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The Price of Justice: A True Story of Greed and Corruption (2013)

by Laurence Leamer

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6813388,080 (4.28)4
A nonfiction legal thriller that traces the 14-year struggle of two lawyers to bring the most powerful coal baron in American history, Don Blankenship, to justice. "Don Blankenship, head of Massey Energy since the early 1990s, ran an industry that provides nearly half of America's electric power. But wealth and influence weren't enough for Blankenship and his company, as they set about destroying corporate and personal rivals, challenging the Constitution, purchasing the West Virginia judiciary, and willfully disregarding safety standards in the company's mines--in which scores died unnecessarily. As Blankenship hobnobbed with a West Virginia Supreme Court justice in France, his company polluted the drinking water of hundreds of citizens while he himself fostered baroque vendettas against anyone who dared challenge his sovereignty over coal country. Just about the only thing that stood in the way of Blankenship's tyranny over a state and an industry was a pair of odd-couple attorneys, Dave Fawcett and Bruce Stanley, who undertook a legal quest to bring justice to this corner of America. From the backwoods courtrooms of West Virginia they pursued their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and to a dramatic decision declaring that the wealthy and powerful are not entitled to purchase their own brand of law. The Price of Justice is a story of corporate corruption so far-reaching and devastating it could have been written a hundred years ago by Ida Tarbell or Lincoln Steffens. And as Laurence Leamer demonstrates in this captivating tale, because it's true, it's scarier than fiction"--Provided by publisher.… (more)
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For those who've read John Grisham's "The Appeal", you'll find the essence of that story to be the same as "The Price of Justice: A True Story of Greed and Corruption", by Laurence Leamer. In both, the CEO of a major corporation makes huge contributions to the campaign coffers of a candidate for the state supreme court, with the expectation that the pending appeal of a large jury verdict against him will be overturned by a more "friendly" court. And as in both books, this is exactly what happens. Unfortunately, as opposed to Grisham's fictional novel, we can't just walk away thinking, well, it's just a story, since Leamer's narrative is a true story.

Because Leamer's book is factual, he didn't have the luxury and flexibility to make his book quite as engaging as Grisham's novel, but that's one of differences between fiction and non-fiction. Nonetheless, "The Price of Justice" is thoroughly researched and engaging, describing the personal interaction of David Fawcett and Bruce Stanley, lawyers for the plaintiffs, and defendant Don Blakenship, head of a major Appalachian coal company, Massey Energy. The book details the environmental damages, coal mining disasters, litigation, legal delays, and appeals of the law suits attempting to hold Blakenship accountable for his unjust, unsafe and illegal business practices.

When you finish the book, it's hard not to think about the influence of big money in influencing elections, and the need for campaign finance reform. ( )
  rsutto22 | Jul 15, 2021 |
The legal story of Caperton v. Massey covers a span of fourteen years. The lawsuit and the story behind the lawsuit was interesting, but there was a lot of filler material, presented as backstory, in this book. It was this filler material that detracted from the overall story, in my opinion. ( )
  BookDivasReads | May 7, 2015 |
Dani Mueller legally changed her name and relocated to Austin, Texas. This happened after Dani's daughter was murdered and the man accused of the crime was acquitted. Later, the body of this man was found, murdered. The man's family think Dani killed him and they begin to harass and stalk her. This is why she decided on a new life.

Dani works for the Austin PD as a crime scene investigator. She goes to a trial of a man accused of murdering a child about the same age as Dani's daughter. This man is acquitted and she decides to seek her own revenge but someone beats her to it.

Jason Scarsdale is a detective on the Austin PD. He's involved in attempting to solve two murders. He comes into contact with Dani and when she learns he has a five-year-old daughter. She asks Jason to bring her to bring your child to work day.

Jason had recently lost his wife and when he brings Shannon to work, Shannon and Dani make an immediate connection, filling empty spots in each other's lives.

Dani, Jason and Shannon are well described characters who are realistic and sympathetic. The evil characters are also well described and we hope they will be punished. With the good characters pitted against the evil ones, we have the ingredients of a good mystery novel.

I received this book from the author in return for my honest review. ( )
  mikedraper | Jun 16, 2014 |
A true-life legal thriller about two incredible trial lawyers and their cause to make the world a better place. I knew some of it from news over the years, but hearing the whole story in a single narrative is much better. (My next book is on developments in green energy, how it is replacing dirty energy like coal around the world.) ( )
  Stbalbach | Jan 28, 2014 |
Reads like Grisham, but better because tis real. Mining, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Coal mining and what Appalachia has done with the industry should go down in the annals of geology as what not to do with the world we have been given. Blankenship is an unqualified piss-ant. ( )
  untraveller | Sep 22, 2013 |
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A nonfiction legal thriller that traces the 14-year struggle of two lawyers to bring the most powerful coal baron in American history, Don Blankenship, to justice. "Don Blankenship, head of Massey Energy since the early 1990s, ran an industry that provides nearly half of America's electric power. But wealth and influence weren't enough for Blankenship and his company, as they set about destroying corporate and personal rivals, challenging the Constitution, purchasing the West Virginia judiciary, and willfully disregarding safety standards in the company's mines--in which scores died unnecessarily. As Blankenship hobnobbed with a West Virginia Supreme Court justice in France, his company polluted the drinking water of hundreds of citizens while he himself fostered baroque vendettas against anyone who dared challenge his sovereignty over coal country. Just about the only thing that stood in the way of Blankenship's tyranny over a state and an industry was a pair of odd-couple attorneys, Dave Fawcett and Bruce Stanley, who undertook a legal quest to bring justice to this corner of America. From the backwoods courtrooms of West Virginia they pursued their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and to a dramatic decision declaring that the wealthy and powerful are not entitled to purchase their own brand of law. The Price of Justice is a story of corporate corruption so far-reaching and devastating it could have been written a hundred years ago by Ida Tarbell or Lincoln Steffens. And as Laurence Leamer demonstrates in this captivating tale, because it's true, it's scarier than fiction"--Provided by publisher.

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