Gloyd McCoy

This is the second book I've read which examines the Girl Scout murders of June 1977 in the state of Oklahoma. It did not change my mind. One way in which this book differed was in the author's (a criminal defense lawyer for 25 years) notes about everything that the lawyers for the two sides did wrong. I could actually buy much of that.

What this book is best at, though, is to show the miserable state of education in the state of Oklahoma. The text is full of clunky phrasing and errors in grammar and spelling, especially in the sections narrated by the author. The court records were either badly transcribed or show poor education on the part of the lawyers quoted. There are so many typos, and editing mistakes, including misspelling a victim's name and misnaming in the end notes, the previous book on this subject.

So, who is at fault for errors like these?

The author?
The girls met on the bus. When they arrived at camp, they became tent mates. The girls were assigned to tent number eight. The tent and the area around it would be their place of doom. … They would need a good night’s sleep as their next day was full of planned activities, so they thought. They did not know or anticipate that soon they would be dead. . . . defense counsel had so diligently went through the process of selecting jurors.

The defense and prosecuting attorneys?
You know counsel has interfered to you and taking inventory is just a whole – the whole thing. Oh, thank God, you can take the form and your – your oath and do it. If he were right you would feel guilty for doing right? You would feel guilty for following your oath as jurors. No. If you were the other party and saying rise that protest is wrong.

The editors?
Cochran said supposedly told he was told he would receive assistance in securing a parole if he helped.

Oklahomans all. Whichever you choose, the state is shown in a poor light educationally. I submit that if you're going to be in the publishing business, even one in Oklahoma, you ought not to let such poor work out your door, even if it means that you don't take on the book of someone who obviously has a poor grasp on language issues, even if he did manage to pass the bar.… (mehr)