Three years after it happened, there are some images I can't forget. One is a photo sent to me by Don's sister Lynne. It's a breakfast table for jackrabbits, outside Don's trailer. Long ago and a few miles away, jackrabbits were nearly clubbed to extinction, lest they raid settlers' crops. In this picture, each is eating out of its own dish. I've seen other photos of Don with animals, and although he's not in this one, I'm sure he's smiling. The other image is something a childhood friend of Sorensen's described to me. "I remember how happy he was the day he went off to the army," she said."He sat on the lawn and polished his boots."
Some say that LASD should have waited Kueck out instead of going in for the kill. As it turned out, the tear gas was blown away by the high winds and what started the fire was road flares, dropped into the hideout as a last-ditch effort to flush Kueck. But it was his script, his ending, and he went up in flames. In an investigation, the D.A. called the tactic unusual, but LASD was cleared. If you kill a sheriff and throw his brains in a bucket, you can't expect much more than that-and I'm sure Kueck didn't. Ironically, the squatter who triggered this sad chain of events survived. Last I heard, he was living on a dry lake bed near Barstow.
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"Blood Feud," by Mary Battiata (Washington Post Magazine,May 22, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Mary Battiata. Reprinted by permission of the author.
"Hit Men in Blue?" by Howard Blum and John Connolly (Vanity Fair,August 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Vanity Fair. Reprinted by permission of the authors.
"The End of the Mob," by Jimmy Breslin, originally appeared in Playboy magazine, August 2005. Copyright © 2005 by Jimmy Breslin. Reprinted by permission of the David Black Literary Agency.
"Operation Stealing Saddam's Money," by Devin Friedman (GQ, March 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Devin Friedman. Reprinted by permission of the author.
"Sex Thief," by Denise Grollmus (Cleveland Scene, September 14, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by the Cleveland Scene. Reprinted by permission of the Cleveland Scene.
"Dr. Evil," by S. C. Gwynne (Texas Monthly, September 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Texas Monthly. Reprinted by permission of Texas Monthly.
"The Choirboy," by John Heilemann. First published in (New York magazine May 30, 2005). © 2005 by John Heilemann. Reprinted by permission of the Wylie Agency.
"The Last Ride of Cowboy Bob," by Skip Hollandsworth (Texas Monthly, November 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Texas Monthly. Reprinted by permission of Texas Monthly.
"Blue on Blue," by Chuck Hustmyre (New Orleans magazine, January 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Chuck Hustmyre. Reprinted by permission of the author.
"The $2,000-an-Hour Woman," by Mark Jacobson (NewYork magazine, July 18, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Mark Jacobson. Reprinted by permission of New York magazine.
"Altar Ego," by Robert Nelson (Phoenix New Times, July 7, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by the Phoenix New Times. Reprinted by permission of the Phoenix New Times.
"The Ghosts of Emmett Till," by Richard Rubin (New York Times Magazine, July 31, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Richard Rubin. Reprinted by permission of International Creative Management, Inc.
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About the Editors
Mark Bowden is the author of the international bestsellers Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw and Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, a finalist for the National Book Award. Bowden worked on the screenplay for the film adaptation of Black Hawk Down, directed by Ridley Scott. Killing Pablo is being adapted for film with Bowden again working on the screenplay. Bowden teaches creative writing and journalism at Loyola College, Maryland, and he is a frequent contributor to many major American magazines. His most recent book is Guests of the Ayatollah: The First Battle in America 's War with Militant Islam. He lives in Pennsylvania.
Otto Penzler is the proprietor of the Mysterious Bookshop in New York City, the founder of the Mysterious Press, and creator of the publishing firm Otto Penzler Books. He is the editor of many books and anthologies, and has been the recipient of the Edgar Award, the Ellery Queen Award, and the Raven Award from Mystery Writers of America for his many contributions to the mystery genre. He lives with his wife, Lisa Atkinson, in New York City and in Kent, Connecticut.
Thomas H. Cook is the author of nineteen books, including two works of true crime. His novels have been nominated for the Edgar Award, the Macavity Award, and the Dashiell Hammett Prize. He lives in New York City.
