Illegal Motion - Paperback

by Grif Stockley (Author)

Defending the star wide receiver of the Arkansas Razorbacks against accusations of rape, Gideon Page must balance the politics and drama of a university case while facing his own fears and prejudices in this thought-provoking and suspenseful addition to the Gideon Page mystery series.

When small-time lawyer Gideon Page agrees to defend Dade Cunningham against charges of rape, he is not immediately aware of what case he's taken on. Dade, a star wide receiver for the University of Arkansas who is poor and Black, is facing accusations from a pretty young girl that is wealthy and white.

Suddenly, Gideon is at the center of a racially and sexually charged case that earns him enemies both on campus and off.

Before he even makes it to trial, Gideon has to dodge the media, the wrath of feminists, contending with naked bigotry and university politics, dealing with the divided loyalties of his own family, and facing long hidden secrets from the past that will put the community's trust and his own conscience on trial.

Front Jacket

GRIPPING . . . [Stockley] writes with wit, irony, and a good lawyer's intimate understanding of the daily life of the defense bar and the dynamics of trial. Illegal Motion reads like a thriller and reverberates like the news.
*Entertainment Weekly

When small-time lawyer Gideon Page agrees to defend Dade Cunningham against charges of rape, he doesn't realize what he's taken on. Dade, a star wide receiver for the University of Arkansas, is poor and black; his accuser, a pretty co-ed, is wealthy and white. And Gideon is suddenly at the center of a racially and sexually charged case that will earn him enemies on campus and off.

Before he even gets to trial, he'll be dodging the media and the wrath of feminists, contending with naked bigotry and university politics, dealing with the divided loyalties of his daughter, Sarah, and facing long hidden secrets from the past that will put the truth *and his own conscience *on trial. . . .

"[The] richness of place and character gives punch to the climactic courtroom scene . . . Illegal Motion will give courtroom drama fans a pleasantly tense few hours."
*San Jose Mercury News

"STOCKLEY KNOWS HIS STUFF."
*Detroit Free Press

Author Biography

Grif Stockley is an author, historian, and attorney known for his dedication to advancing civil rights after coming of age in the Jim Crow South. His Gideon Page series of legal mystery novels became popular in the 1990s. Stockley has been awarded the Porter Prize, the Booker Worthen Literary Prize, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arkansas Historical Association.