Jury Woman: The Story of the Trial of Angela Y. Davis

by Mary Timothy

The author records her experiences as foreperson of the Angela Davis jury, offering recommendations for change in the jury system as well as describing her personal reactions to the much publicized courtroom drama

Genres: Nonfiction

276 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1976

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela Davis was fired from the UCLA faculty in 1969, under the pretext that she was a Communist. When the Courts ordered her reinstatement, she was eventually fired again, this time for speaking at rallies. Ms. Davis was arrested a second time on more serious charges: during an attempt to free a group of Black Panthers from a Marin County jail, a judge was killed. Weapons belonging to Professor Davis were found at the scene. Davis escaped, and two months later, was extradited from New York.

Mary Timothy was the foreperson of the Angela Davis jury. This book is unique, because unlike the "tell-all" approach that jurors in subsequent high-profile cases chose to employ, Timothy gives a compelling view of jury selection, a tension-packed courtroom trial, and the machinations that go on in the jury room once the jury has been sequestered for deliberation.

Among a sea of contenders, this book stands out for its clarity, its honest assessment of the criminal justice system, and the even-handed approach of its author.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really is a great sneak peak, both into the mind of a jury and also the Angela Davis trial as a whole. What a rare opportunity to not only hear from a juror, but hear start to finish their thinking on every single piece of evidence, every single presenter, every argument, and every working of the court and its proceedings!