Dissecting Anatomy of a Murder

Book excerpt: "Eugene Milhizer, a highly regarded criminal law and procedure professor, has written a thoughtful book about Michigan's most famous criminal trial of the 20th Century, People v Peterson, and the book that brought the case its renown, Anatomy of a Murder, penned by Peterson's defense lawyer, John Voelker.Voelker, a folksy master storyteller, probed the ethical and legal issues the trial turned on and drew readers to consider these legal and ethical concerns in the demanding context of a murder trial. Milhizer does the same, but with a more scholarly focus that repays the careful reader and helps us appreciate more fully Voelker's novel and the blockbuster movie of the same name that came after the book's success. The book and movie success, while unexpected by the very private Voelker, lead to an appointment to the Michigan Supreme Court, where he served for several years before the lure of the deep woods and waters as well as the ever elusive trout drew him back to Michigan's north country and the streams he loved.As with those he served with on the Supreme Court, we who have served long after him have admired his bracing writing and clear-headed opinions. Professor Milhizer and his thoughtful analysis have added an additional dimension to Volker and this great trial."Clifford W. TaylorRetired Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court