SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE The Untold Story Behind the Alex Kelly Rape Case: Growing Up Rich and Out of Control

Hardback. On June 12, 1997, in a Connecticut courtroom near his wealthy hometown of Darien, handsome 30yr. old Alex Kelly finally ran out of luck. After 11yrs. of fleeing from justice - including 8yrs. in Europe, apparently bankrolled by his parents - he was convicted of the brutal 1986 rape of a 16yr. old girl. But his trial was just the most public chapter in a larger, more disturbing story. For Alex Kelly was in many ways the embodiment of Darien, an elite New York City suburb, and the town's leafy air of privilege had helped him nurture many shocking secrets. The author reveals the true scope of Kelly's lawless behaviour, including several accounts of alleged sexual assault from victims who have been silent until now. She gained unprecedented access to Kelly's friends, classmates, teachers, and neighbours to peel away the facade of a town that jealously guards its image. It came as no surprise to many that when Kelly's lawlessness caught up with him, he fled to Europe and led a comfortable life, with the seeming support of his parents. This is more than the story of how Alex Kelly's sexual compulsion emerged unchecked from an all-American family in a community famed for producing tomorrow's leaders. A vivid and memorable account of growing up rich in one of America's last enclaves of genteel elitism - where glamorous childhoods look very different at close range. Illus. 308pp. 8vo. h/back. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. F. in F. dw.