Rights on Trial: The Odyssey of a People's Lawyer

Professor Kinoy's persoanl account of legal struggles against reactionary forces in this country for over six decades is a chilling and inspiring antidote to forgetfulness. This book should be required reading in american history courses, especially now when opportunistic politicos and businesses once again exploit paranoia to keep civil rights and constitutional order under siege. Though Mr. Kinoy's style may sometimes seem repetitve, his book is an honest search for the answer to a question all too rarely asked: what can a citizen do, in the darkest of times, to help this country live up to its ideals?

Kinoy is an unsung American hero. Always willing to defend the underdog, he has sometimes overcome tremendous legal obstacles and emerged on top. This book chronicles his more well-known cases: the Rosenbergs, the Chicago Seven, Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Adam Clayton Powell, and many more. Why Kinoy isn't more well-known is a mystery.

In his uniquely humorous, heartfelt, and soulful voice, Kinoy teaches the reader about the behind-the-scenes battles fought by the legal workers of the US civil rights movement. Shocking stuff revealed as Kinoy packs a lot of information about judges, FBI agents, and freedom fighters in this can't-put-it-down book. If you are considering trying to use the law to achieve justice, you should read it. You should also join the National Lawyers Guild.