THE RISING

Peter Blackie Jones, an innocent man on death row, is accused of murdering and raping his wife and daughter though he is innocent of any crime. The story of this white man, married to an African American, takes place in the early 1950s in a southern U.S. state at a time when many white people could not stand even the sight of a black person.

When Defense Attorney Lisa Buote and her small team agree to take on the case, Blackie realizes for the first time in his life how his inter-racial marriage can prejudice a jury who could find him guilty of crimes he never committed.

The Warden of the Florida State Prison where Blackie is jailed before his trial, as well as the local Sheriff, swear in court that Blackie is guilty of these horrible crimes. But he is not. Attorney Lisa Buote moves heaven and earth to prove Blackie is innocent. When he finally wins the day, and is set free, he plans to do what he has always wanted to do: Kill those who were truly responsible for the rapes and murders of his wife and his teenage daughter. When he finds he does not have the strength to carry out his plans for revenge, he is jailed again even though he is not responsible for any other crime. He is tried again and condemned to death. Peter Blackie Jones is executed in an electric chair though, once again, he is innocent.

This novel questions the justice system across the United States, asking why - even today - innocent men and women are executed though it has been proven after they are sentenced to death - they are innocent?

Written by Tom Richards, the Number One Bestselling Author, this novel is dedicated to anyone across the world who are found guilty though they, too, are innocent of any crime.