Wrongly Executed? - The Long-forgotten Context of Charles Sberna's 1939 Electrocution

by Thomas Hunt

Was Charles Sberna wrongly convicted of the murder of Police Officer John H.A. Wilson? Was an innocent man sent to the electric chair in 1939? What reasons could the authorities have had for refusing to consider alternatives and rushing Sberna into Sing Sing Prison's death device? 'Wrongly Executed?' provides the details and historical background of the Sberna case. The story is a complex and controversial one, involving celebrity attorneys, Mafia bosses, violent political radicals, media giants and ruthless establishment figures, all set in a period in which Americans sought stability and government-imposed order after years of political upheaval, economic depression and Prohibition Era lawlessness.

260 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2016

About the author

I am a writer/researcher on the subject of organized crime (American Mafia). I most recently authored, Wrongly Executed? The Long-forgotten Context of Charles Sberna's 1939 Electrocution. I publish a quarterly true crime journal, Informer, and The American Mafia history website as well as a number of blogs. I co-wrote DiCarlo: Buffalo's First Family of Crime with Michael A. Tona and Deep Water: Joseph P. Macheca and the Birth of the American Mafia with Martha Macheca Sheldon. I contributed the American Mafia history sections to the Australian published, Mafia: The Necessary Reference to Organized Crime. I moderate Mafiahistory.us and Facebook discussion groups on Mafia history. Previously, I served as editor of several dmoz.org categories related to organized crime.

Married with three children and (too) numerous pets, I live and work in the Middlebury VT area.

Reviews

[Michael Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert: The title of the book, while rhetorical, gives away much of the story. Deeply researched, clearly presented, logical examination of an 80 year old crime and punishment cycle. Author Thomas Hunt presents a comprehensive body of evidence to present this case in question, with deep details on why he suggests there may have been judicial prejudice in this case.

A well-written read, valuable for Mafia historians, social justice proponents, and crime aficionados alike. Hunt's prose is accessible, logical and well crafted. His final confrontation of the titular question speaks back to the entire context of the case, leading the reader to consider the question in much the same way as the author himself.

Disclaimer: Wrongly Executed was received as a free ARC copy from the author through goodreads. I have received no compensation or consideration for this review, and offer it as my opinion only.