John T. Aquino – Författare

As early as the Silent Era, movie studios were sued over depictions of real people and events. Filmmakers have always altered the details of true stories and actual persons, living or dead, to make narratives more workable and characters more compelling. When truth and fantasy become inextricably mixed, the effect on people's lives can be significant, even devastating.This expanded second edition presents an updated history of legal issues surrounding the on-screen embellishment of reality, with a focus on important court decisions and the use of disclaimers. Seventeen courtroom dramas are given fact-versus-fiction analyses, and the The Perfect Storm (1991) is covered in extensive detail. A concluding chapter is devoted to actors who became so identified with fictionalized characters that they sought exclusive rights to those personas.

In the midst of gangland activities during the Roaring Twenties, a thief plagued the New York City area by breaking into people's homes and stealing radios, possibly the costliest thing a family could own. Not only did the crimes deprive families of property and security, but they also resulted in the injuries of three NYPD officers and the death of officer Arthur Kenney.Based on interviews and trial transcripts, this book documents the search for the Radio Burglar, which turned into a wide-spread manhunt. Initially perplexed by the case, authorities eventually overcame great odds to achieve a conviction that has received praise in the following decades. But nine years later, the devastating effect on his family and friends of Arthur Kenney's loss was prolonged when they were involved in a second murder trial that riveted the attention of the city and country.