Murder: Another Complete Defense

Attorney Garrett Cole is about to find himself involved in one of the biggest cases of his career.

After Howard Graves arrives in Garrett's office, asking him to look into his father's death, Garrett's investigation begins to unravel a large conspiracy at work. Howard is certain the death of his father was not a suicide, but as Garret tells him, that as long as the death certificate says "suicide" there will not be one penny paid. The description of the investigation, especially witness interviews and police reports and documentation by first responders cause Garret to marvel at the life of the decedent and the deep belief, love and respect he commanded. The investigation also reveals a corporate entity, not the insurance company, which company plays by the rules, but a corporate entity, brilliantly managed, thoroughly corrupt, and driven only by a desire for power and money.

About the Author
Ronald W. Shipman is retired after more than 50 years as a trial attorney. He went to law school for one purpose - he wanted to try cases. After law school, he accepted court appointments representing the indigent and being paid by the County or the Commonwealth. He tried his first capital case within two years of passing the bar exam and concluded very early that a career as a trial lawyer was, for him, going to be in the civil courts. He continued as a public defender, and worked hard to get civil work. Ron had sufficient work and experience to take the written exam and in 1981 was certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Lawyer.

Besides wanting to be a trial lawyer, Ron had wanted to be a writer since junior high school. In English and Literature classes, he was always keenly interested in the author's biography, how the writer became an author. That interest continued through college at Princeton, where he majored in History. His professional life consisted of preparing and trying cases. In analyzing fact situations, there was one in particular that had been described to him shortly after he had committed himself to the civil courts. That fact situation is at the heart of this novel.