In Search of Derrick Todd Lee: The Internet Social Movement That Made a Difference

This book is about criminologist Maurice Godwin's Internet social movement that sprang to life during the Baton Rouge serial murder case. The movement was a response to the Task Force failing to find serial killer Derrick Todd Lee, as citizens in Baton Rouge, South Louisiana, and South Mississippi no longer wished to wait in fear. This is a story of citizen empowerment in a time of crisis. Both scholars and ordinary citizens will be inspired by the way the people in Baton Rouge helped themselves by putting pressure on investigators for improved results. Godwin's innovative Internet movement, involving geographic mapping and online discussions with Baton Rouge citizens, developed into a hub of information to expedite the finding and arrest of Lee. The author sociologically describes and analyzes the key players, the major controversies, and the internal dynamics of the movement that led to the arrest of the serial killer on May 27, 2003.