Beaten, Battered, and Damned

Sensational headlines were made in 1982 when a 13-year-old runaway from Georgia was killed. The victim had been injected with Drano, raped repeatedly, shot in the back, and ultimately pushed over the rim of Little River Canyon. This is the true story of the lawyer forced to represent the perpetrator of the heinous crimes, written by the lawyer himself. With theft, burglary, armed robbery, embezzlement, kidnapping, rape, two murders, the Neelley crime spree is one of the most gruesome in history. Robert B. French Jr. was assigned to represent Judith Ann Neelley, who was trying to exonerate her husband and take the blame herself. French weaves his own memories into this factual accounting of the investigation, trial, surrounding political intrigue, and crimes that will haunt your nightmares.

Sensational headlines were made in 1982 when a 13-year-old runaway from Georgia was killed. The victim had been injected with Drano, raped repeatedly, shot in the back, and ultimately pushed over the rim of Little River Canyon. This is the true story of the lawyer forced to represent the perpetrator of the heinous crimes, written by the lawyer himself. With theft, burglary, armed robbery, embezzlement, kidnapping, rape, two murders, the Neelley crime spree is one of the most gruesome in history. Robert B. French Jr. was assigned to represent Judith Ann Neelley, who was trying to exonerate her husband and take the blame herself. French weaves his own memories into this factual accounting of the investigation, trial, surrounding political intrigue, and crimes that will haunt your nightmares.

Robert B. "Bob" French Jr. is a proud 8th generation Alabamian. He received his law degrees from the University of Alabama and served in the US Air Force during the Korean War. French is active in Republican politics, both locally and nationally. He would like to thank his late wife, Celeste, their three children, and three grandchildren. Beaten, Battered, and Damned is his third published book.