Summary Judgment
Buy the Book
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop.org | Indigo
Product Details
Publisher: Sgian Dubh Press
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook
ISBN: HC: 978-1-7368077-0-5; PB: 978-1-7368077-1-2; EB: 978-1-7368077-2-9; AUD: 978-1-7368077-3-6
Trim: 6 x 9
Page Count: 318
A Lawyer’s Memoir
Donald Cameron Clark, Jr.
Everyone leaves death row. Few leave it alive.
During the summer of 1984 twenty-year-old Tommy Hamilton, the product of a deprived childhood in rural Alabama, shoots and kills his boss. Convicted of murder, Tommy is sentenced to death. Before facing the electric chair, one final appeal offers the chance to save Tommy’s life, if only his two Chicago-based lawyers and a nun from Alabama can prove he is not legally guilty…even if he is not truly innocent.
Tommy fears an incarcerated life more than the electric chair. As limited as his intellect is, he realizes that even a reduced life sentence without the possibility of parole is—like electrocution—a death-in-prison sentence. If his lawyers are unable to get him out, Tommy professes a willingness to be executed.
Despite a material witness allegedly committing suicide and their client escaping from jail during the court proceedings, the lawyers present evidence that perjury tainted both Tommy’s conviction and death sentence. Nevertheless, the judge assigned to determine Tommy’s fate maintains that “Hamilton may deserve the death penalty and he may yet receive it.”
Summary Judgment is the fascinating true crime story told by one of Tommy’s lawyers that reveals how this life-and-death case unfolded in real time.
About the Author
Donald Cameron Clark, Jr. is a renaissance man who believes in the power of storytelling, whether to a jury, to a theater audience, or to his grandchildren.
Visit the author’s website at donaldcameronclarkjr.com
Reviews
“Summary Judgment is a compelling true story that exposes how conviction of innocents is not the only flaw to be guarded against in our criminal justice system—particularly in cases seeking to impose the death penalty. The book tackles the murky waters of justice for the guilty and will be of great interest to anyone who wants to know more about the legal and moral intricacies of defending a person facing a death sentence. With great honesty, Donald Cameron Clark, Jr,. offers an insider perspective and captures the complexities of a fascinating life-and-death case.” —Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., death penalty abolitionist and author of Dead Man Walking (1994), The Death of Innocents (2006), and River of Fire (2020).
“Loved the book! Summary Judgment is an extraordinary behind-the-scenes account of a dedicated legal team volunteering in post–death penalty litigation, including the lawyering that is involved. I recommend it for lawyers and nonlawyers alike as a tremendous example of lawyers upholding their oaths to ensure that justice, rather than retribution, is served.” —H. Thomas Wells, Jr., president, American Bar Association (2008–2009)
“A meticulously detailed and often stirring account of one lawyer’s dedication.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Summary Judgment is more than just a memoir—it is a primer on post-conviction practice in criminal cases, a ‘call to action’ to all legal professionals to perform pro bono work, and a reassurance to those in the struggle to see a real-life example demonstrating that justice can prevail. It should also help the public understand that not everyone serving on death row is guilty or deserves to be there. Donald Cameron Clark, Jr., should not only be commended for this important work but also for his unwavering pursuit of justice.” —Sue Bell Cobb, chief justice, Alabama Supreme Court (Ret.)
“This memoir by Donald Cameron Clark, Jr., about representing a death-sentenced prisoner is exceptional in both its detail and honesty, providing a rare level of insight into one of the most important and yet least visible parts of our criminal justice system. By examining the moral and legal complexities of representing a prisoner who was factually guilty and yet wrongfully convicted, Summary Judgment marks an important departure from typical critiques of the death penalty system that focus on innocence. It exposes the deeply flawed reality of capital punishment law and procedure and makes a compelling case for taking action to protect those who are at the mercy of this broken system.” —Emily Olson-Gault, national expert on the appointment and performance of defense counsel in death penalty cases
“Clark’s memoir is a fascinating look into the life of a defense attorney as much as it is a discussion of the death penalty in general. An experienced lawyer, Clark contemplates the dominating perceptions about his profession, his own reasons for working as an attorney, and the duty he feels he has to the general public to represent them, whatever their circumstances may be. Clark’s memoir is a brilliant true crime text told from a perspective that we do not often hear from: the defense attorney. Thoroughly relayed and well-written.” —True Crime Index
“(Summary Judgment) is many things: a gripping thriller with the awful fact of being true; a harrowing critique of the death penalty and the Alabama criminal justice system; an insight into the science of mental abnormalities; a masterclass in cross-examination; a discussion of the lawyer’s role where the client has committed the acts but isn’t necessarily guilty; and a masterly example of storytelling as a way to elucidate and educate. Underlying it is the tragic reality of human and institutional failings and, thankfully, strengths. I could not put it down.” —The Law Society Gazette (UK)
“Donald Cameron Clark, Jr., has produced a fascinating account of exemplary lawyering which prevented the execution of a severely psychologically-damaged Alabama ‘man.’ In a narrative, accessible to nonlawyers, Clark takes the reader inside the system’s difficult tactical, procedural, and doctrinal challenges which are designed to favor finality over justice. Most importantly, this book dramatically raises and explores the ethical and jurisprudential questions our country faces regarding the justifications for incarceration and execution.” —Rayman Solomon, professor and dean emeritus, Rutgers University Law School
“When Donald Cameron Clark, Jr., was a young lawyer, he and two colleagues mounted a long-shot effort to get the Alabama courts to overturn the conviction and death penalty of Tommy Hamilton, who had killed Lehman Wood during the commission of a robbery. The effort was ultimately successful. Clark’s book, Summary Judgment, tells the story of the crime, the proceedings, and Clark’s own professional growth as a courtroom attorney. The book is not the usual tale of a wrongly convicted man redeemed by newly discovered evidence of his innocence. Tommy Hamilton did murder Lehman Wood. But his trial was tainted by perjury and incompetence. Clark accomplishes something very difficult: helping us see the importance of making sure that justice is done even for the guilty. Along the way, he tells a gripping and fascinating story. He manages to delve into the minute and sometimes technical details of the case without ever losing the reader’s interest. And he elicits our sympathies without trying to artificially tug at our heartstrings. Clark’s decency, competence, and sense of conviction shine through clearly in Summary Judgment. He has obviously been pondering his role in Tommy Hamilton’s case for decades. We should be grateful to him for finally putting the story in writing.” —Perry Dane, professor, Rutgers University Law School and former law clerk to Hon. William J. Brennan Jr., associate justice, United States Supreme Court (1982–83)
“Summary Judgment is fantastic. If you want to know what it’s like to be a good lawyer, one who thinks client first / winning second, then this is the book for you. Clark’s point of view of a lawyer defending a client facing the death penalty hasn’t been created through the research most writers would need to do. He actually lived this. A fantastic story, swift page turner, and a smart, fun read. I love this book!”
—Timothy Busfield, actor, director, producer
“Summary Judgment offers an intimate, first-hand account of the professional life of a prominent Chicago corporate attorney who represented an Alabama man convicted of capital murder. Known for craving the challenge of an ‘unwinnable’ case, Donald Cameron Clark, Jr., uses his wit, intellect, and creative mind to strategize an outcome for an unsympathetic client whose life literally hangs in the balance, but who still deserves a fair shake at justice.” —Reid Weisbord, professor, Rutgers University Law School