The Conspiracy Trial of the Chicago Seven

by John Schultz, Carl Oglesby (Introduction)

In 1969, the Chicago Seven were charged with intent to "incite, organize, promote, and encourage" antiwar riots during the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The defendants included major figures of the antiwar and racial justice Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, the madcap founders of the Yippies; Tom Hayden and Rennie Davis, founders of Students for a Democratic Society and longtime antiwar organizers; David Dellinger, a pacifist and chair of the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam; and Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, who would be bound and gagged in the courtroom before his case was severed from the rest.

The Conspiracy Trial of the Chicago Seven  is an electrifying account of the months-long trial that commanded the attention of a divided nation. John Schultz, on assignment for The Evergreen Review , witnessed the whole trial of the Chicago Seven, from the jury selection to the aftermath of the verdict. In his vivid account, Schultz exposes the raw emotions, surreal testimony, and judicial prejudice that came to define one of the most significant legal events in American history.

In October 2020, Aaron Sorkin's film, The Trial of the Chicago Seven , will bring this iconic trial to the screen. 

Genres: Nonfiction, History

416 pages, Paperback

Published October 16, 2020

Reviews

[Joe Whitcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

better than the movie

[Craig Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blow by blow of the notorious trial of the Chicago Seven (Eight until Bobby Seale was bound, gagged, and severed from the trial). Schultz covered the events at the 1968 Democratic Convention and, justifiably in my estimation and those of almost everyone who's taken a serious look, blames the violence on the police, pursuing a political agenda directed by Richard Daley. There are times I wish
Schultz would just let the facts speak, but the book certainly provides all the detail you could possibly want. His analysis of the jury's deliberations, which were clearly manipulated by the prosecution, is particularly important.

[grn blanestorm · Rating 5 out of 5]

the movie is NOTHING to me (save for sacha baron cohen as abbie hoffman. blows him a kiss) but nothing hurts more than what sorkin did to john froines and lee weiner

[Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a lot of readers here I wanted to read this and compare it to Sorkin's 2020 film of the same events. Hard to believe but Schultz's eyewitness account of the trial made it even worse. I grew up when this trial was recent history and occasionally still talked about - this book made me finally realize that this was one of the pivotal moments of the 1960's: the anti-war activists vs. the Federal Government hellbent on squashing them at all costs. Guess who won? The book pulls you along but anyone unfamiliar with certain trial procedure will consider it a bit rough going. Still I'd consider this an essential text for anyone interested in the 1968 Democratic Convention riots in Chicago and the aftermath.

[Kyle Pinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic look at this pivotal moment in American history. I wanted to read the book to see how close to reality the Netflix film was. It turns out it was fairly accurate. This book will really open your eyes to how authoritarian the US government's response to the cultural revolution of the 1960's was. The intelligence actions against US citizens of that time should be disturbing and serve as a warning to US citizens today.

[Robert Edens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writer is a reporter who attended the 1968 Democratic Convention and the subsequent trial of the Chicago 7.
If you think you have seen a judge behave badly, think again.
Judge Hoffman is unique.
The book is gripping. It is funny. It is tragic. It shows the dark side of the American judicial system.
Recommended - let's not let this happen again!

[Jason Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's no doubt that John Shultz is brilliant and his grasp on the courtroom dealings is impressive. Very talented. However, his writing style in this book was ambiguous. The history content is mesmerizing, but how it was put together could have been with more grace.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I just voted five men guilty on speeches I don't even remember."

[Roger Smitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chicago has always been a place of many things. This book shows one more thing to the list for Chicago. There's plenty material that those who have not known about Chicago. And those who have read books about Chicago will like it too.