Fromthe1880suntilafterWorldWarI,Texasprosecutionsforadultery,fornication,rape,seduction,andsodomyweremany,butformalpenalcodeseemedmuchtoomercifultosuitmostsoutherners,whobelievedindirectandpersonalredressofsuchwrongs.“Unwrittenlaw“seemedtojustifythekilling--oratleastmaiming--ofalmostanyonewhobyactualphysicalcontactorinappropriatecommentoffendedsouthernnotionsoffemalevirtue,malehonor,orsanctityofmarriage.IllicitsexisthecatalystinalltheTexasmurdertrialsrecountedinSex,Murder,andtheUnwrittenLaw.Ineachaccountthevictim,atleastintheperceptionofthedefendant,hadcommittedsomesexualimpropriety.Ineverycasethedefendantopenedfirewithpremeditatedintenttokill.Andinalltheresultingtrials,thedefensereliedatleastinpartonunwrittenlaw.BillNealexplorestheimaginativemachinationsofdefenselawyerswhoextricatedobviouslyguiltyclientswhenthereappearednolegalbasisuponwhichtopegadefense.Typicallydefenseattorneysoutmaneuveredprosecutorsandjudges,whoseeffortstoreininexcessesmetwithlittlesuccess.Thesecourtroomtriumphsandunderlyingstrategiesareremarkabletolawyers,historians,andlaypersonsalike.
