The sky's the limit

This comprehensive volume examines the impact of important 20th century criminal trials on American history and culture. The work begins with a discussion of sixteen important legal cases from 1901 to 1967, each at one time considered "the trial of the century," and explores the cultural and political impacts of each in depth. The second part of the work provides a detailed analysis of the 1968 murder trial of Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton and its significance to the nation. The third part of the book discusses competing "trials of the century" from 1968 to 1999. The text concludes with a discussion of the racial impacts of the Panther prosecutions and the developments in the politics of race that have led now to the election of the nation's first black president. Pearlman is a retired a judge and prominent California lawyer and legal scholar. Annotation ♭2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).