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A Criminal Injustice: A True Crime, a False Confession, and the Fight to Free Marty Tankleff
When he went to bed on the night of September 6, 1988, seventeen-year-old Marty Tankleff was a typical kid in the upscale Long Island community of Belle Terre. He was looking forward to starting his senior year at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School the next day. But instead, Marty woke in the morning to find his parents brutally bludgeoned, their throats slashed. His mother, Arlene, was dead. His father, Seymour, was barely alive and would die a month later. With remarkable self-possession, Marty called 911 to summon help. And when homicide detective James McCready arrived on the scene an hour later, Marty told him he believed he knew who was Jerry Steuerman, his father’s business partner. Steuerman owed Seymour more than half a million dollars, had recently threatened him, and had been the last to leave a high-stakes poker game at the Tankleffs’ home the night before. However, McCready inexplicably dismissed Steuerman as a suspect. Instead, he fastened on Marty as the prime suspect–indeed, his only one.
Before the day was out, the police announced that Marty had confessed to the crimes. But Marty insisted the confession was fabricated by the police. And a week later, Steuerman faked his own death and fled to California under an alias. Yet the police and prosecutors remained fixated on Marty–and two years later, he was convicted on murder charges and sentenced to fifty years in prison.
But Marty’s unbelievable odyssey was just beginning. With the support of his family, he set out to prove his innocence and gain his freedom. For ten years, disappointment followed disappointment as appeals to state and federal courts were denied. Still, Marty never gave up. He persuaded Jay Salpeter, a retired NYPD detective turned private eye, to look into his case. At first it was just another job for Salpeter. As he dug into the evidence, though, he began to see signs of gross ineptitude or Leads ignored. Conflicts of interest swept under the rug. A shocking betrayal of public trust by Suffolk County law enforcement that went well beyond a simple miscarriage of justice. After Salpeter’s discoveries brought national media attention to the case, Marty’s conviction was finally vacated in 2007, and New York’s governor appointed a special prosecutor to reopen the twenty-year-old case. At the same time, the State Investigation Commission announced an inquiry into Suffolk County’s handling of what has come to be widely viewed as one of America’s most disturbing wrongful conviction cases.
As gripping as a Grisham novel, A Criminal Injustice is the story of an innocent man’s tenacious fight for freedom, an investigator’s dogged search for the truth. It is a searing indictment of justice in America.
Before the day was out, the police announced that Marty had confessed to the crimes. But Marty insisted the confession was fabricated by the police. And a week later, Steuerman faked his own death and fled to California under an alias. Yet the police and prosecutors remained fixated on Marty–and two years later, he was convicted on murder charges and sentenced to fifty years in prison.
But Marty’s unbelievable odyssey was just beginning. With the support of his family, he set out to prove his innocence and gain his freedom. For ten years, disappointment followed disappointment as appeals to state and federal courts were denied. Still, Marty never gave up. He persuaded Jay Salpeter, a retired NYPD detective turned private eye, to look into his case. At first it was just another job for Salpeter. As he dug into the evidence, though, he began to see signs of gross ineptitude or Leads ignored. Conflicts of interest swept under the rug. A shocking betrayal of public trust by Suffolk County law enforcement that went well beyond a simple miscarriage of justice. After Salpeter’s discoveries brought national media attention to the case, Marty’s conviction was finally vacated in 2007, and New York’s governor appointed a special prosecutor to reopen the twenty-year-old case. At the same time, the State Investigation Commission announced an inquiry into Suffolk County’s handling of what has come to be widely viewed as one of America’s most disturbing wrongful conviction cases.
As gripping as a Grisham novel, A Criminal Injustice is the story of an innocent man’s tenacious fight for freedom, an investigator’s dogged search for the truth. It is a searing indictment of justice in America.
594 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
49 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 27, 2012
My review is bias because this all happened in my home town on the first day of our senior year go HS. With that said, I could not put this book down. Such a tragic story, but one that needs to be told. Inspiring story of those who just did not give up.
February 23, 2009
fCriminal Injustice tells the story of Marty Tenkleff who confessed and was convicted of the crime of killing his parents and released nearly two decades later based upon massive evidence that his confession was not true and that other persons actually committed he crime. While the book is overly long and drags at points, it spotlights some important issues in the American criminal justice system. The most narrow of these is the issue of coerced confessions. But in spotlighting this issue, A Criminal Injustice also takes a critical look at prosecutorial misconduct in general. The picture that emerges is troubling.
Many people would ask why anyone would confess to a crime which they didn't commit. Studies have shown that confessions have great probative value in the minds of those who hear them. Even if later shown evidence that a confession is false, most people will still believe the confession. The case of Marty Tankleff provides a compelling example of how an innocent person may confess to a crime they did not commit. Marty Tankleff was a 17 year old high school student who had never been in trouble with the law. One night his parents were brutally attacked. He unharmed, discovered the body of his mother and his severely injured father and and called 911. The police immediately suspected him and took him to the police stationand began to question him.
Using standard police interrogation tactics, if perhaps going a bit overboard, a detective told Tankleff that his father had been revived with a shot of adrenaline and said that Marty was the one who attacked him. The detective's lie was so convincing that his partner believed it was true. So did Marty. Trusting the police and believing that his father would never lie, Marty began to believe that maybe he had attacked his parents. His response was to say, "Could I have blacked out and done this?" Of course, it was all downhill for him after this. His confession, although unsigned, unvideotaped and inconsistent with what little physical evidence existed, was admitted into evidence and he was convicted. Years later, evidence emerged which indicated that the crimes were actually committed by two other persons and that the investigating detective had significant ties to a leading suspect, the father's business partner who owed him hundreds of thousands of dolllars. That man was never seriously investigated by the police, despite having obvious motive, despite having been at the house on the night of the murder, and despite having displayed consciousness of guilt by suddenly disappearing just a few weeks after the murders.
Even in the face of compelling evidence which later emerged that Tankleff was innocent, the district attorney's office fought to keep Tankleff from getting a new trial, a sorry tale which reveals some of the worst problems in our criminal justice system, in particular the often incestous relationship that exists between the judiciary and the district attorneys' office. The fact is that a signficant percentage of judges are former prosecutors. In Tankleff's case, this fact seems to have contributed to a miscarriage of justice. Almost until the end, judges ruled against him when the evidence seemed to shout out that he was innocent, always giving the benefit of the doubt to the prosecutors' motives and the credibility of their witnesses.
A Criminal Injustice certainly makes it obvious that all criminal interrogations should be videotaped from beginning to end. It also brings into question whether it is moral and whether it should be legal for police interrogators to lie to suspects about what evidence they have. Marty Tankleff is not the first person to be persuaded by police that he committed a crime which he in fact did not commit. After reading this book, I concluded that no one should ever talk to the police without an attorney present, even (and mabe especially) if they are innocent. If you are unpersuaded, read this book. If it doesn't change your mind, I'd be surprised.
Many people would ask why anyone would confess to a crime which they didn't commit. Studies have shown that confessions have great probative value in the minds of those who hear them. Even if later shown evidence that a confession is false, most people will still believe the confession. The case of Marty Tankleff provides a compelling example of how an innocent person may confess to a crime they did not commit. Marty Tankleff was a 17 year old high school student who had never been in trouble with the law. One night his parents were brutally attacked. He unharmed, discovered the body of his mother and his severely injured father and and called 911. The police immediately suspected him and took him to the police stationand began to question him.
Using standard police interrogation tactics, if perhaps going a bit overboard, a detective told Tankleff that his father had been revived with a shot of adrenaline and said that Marty was the one who attacked him. The detective's lie was so convincing that his partner believed it was true. So did Marty. Trusting the police and believing that his father would never lie, Marty began to believe that maybe he had attacked his parents. His response was to say, "Could I have blacked out and done this?" Of course, it was all downhill for him after this. His confession, although unsigned, unvideotaped and inconsistent with what little physical evidence existed, was admitted into evidence and he was convicted. Years later, evidence emerged which indicated that the crimes were actually committed by two other persons and that the investigating detective had significant ties to a leading suspect, the father's business partner who owed him hundreds of thousands of dolllars. That man was never seriously investigated by the police, despite having obvious motive, despite having been at the house on the night of the murder, and despite having displayed consciousness of guilt by suddenly disappearing just a few weeks after the murders.
Even in the face of compelling evidence which later emerged that Tankleff was innocent, the district attorney's office fought to keep Tankleff from getting a new trial, a sorry tale which reveals some of the worst problems in our criminal justice system, in particular the often incestous relationship that exists between the judiciary and the district attorneys' office. The fact is that a signficant percentage of judges are former prosecutors. In Tankleff's case, this fact seems to have contributed to a miscarriage of justice. Almost until the end, judges ruled against him when the evidence seemed to shout out that he was innocent, always giving the benefit of the doubt to the prosecutors' motives and the credibility of their witnesses.
A Criminal Injustice certainly makes it obvious that all criminal interrogations should be videotaped from beginning to end. It also brings into question whether it is moral and whether it should be legal for police interrogators to lie to suspects about what evidence they have. Marty Tankleff is not the first person to be persuaded by police that he committed a crime which he in fact did not commit. After reading this book, I concluded that no one should ever talk to the police without an attorney present, even (and mabe especially) if they are innocent. If you are unpersuaded, read this book. If it doesn't change your mind, I'd be surprised.
February 23, 2021
Riveting
I normally don’t review the books I read. I feel that if the subject material interests me, I should read the book and draw my own conclusions.
I live in Suffolk County where the murders of Seymour and Arlene Tankleff took place. This has been my home for over 35 years. I even know a few people mentioned in the book, having grown up in the same neighborhood.
I understood going in that the book was going to be sympathetic to Martin Tankleff and my philosophy has always been that the police do a very good job and are to be trusted.
This book rocks my foundation. Even if only 10% of what the authors say is true about the conduct of the police, prosecutors and judges is true, it is a shameful indictment of our system of criminal justice in Suffolk County. Unfortunately, I feel that far more than 10% of what’s been written by the authors is true.
This book is a must read for anyone who believed what I had previously believed; that law enforcement is an instrument for seeking truth and that if you are innocent, that will be proven quickly. That if you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about.
I’m still a supporter of law enforcement. The actions of the police, prosecutors and judges in this case are reprehensible and have caused me to view any alleged crime with a more detailed eye. But the actions and misdeeds of these few shouldn’t color our opinion of all.
Still, it is terrifying to put yourself in Martin Tankleff’s shoes and think that this can’t happen again.
Read this book and educate yourself. A little cynicism is a good thing and don’t assume that “the good guys” are always out to find the truth.
Be aware and take each case on it’s own merits. Assume nothing until hearing all the facts. Just because you’re told something, don’t accept it as gospel. Get the facts!
I normally don’t review the books I read. I feel that if the subject material interests me, I should read the book and draw my own conclusions.
I live in Suffolk County where the murders of Seymour and Arlene Tankleff took place. This has been my home for over 35 years. I even know a few people mentioned in the book, having grown up in the same neighborhood.
I understood going in that the book was going to be sympathetic to Martin Tankleff and my philosophy has always been that the police do a very good job and are to be trusted.
This book rocks my foundation. Even if only 10% of what the authors say is true about the conduct of the police, prosecutors and judges is true, it is a shameful indictment of our system of criminal justice in Suffolk County. Unfortunately, I feel that far more than 10% of what’s been written by the authors is true.
This book is a must read for anyone who believed what I had previously believed; that law enforcement is an instrument for seeking truth and that if you are innocent, that will be proven quickly. That if you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about.
I’m still a supporter of law enforcement. The actions of the police, prosecutors and judges in this case are reprehensible and have caused me to view any alleged crime with a more detailed eye. But the actions and misdeeds of these few shouldn’t color our opinion of all.
Still, it is terrifying to put yourself in Martin Tankleff’s shoes and think that this can’t happen again.
Read this book and educate yourself. A little cynicism is a good thing and don’t assume that “the good guys” are always out to find the truth.
Be aware and take each case on it’s own merits. Assume nothing until hearing all the facts. Just because you’re told something, don’t accept it as gospel. Get the facts!
November 1, 2017
Insane to think this happens in our country probably a lot more than we will ever know. Great book that exposes how false confessions can and do happen, and how corrupt police and government officials can keep a lie going for decades to save their own selves. Think Making A Murderer only in this case it's 100% obvious Marty had nothing to do with this murder. Very well-written and full of great characters, this reads like Grisham but it all really happened and continues to happen.
November 14, 2017
True Crime
This book is important for showing that an incorruptible district attorney's office is necessary for justice. In this case, crooked cops made as case against a teenage boy for the murder of his parents. For the next twenty years his extended family tries to get him freed. It is a long and convoluted story but worth it to see his family, friends, attorneys and investigator win.
This book is important for showing that an incorruptible district attorney's office is necessary for justice. In this case, crooked cops made as case against a teenage boy for the murder of his parents. For the next twenty years his extended family tries to get him freed. It is a long and convoluted story but worth it to see his family, friends, attorneys and investigator win.
January 6, 2020
This book is not a quick read. The insight you get on Marty Tankleffs life from the night that forever changed his life is amazing. A story about a corrupt criminal justice system and the people that never gave up on Marty’s innocence. This is just one story of the many involving a false confession due to intimidation by the police force.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2019
Growing up just 10 minutes away from where these horrific crimes took place put this story into a different perspective. Great read, admire Marty's fight to move forward no matter what! Highly reccomend.
June 21, 2018
A fascinating book. Read it for Book Club.
True crime story filled with real life criminals and a weak system of justice.
True crime story filled with real life criminals and a weak system of justice.
December 30, 2018
A must read.
June 27, 2020
I’m very familiar with this story. I remember when it happened, and I still live in the vicinity. This is the best account of this travesty that I’ve ever read. Highly recommend.
January 24, 2022
Such a mystifying, horrifying and eye opening story. I couldn't put it down.
March 17, 2025
Very dense but very informative. It covered everything you could want to know.
July 16, 2024
This was 1,000 the level of detail I crave in wrongful conviction cases that I feel like is so often not there in podcasts, etc. From background on all key players to every important evidentiary ruling at trial this was a truly horrifying story but so compelling to read.
March 3, 2012
I've been following Marty Tankleff's story since I was a kid - growing up a few towns over from him.
His story is one that is so incredible - it defies logic. A man, wrongfully convicted of killing his parents, who spent 17 years in prison mostly because prosecutors and police wanted to make sure he stayed there. It's a story that will outrage anyone and will shake to the core your faith in the justice system.
This book captures every riveting detail of this case - giving every bit of background information and following the case through the tremendously long court battle until the day when the indictment against him was dismissed. Some may find that there is a little too much here, but that's part of the point. There is so much evidence that was ignored for so long in this case. And the sad part is that while Marty is now free, his parents' killers are out there, known to the world, walking around with impunity.
This book is such an important book for anyone with an interest in the legal system - for anyone who believes that our justice system is always fair. It will upset you, but that's the point. Hopefully it will be a call to action to people to get involved in advocating for legislation to change the system to prevent things like this from happening in the first place.
You owe it to yourself to read this book.
His story is one that is so incredible - it defies logic. A man, wrongfully convicted of killing his parents, who spent 17 years in prison mostly because prosecutors and police wanted to make sure he stayed there. It's a story that will outrage anyone and will shake to the core your faith in the justice system.
This book captures every riveting detail of this case - giving every bit of background information and following the case through the tremendously long court battle until the day when the indictment against him was dismissed. Some may find that there is a little too much here, but that's part of the point. There is so much evidence that was ignored for so long in this case. And the sad part is that while Marty is now free, his parents' killers are out there, known to the world, walking around with impunity.
This book is such an important book for anyone with an interest in the legal system - for anyone who believes that our justice system is always fair. It will upset you, but that's the point. Hopefully it will be a call to action to people to get involved in advocating for legislation to change the system to prevent things like this from happening in the first place.
You owe it to yourself to read this book.
September 5, 2012
This book had me on the edge of my seat. I can't believe the gross miscarriage of justice in this case. Being a Long Island native, it was interesting to hear the other side of the story & to receive confirmation of my gut feeling when following the case as it was unfolding
September 4, 2009
Unfortunately, I couldn't finish this book. I got about 200 pages in and I was just bored and ready to move on to something else. It's a fascinating story ... but it was slow in the re-telling.
March 10, 2012
This is just scary!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews