John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster

"Sam, could you do me a favor?"

A seemingly simple request sparks the story that has now become part of America's true crime hall of fame. It is a gory, grotesque tale befitting a Stephen King novel. It is also a David and Goliath saga-the story of a young lawyer fresh from the Public Defender's Office whose first client in private practice turns out to be the most evil serial killer in our nation-s history. Sam Amirante had just opened his first law practice when he got a phone call from his friend John Wayne Gacy, a well-known and well-liked community figure. Gacy was upset about what he called "police harassment" and asked Amirante for help. With the police following his every move in connection with the disappearance of a local teenager, Gacy eventually gives a drunken early morning confession to his friend and new lawyer. Gacy is soon charged with murder and Amirante suddenly becomes the defense attorney for one of American's most disturbing serial killers. It is his first case. This gripping narrative vividly brings to life the gruesome killings and the infamously shocking trial.