Justice for Sale: Graft, Greed, and a Crooked Federal Judge in 1930s Gotham

· Blackstone Publishing · Narrated by Richard Poe
Audiobook
13 hr 41 min
Unabridged
Eligible
Ratings and reviews aren’t verified  Learn More
Want a 4 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline. 
Add

About this audiobook

The never-before-told story of Martin T. Manton, a corrupt federal appeals court judge in New York who was convicted in 1939 and sent to prison. From his misconduct, to his co-conspirators, to the sensational prosecution and trial, this is the exhaustively researched account of a discovery that shocked the nation.

Martin T. Manton was a corrupt federal appeals court judge in New York who was convicted in 1939 and sent to prison. At the time, this was a hugely important story: Manton was considered the highest-ranking judge in the United States after the nine Justices of the Supreme Court and was nearly appointed to that august body in 1922. Yet his story has never been told in book-length form before, and never with the benefit of such exhaustive research.

More than just a biography, this book examines Manton’s misconduct in the context of the culture of corruption and organized crime that permeated New York City in the first part of the twentieth century. Dozens of others—prominent business executives, leading Wall Street lawyers, accountants, bankers, fixers, con men, another federal judge—participated in Manton’s crimes. The book profiles these unscrupulous and often colorful characters as well.

Manton and his corrupt schemes were finally brought down but not until Manhattan district attorney and future presidential candidate Thomas Dewey’s successful pursuit of Manton, a federal grand jury investigation, and a sensational prosecution and trial in federal court that shocked the nation.

About the author

Gary Stein has been a practicing lawyer in New York for more than thirty-five years. He is a former federal prosecutor in the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and served as Chief of Appeals of that office, appearing regularly before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that Martin T. Manton once headed. Gary has published numerous articles and book reviews on law and legal history and has twice received the Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, Ana Demel.

Richard Poe, a professional actor for more than thirty years, has appeared in numerous Broadway shows, including 1776 and M. Butterfly. On television he has had recurring roles on Star Trek and Frasier. His films include Born on the Fourth of July and Presumed Innocent. Poe is a well-known and prolific audiobook performer and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards.

Rate this audiobook

Tell us what you think.

Listening information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.