A PASSION FOR JUSTICE

Softcover. Say the words 'criminal lawyer' in New Zealand and the name Peter Williams QC would never be far behind. In 4 decades at the Bar, this fearless and outspoken advocate stood up for the underdog and fought to improve the justice system, both in the courts and in the prisons. Now, in a book that's as vital, hard-hitting and uncompromising as the man himself, Peter Williams tells the story of his life, of the cases he defended and the battles he fought. He was at the forefront of New Zealand's judicial history through his involvement with such high-profile figures as Peta Awatere, Ron Jorgensen, drugs boss Terry Clark and, perhaps most memorable of all, Arthur Allan Thomas. And in these pages he lifts the lid on the sometimes shocking truth behind these famous names - the repeated perjury that put Arthur Allan Thomas behind bars more than once for a crime he did not commit; the justice system that refused to see the talent in the charismatic Ron Jorgensen and drove him to despair and suicide; the personal attacks that Peter Williams himself suffered as a result of the hysteria that surrounded the Mr Asia case. And there's also Peter Williams the reformer, fighting, through the Howard League, for more humane conditions in New Zealand prisons, and for greater fairness in a justice system too often dependent on old boy networks and the power of money. Illus., Epilogue + Index of Names. 248pp. trade size softcover. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. Vg+ with no creasing to covers.