The Killing of John Sharpless: The Pursuit of Justice in Delaware County (True Crime Ser.)

By: Stephanie Hoover

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Synopsis: The Pennsylvania historian &“deftly investigates turn-of-the-century law (such as it was) to find fresh answers&” in a controversial 19th century murder (Main Line Today). On a stormy November evening in 1885, John Sharpless answered a knock on his door. Less than an hour later, he was found dead in his barn from a blow to the back of the head; his bloodstained hat lay next to him on the ground. A three thousand dollar reward for the killer sparked an overzealous bounty hunt across southeastern Pennsylvania, and numerous innocent men were arrested. Samuel Johnson—a local African American man with a criminal record—was charged. Despite the Widow Sharpless&’s insistence that Johnson was not the man who had come to their door, he was tried and sentenced to hang. Author Stephanie Hoover offers an in-depth investigation of the crime. From the events of that night and the mishandling of the investigation by a corrupt police force to the trial and conviction of Johnson and the efforts of the Quaker community to appeal the sentence, Hoover profiles a miscarriage of justice in Delaware County. Includes photos

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 131 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781625841261
Related ISBNs:: 9781626190238
Publisher:: Arcadia Publishing
Date of Addition:: 09/21/23
Copyrighted By:: Stephanie Hoover
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.