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Deadly Force: The True Story of How a Badge Can Become a License to Kill
Featuring a new preface and afterword by the author
From the host of MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, the riveting story of a 1975 police shooting of an unarmed black man in Boston--one of the first to draw national headlines--and the dramatic investigation and court case that followed.
On a rainy winter night, James Bowden, Jr. left his mother's house in Roxbury after a visit. As he guided his Buick out of his parking spot, an unmarked police car suddenly blocked his path. Two undercover officers sprang out, running toward his car. Shots were fired, and Bowden slumped over the wheel. Moments later, he was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. The police argued that they had fired in self-defense, claiming that Bowden was an armed robbery suspect and that after they had ordered him to stop, he had fired a shot at one of them. And multiple internal investigations by the Boston Police Department exonerated the officers involved.
But Patricia Bowden, James's widow, knew better. "The truth will come out," she said at her husband's funeral. She sought a lawyer willing to take on the Boston Police Department and finally found one in Lawrence F. O'Donnell, the author's father, a man whose past, unbeknownst to Patricia Bowden, made him the only man in town who could not refuse her case. O'Donnell embarked on a highly contentious three-year battle with the Boston Police Department to win justice for James Bowden.
More timely now than ever, Deadly Force is a powerful indictment of police misconduct, a reminder of this issue's long, tortured history and of how far we still have to go.
From the host of MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, the riveting story of a 1975 police shooting of an unarmed black man in Boston--one of the first to draw national headlines--and the dramatic investigation and court case that followed.
On a rainy winter night, James Bowden, Jr. left his mother's house in Roxbury after a visit. As he guided his Buick out of his parking spot, an unmarked police car suddenly blocked his path. Two undercover officers sprang out, running toward his car. Shots were fired, and Bowden slumped over the wheel. Moments later, he was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. The police argued that they had fired in self-defense, claiming that Bowden was an armed robbery suspect and that after they had ordered him to stop, he had fired a shot at one of them. And multiple internal investigations by the Boston Police Department exonerated the officers involved.
But Patricia Bowden, James's widow, knew better. "The truth will come out," she said at her husband's funeral. She sought a lawyer willing to take on the Boston Police Department and finally found one in Lawrence F. O'Donnell, the author's father, a man whose past, unbeknownst to Patricia Bowden, made him the only man in town who could not refuse her case. O'Donnell embarked on a highly contentious three-year battle with the Boston Police Department to win justice for James Bowden.
More timely now than ever, Deadly Force is a powerful indictment of police misconduct, a reminder of this issue's long, tortured history and of how far we still have to go.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1983
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473 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 31, 2021
This is the wrenching story of Lawrence's family defending the gunning down of an innocent black man by two Boston cops in 1979, and wouldn't it be great to be able to say this sort of thing is history now, in the past? But as we all know, it's not. Will it ever be?
Where to begin. I am rarely struck "keyless" in writing reviews but this book is so rich, so sad, such an indictment of America's dark soul, it left me in tears. But it is also autobiographical, not withstanding the tragic circumstances, about Lawrence's 'legal' family, the struggles of, the conflict between them, the sad truth about attorneys taking on cases strictly based on a desire to see moral justice, right a wrong, and maybe even move our country forward even a tiny bit, except there is no money in this. So why do it? That tension between his family, most of them attorneys, is ever present throughout the entire experience. It is also poignant and touching testimony to the family patriarch, his father. It is the "old man" who feels compelled to take on the case, against all odds, but even more courageous, to take on the crony cop culture of Boston during that time, many of those men, his friends. The "old man" is compelled by something higher, his own moral outrage about the killing of an innocent black man and the subsequent coverup by the very people that were supposed to protect him, us, citizens--the cops.
It's been called "riveting" which it is. I could not put it down. For any aspiring criminal attorneys, it's recommended if for nothing else, to learn how the justice system works, or doesn't... There is a lot of legal detail but there had to be. This isn't a book where the author could "paraphrase", "summarize', "interpret" because Lawrence is presenting the case to US as readers. He tries the case in the book so you don't get generalizations and summaries--you get the actual depositions, the actual testimony, the actual lies. There is a certain amount of tedium in this because the process of trying these two murderers was and is TEDIOUS. Stick with it. Keep reading.
I was reading this book when George Floyd was murdered. I was sitting on the edge of my bed reading, the T.V. on in the background, when I looked up from this book and saw Derek Chauvin having a casual conversation, hands in his pockets, as he was killing a black man, the black man pinned to the ground by Chauvin's knee. It was the same way I felt when Trayvon Martin was killed--inexplicable shock, disbelief, pain. I can't really describe that moment, looking at George Floyd, only "oh my God, not again" came out of my lips while tears burned my eyes. O'Donnell's book was written about the PAST. What is supposed to be the past. What's it going to take for real change?
Where to begin. I am rarely struck "keyless" in writing reviews but this book is so rich, so sad, such an indictment of America's dark soul, it left me in tears. But it is also autobiographical, not withstanding the tragic circumstances, about Lawrence's 'legal' family, the struggles of, the conflict between them, the sad truth about attorneys taking on cases strictly based on a desire to see moral justice, right a wrong, and maybe even move our country forward even a tiny bit, except there is no money in this. So why do it? That tension between his family, most of them attorneys, is ever present throughout the entire experience. It is also poignant and touching testimony to the family patriarch, his father. It is the "old man" who feels compelled to take on the case, against all odds, but even more courageous, to take on the crony cop culture of Boston during that time, many of those men, his friends. The "old man" is compelled by something higher, his own moral outrage about the killing of an innocent black man and the subsequent coverup by the very people that were supposed to protect him, us, citizens--the cops.
It's been called "riveting" which it is. I could not put it down. For any aspiring criminal attorneys, it's recommended if for nothing else, to learn how the justice system works, or doesn't... There is a lot of legal detail but there had to be. This isn't a book where the author could "paraphrase", "summarize', "interpret" because Lawrence is presenting the case to US as readers. He tries the case in the book so you don't get generalizations and summaries--you get the actual depositions, the actual testimony, the actual lies. There is a certain amount of tedium in this because the process of trying these two murderers was and is TEDIOUS. Stick with it. Keep reading.
I was reading this book when George Floyd was murdered. I was sitting on the edge of my bed reading, the T.V. on in the background, when I looked up from this book and saw Derek Chauvin having a casual conversation, hands in his pockets, as he was killing a black man, the black man pinned to the ground by Chauvin's knee. It was the same way I felt when Trayvon Martin was killed--inexplicable shock, disbelief, pain. I can't really describe that moment, looking at George Floyd, only "oh my God, not again" came out of my lips while tears burned my eyes. O'Donnell's book was written about the PAST. What is supposed to be the past. What's it going to take for real change?
May 20, 2019
In the 1970s, Lawrence O'Donnell worked for his father's law firm on a civil lawsuit involving the shooting of an innocent African-American man by two white Boston policemen. After the conclusion of the case, O'Donnell wrote "Deadly Force," the story of the trial and of his family's participation in it. The book has been re-issued during the current climate of Black Lives Matter.
I'm a fan of TV commentator and West Wing writer Lawrence O'Donnell, but I will have to say that I'm a little disappointed in this book, which seemed to be a mash-up of true crime and biography. The coverage of the trial was interesting and well-written, but O'Donnell constantly broke the fourth wall by inserting himself and his thoughts into the narrative. While he did participate in the lawsuit, his constant addition of bits of family biography was distracting, including references to his father as the "old man," some of which could be chalked up to the work of a very young writer.
In all, the coverage of this 1970s civil rights case was interesting, but the narrative was somewhat lacking.
I'm a fan of TV commentator and West Wing writer Lawrence O'Donnell, but I will have to say that I'm a little disappointed in this book, which seemed to be a mash-up of true crime and biography. The coverage of the trial was interesting and well-written, but O'Donnell constantly broke the fourth wall by inserting himself and his thoughts into the narrative. While he did participate in the lawsuit, his constant addition of bits of family biography was distracting, including references to his father as the "old man," some of which could be chalked up to the work of a very young writer.
In all, the coverage of this 1970s civil rights case was interesting, but the narrative was somewhat lacking.
January 5, 2019
Very sad and fascinating trial. The book could have been 200 pages shorter. The infinite details go on and on.. It's like reading the court transcript without any humanism most the time. A dry statement of the facts. I wanted to hear more about the people involved and their lives before and after the incident.
April 7, 2020
Good read.
September 19, 2020
So timely!
I'm this time and circumstance, when the effect of policing on the lives of young black men has become a focus once again, this book described a case and trial from a few decades past. A lawyer makes a difference in the lives of a family of a young black man who was wrongfully killed in a botched police operation. It is a beautifully written book with a compelling truth. I highly recommend it to fans of Lawrence O'Donnell, to fans of the truth, for fans of justice, and for anyone who enjoys an uplifting read. The courtroom detail is mesmerizing.
I'm this time and circumstance, when the effect of policing on the lives of young black men has become a focus once again, this book described a case and trial from a few decades past. A lawyer makes a difference in the lives of a family of a young black man who was wrongfully killed in a botched police operation. It is a beautifully written book with a compelling truth. I highly recommend it to fans of Lawrence O'Donnell, to fans of the truth, for fans of justice, and for anyone who enjoys an uplifting read. The courtroom detail is mesmerizing.
May 2, 2021
DEADLY FORCE, though published in 1983, is at least as relevant today as it was thirty-eight years ago, perhaps more so, in light of all of the recent police killings of Black folks, so pervasive today.
This is the story of a murder of an unarmed Black man in 1975, and the first of its kind civil rights action for wrongful death. To say more would give too much away, but I highly recommend this book. It is well written, detailed, and an education for the reader on so many levels.
This is the story of a murder of an unarmed Black man in 1975, and the first of its kind civil rights action for wrongful death. To say more would give too much away, but I highly recommend this book. It is well written, detailed, and an education for the reader on so many levels.
Want to read
February 9, 2021From Follett: On a rainy winter night, James Bowden, Jr. left his mother's house in Roxbury after a visit. As he guided his Buick out of his parking spot, an unmarked police car suddenly blocked his path. Two undercover officers sprang out, running toward his car. Shots were fired, and Bowden slumped over the wheel. Moments later, he was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. The police argued that they had fired in self defense, claiming that Bowden was an armed robbery suspect and that after they had ordered him to stop, he had fired a shot at one of them. And multiple internal investigations by the Boston Police Department exonerated the officers involved.
But Patricia Bowden, James's widow, knew better. "The truth will come out," she said at her husband's funeral. She sought a lawyer willing to take on the Boston Police Department and finally found one in Lawrence F. O'Donnell, the author's father, a man whose past, unbeknownst to Patricia Bowden, made him the only man in town who could not refuse her case. O'Donnell embarked on a highly contentious three year battle with the Boston Police Department to win justice for James Bowden.
More timely now than ever, Deadly Force is a powerful indictment of police misconduct, a reminder of this issue's long, tortured history and of how far we still have to go.
But Patricia Bowden, James's widow, knew better. "The truth will come out," she said at her husband's funeral. She sought a lawyer willing to take on the Boston Police Department and finally found one in Lawrence F. O'Donnell, the author's father, a man whose past, unbeknownst to Patricia Bowden, made him the only man in town who could not refuse her case. O'Donnell embarked on a highly contentious three year battle with the Boston Police Department to win justice for James Bowden.
More timely now than ever, Deadly Force is a powerful indictment of police misconduct, a reminder of this issue's long, tortured history and of how far we still have to go.
July 8, 2021
I love watching The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, so recently I decided to buy copies of this book and his book about 1968.
This book is about a police shooting of a black man that took place in Boston in 1975. One thing that gave me a little trouble with this book was keeping track of all the people involved and their roles.
The incident includes many by now familiar aspects of police shootings: mistaken license plate number, planted gun, shooting starting within seconds of exiting the patrol car, tense levels of racial confrontation over busing in Boston, accusations of criminality of the victim, intimidation of the lawyer bringing the case (Lawrence O'Donnell's father, a former policeman), disparate stories by witnesses and police. I won't reveal the outcome of the trial so you won't be discouraged from reading it.
The book is highly detailed about the case and has an index in case you get a little lost during the text. Two things I absolutely loved about this book were the dynamics and personalities of the O'Donnell family. I also loved the detail of the testimony in the courtroom.
This book is about a police shooting of a black man that took place in Boston in 1975. One thing that gave me a little trouble with this book was keeping track of all the people involved and their roles.
The incident includes many by now familiar aspects of police shootings: mistaken license plate number, planted gun, shooting starting within seconds of exiting the patrol car, tense levels of racial confrontation over busing in Boston, accusations of criminality of the victim, intimidation of the lawyer bringing the case (Lawrence O'Donnell's father, a former policeman), disparate stories by witnesses and police. I won't reveal the outcome of the trial so you won't be discouraged from reading it.
The book is highly detailed about the case and has an index in case you get a little lost during the text. Two things I absolutely loved about this book were the dynamics and personalities of the O'Donnell family. I also loved the detail of the testimony in the courtroom.
March 19, 2021
I haven’t read something lately that has moved me the way this did. In the time we are living in it was such a relevant story to tell. But this is no story; this is a true account of a families pain and struggle to seek justice. Justice is not doled out in the land of the free and home of the brave as easily as people might think. This book took us through the grueling process of justice for a family more than deserving of it. Let us not sit on our hands, let us educate ourselves of the struggles in this country. People don’t like to talk about certain things, maybe they need to start reading about them. Here would be an excellent start.
January 17, 2023
This was one of the best books I have read in years! My respect for Lawrence O'Donnell has grown even higher. This partly autobiographical non-fiction describes events beginning in 1975, when two Boston policemen shot and killed a Black man, James Bowden. O'Donnell's father and brothers, lawyers in the firm of O'Donnell, O'Donnell, and O'Donnell, were approached by Bowden's widow to file a wrongful death claim. The author was in his last year as a Harvard undergraduate when the story began. He assisted his father and brothers with some research, some legwork, and with organizing the voluminous paperwork. Then he wrote a book, first published in 1983, about the entire process. He relates in detail how the situation played out, concluding with an Afterword Published with the Paperback Edition that details the final resolution (trying to avoid any spoilers here). Anyone interested in true police work and in legal processes should immediately find and read this book. It is gripping. Its resonance with recent events is also obvious.
July 26, 2020
An "oldie", but certainly a "goodie" by Lawrence O'Donnell, now an MSNBC host! A well-written account of the author's family law firm and their quest for justice for a black family whose innocent father/husband had been killed by Boston police in the 1970s, in a crazy case involving carelessness and a cover-up of what actually happened that night. I enjoyed the courtroom scenes and the careful detail of what was said and took place there. I was very pleasantly surprised! I thought this was a book to be read during the turbulent times we are living through now.
October 21, 2023
As a paralegal, I have occasion to run across a citation for a case that will peak my interest. The Bowden case just so happened to be one such that peaked my curiosity. One could only hope this never happened again. Unfortunately given current events it is not all that uncommon. The book answered all of my burning questions regarding the case. However, it left me with a question that I do not believe any book or person can answer! That question being, if not the cops who can we trust?
June 16, 2020
I picked out this book to read because I thought it was something I should read because of all the police shootings happening now. I thought it would be one I would have to plow through. I didn't expect to like it. To my surprise it was a book I thoroughly enjoyed. The author writes in a very easy to understand and interesting manner. I highly recommend reading this book.
November 9, 2020
Lawrence O'Donnell (Last Word on MSNBC) is a terrific writer. I recommend all of his books. He was also a screen writer for West Wing and worked in Congress. This story is about the police murder of a black man and how the O'Donnell family law firm successfully prosecuted a law suit against the police.
November 10, 2020
An interesting case, especially considering that America has not improved in the area of deadly force applied against innocent and unarmed black men after nearly 50 years. I was not a fan of the writing style for this book, however. It was dry, unnecessarily verbose, and at times hard to keep my attention.
November 16, 2018
It is frightening how familiar this story is to what is happening now between the black community and the police. However, the huge difference is that white communities allow murder so long as it's those people.
July 13, 2018
Very detailed and long but a good read
August 2, 2018
I love O’Donnells writing style. This was a captivating and suspenseful quart room thriller, based on a very sad but true case of police brutality and murder.
December 5, 2018
A fascinating true story of how Mr. O'Donnell's father prevented an innocent black man from death row. Great read!
February 11, 2019
I love Lawrence O'Donnell. The book was excellent, but a bit wordy
July 13, 2020
One of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to. I’m a fan of his news show so listening to his voice was pleasant and riveting. Excellent.
September 6, 2020
Exceptionally detailed trial procedural. A fascinating 1983 study of an issue that is now getting the focus it should have always had: police shootings of black victims.
January 10, 2021
The shooting of unarmed Black men isn't a new phenomenon. This is also a story about Mr. O'Donnell's early education modeled by his father that the law should apply fairly to all
February 20, 2023
The courtroom part is the best, loved the old man.
Long book but very good.
Long book but very good.
June 20, 2023
3.5/5. A very interesting book about the author’s family of lawyers and the author himself helping to solve a case of a questionable police shooting from the 1970s. We’ll done and well presented.
February 8, 2024
This was a fantastic read. He stood up for what he believed and took the challenge of fighting for Pat Bowden and won.
June 12, 2021
How does an ex-Boston cop of Irish heritage wind up prosecuting two Boston cops in the late 80s for the murder of an innocent black man? Read this excellent book and find out. O'Donnell's father was the lawyer who brought the case against the then (and perhaps still) mostly Irish-American-populated Boston Police force, so the writer is well-equipped to give intimate details of how a family law firm took on the city of Boston's "not so finest" in one of their most egregious violations of a black man's civil rights. If you were heartened by the verdict in the George Floyd case, this is a book for you to delve into. There's much attention paid to the way a good, even great, lawyer can take on a larger defendant and, unlike in "A Civil Action," obtain some justice. Don't want to give away the ending, which is a real great moment of common sense triumphing over bland political platitudes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2016
The cover says it for me.The true story of how a badge can become a license to kill. Boston police department cover-up.
Read
May 2, 2019What a fascinating look at a family legacy of fighting for justice. It started out a little slow, but built momentum just like the legal case. Lawrence's position in the family gives him a unique ability to go beyond the courtroom and show a family working together to help another family gain justice. I loved his writing style, it's just like he talks on his show.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews