The Martinsville Seven: Race, Rape, and Capital Punishment (Constitutionalism and Democracy) Paperback – July 29, 1998

Book was in fair condition, not as good as I would’ve hoped. Some pages were coming out and there were many rips in the paper but I could still read it.

The book was very enlighten, and kept my attention focused on the problems that existed in the forty's and fifty's, loved the book. For a used book, it was in almost new condition.

I ordered this book to try to understand this controversy and I am anti death penalty also. First, unless you are a civil rights law professor, this book was not an interesting read.I gathered these men were completely guilty, hard to sympathize with them from how this book is written.Might have helped if the accuser families, victim's family, towns people or politicians were interviewed for this book. There is much mystery around the victim Mrs. Floyd. I can understand not wanting to be the poster girl for rape especially in the 1950's but a more sympathetic look at her life would have enriched the book from a literary standpoint.

Very interesting read. The situation described here is historical across our country. The story is not unique but consistent.

I have not read this book. I have family members who knew the victim very well. I am not saying the end result was satisfactory or not. She was brutally attacked & raped 13 times. This episode is so horrible that family members won't discuss exactly what all they did to her. The victim told my family a couple walked by & the she begged them to help her. They went home & the man came back & joined the rapist in raping the woman. From reading these book reviews, I believe there's much more to this story than what's being told in this book. If they caught the correct 7 rapists, I'm not certain. But I do know some of the story line & this woman suffered greatly at the hands of 7 rapists.

Over this book and the actual story itself there are many skeletons in the closets of Martinsville families over the tragic end of seven young lives. Seems that the victim wasn't really so innocent after all, but the lives of those men cannot be replaced, even now when we know the truth. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord, and yes, even those who falsely point fingers shall reap the rewards of doom.

I think Rise did a great job but me a Martinsville resident think that someone from Martinsville should have made a book about it and it seems like everyone wants to keep it a secret but I want to know.

The true story of the Martinsville Seven will soon be told and hopefully, it will become a Hollywood movie. The real victims were the Seven. Peace.