling, neverbeforetold story of undercover informants, blustery green berets, and the selfstyled gunfighterlawyer gerry spence, who brought his bombastic brilliance to randy weavers defense. Read this book and over 1 million others with a kindle unlimited membership. The weavers were not the kind of people youd want for neighbors. The definitive book on ruby ridge was written by the late alan bock, a real reporter for a newspaper in orange county if memory serves. Gerry spence, born, reared and educated in wyoming, is recognized nationwide for his legacy of powerful courtroom victories. The truth and tragedy of the randy weaver family harper, 1995, pp. Spence successfully defended weaver after his arrest. Gerry spence has written a terrific book on the problems with todays criminal justice system.
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