Defending Gary: Unraveling the Mind of the Green River Killer

By Mark Prothero

Book Overview

At first, Mark Prothero, Defense Attorney for Gary Ridgway, thought: "This can't be the Green River Killer He's too ordinary He's too small. He's too calm. He's too polite He can't possibly have murdered forty-nine women. They can't be serious They must have screwed up I didn't realize then, but I was right. Gary Ridgway hadn't killed forty-nine women. He'd killed even more than that." Soon, Mark Prothero faced the question: "How could you possibly defend the most prolific serial killer in United States history, the infamous Green River Killer? If anyone deserved to be executed for his crimes, didn't he?" Mark Prothero, co-lead defense attorney who helped save Gary Ridgway from the death sentence, has heard that question many times. Now he's written a book that reveals the true, inside story of exactly how an idealistic public defender, high school swim coach, husband, and dad could bring himself to spend many months of close confinement with a man who brutally murdered at least 75 young women, often in the act of sex. Defending Gary shows how Prothero could reconcile these monstrous acts knowing the reality of this unassuming fellow Gary Ridgway, a mild-mannered, church-going, devoted husband, father, and former Navy man, with an IQ of around 82 and a longtime job as a truck painter from Auburn, Washington, near Seattle.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787981060
• ISBN13: 9780787981068
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 558 Pages
• Weight: 1.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 6.7" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Was enjoyed by the recipient

Bought for a friends birthday, he said the book is amazing, very insightful and thoroughly enjoyed it. The way it is written has helped him understand Gary Ridgway much more

The insight is fantastic

This book brought me to a greater understanding of the complete Green River case. I have a special interest in this case from living and working within blocks of the areas many of the women were found and remembering the anxiety and fear during that time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Read it and then refer it to a friend

This book provided great insight into a case that shook not only the nation, but crept into our daily lives as residents of Kent, WA. You try to unmangle the truth from the media reports and are left with just more questions. Reading this book enlightened and disheartened page after page. A job well done by Mr. Prothero.

Defending Gary

This is an amazing book!!! I started reading it and could not put it down! After living in Seattle for all of these years and having the fear of the Green River Killer in my own "back yard" I had many un-answered questions. I finally had all of them answered after reading this book. This is also a "must read" for anyone studying psychology. Many people studied Gary but few really understood him.

A great insight

This is truly a great read and provides a useful insight to the case. Not only in terms of Gary's psychology, but the methods that those close to it must use to stabilize themselves. It is at times funny, dark, but mostly very sobering. Highly reccommended.

Insightful and Provoking

First person defense account is compeling, believable, and insightful. The interaction between the defense team, the opposing lawyers, and the uncertainty of the process of the defense is compeling - with possible twists and turns introduced that could have changed the outcome completely. The detailed interview process with the defendant is exhausting, tense and ugly at times but a good read and gives a perspective of a mind that is wired very differently.