Shadows of Evil

I found the book to be fascinating probably because I know Adam Ford, and have been awaiting news of trial date or some other news about the case. Adam told me and others that he was related to Harrison Ford, and I saw no mention of this in the book. Could this be one reason for the gag order? Just Curious.

Wow! It's difficult to believe that some of the customer-reviewers actually read the books they comment on. One reviewer of Carlton Smith's Shadows of Evil asserts that Smith had no facts when he wrote the book, yet pages 17 to 20 clearly detail just how Smith got the facts, despite official (and illegal) efforts to suppress them. One reviewer rejects the accused killer's "brain damage" defense, but nevertheless it is the perpetrator's own explanation for his crimes, and a proper subject for Smith's inquiry. Smith does a remarkable job presenting the facts under difficult circumstances involving a judge keeping the details of Ford's horrific confessions a secret until his trial, when or if it takes place. And while some may object to a book being published before a trial, the passage of so many years following Ford's voluntary surrender (more than three years ago!)without a final resolution by the courts is in itself a sort of censorship, especially if no one bothers to publicize the facts. I for one am glad that Smith insists on planting the flag of the public's right to know squarely in the middle of the criminal justice system. Secrecy in our courts is surely the longest step down the slippery slope to a police state, and should be opposed wherever and whenever it is found, especially when the authorities take years to bring a case to a resolution. We've had plenty of examples in the past few years where the justice system has gone awry, in part because no one cared enough to pay attention to what was happening.Readers of Shadows of Evil will be rewarded by a finely detailed look at what really happens when a self-confessed serial killer decides to turn himself in. I recommend it to anyone interested in the criminal justice system.

Why would a serial killer no one even knew existed turn himself in? That's the main theme in Shadows of Evil, an inside look at the life of Wayne Adam Ford, who is now facing trial and a possible death penalty for four different murders. Death penalty worshippers probably won't like this book, since it raises the question of whether executing a person who admits his crimes actually serves as a deterrent to other criminals considering confessing. Author Smith's persistence in forcing the authorities (via court order) to follow the law regarding public access to court documents is a real service to the Constitution and the public. Far from being mere armchair entertainment for those attracted to ghoulish melodrama, Shadows of Evil examines some crucial questions about the nature of mental illness and the criminal justice system. For those who want true crime that is really true, Shadows of Evil stands out from the pack.

This well-written book details the murders of four young drug-addicted women, murders characterized by author Carlton Smith as "the demented in pursuit of the desperate." Local law enforcement made zero progress in solving the crimes and the murders would have gone unsolved had not the perpetrator, 36-year-old Wayne Adam Ford, turned himself in for arrest. In his coat pocket, Ford carried a severed body part from one of his victims. The author demonstrates in-depth knowledge and understanding of the workings of law enforcement and the criminal justice system. One fascinating chapter details the author's struggle to obtain public records and documents related to the case. As a lawyer, I found the description of the withholding of public documents by California authorities particularly chilling. Our tax dollars pay for the production of court and prosecutorial documents, our Constitution guarantees a public trial, and democratic principles require that the government not act in secrecy when charging, accusing and trying a defendant. Yet all too often, petty bureaucrats in governmental offices throughout this land act as if no public document or disclosure laws exist. Author Smith, at great personal expense, went the extra mile in obtaining a court order to allow him to view public documents that were illegally being kept secret by the local court. This is a fascinating side story, and Smith should be commended for his efforts to make the government follow its own laws, to obtain the documents needed to insure the accuracy and completeness of his book, and to protect the rights of citizens to see what their government is doing.