Oklahoma's Atticus

An Innocent Man and the Lawyer Who Fought for Him

By: Hunter Howe Cates

Narrated by: Pat Grimes, Hunter Howe Cates

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1953: An impoverished Cherokee named Buster Youngwolfe confesses to brutally raping and murdering his 11-year-old female relative. When Youngwolfe recants his confession, saying he was forced to confess by the authorities, his city condemns him, except for one man - public defender and Creek Indian Elliott Howe. Recognizing in Youngwolfe the life that could have been his if not for a few lucky breaks, Howe risks his career to defend Youngwolfe against the powerful county attorney’s office. Forgotten today, the sensational story of the murder, investigation, and trial made headlines nationwide. 

Oklahoma’s Atticus is a tale of two cities: oil-rich downtown Tulsa and the dirt-poor slums of north Tulsa, of two newspapers - each taking different sides in the trial - and of two men who were both born poor Native Americans but whose lives took drastically different paths. Oklahoma’s Atticus is full of colorful characters, from the 72-year-old mystic who predicted where the body was buried to the Kansas City sergeant who founded one of the most advanced forensics labs and pioneered the use of lie detector evidence and the ambitious assistant attorney who would rise to become the future governor of Oklahoma. At the same time, it's a story that explores issues that still divide our nation: police brutality and corruption; the effects of poverty, inequality, and racism in criminal justice; the power of the media; and the primacy of the presumption of innocence.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Amazing historical read!

I live in Oklahoma, but I am not from here. I really enjoyed the history and background which accompanied the story. I couldn't stop listening! One of my favorite books!

Oklahoma's Atticus

Phenomenal book! I was riveted by the storyline and the wriing. This true story was well written and well read. I had never heard anything about this horrendous event before this book--I felt drained listening as the events unfolded. The reader was excellent. Anyone who appreciates this kind of book will find it well worth the read.

Excellent and mind boggling

The title alone reminds me of my all time favorite book To Kill A Mockingbird and that's one of the two reasons why I choose this book. The second is my family loved I'm Dawson, Oklahoma where this story took place. The story of a Cherokee man being falsely accused is too much like today's world 2021). My heart broke as I continuously read chapter after chapter. It was nice to hear words of a Creek man and what his grandfather went through. If anything you get history and real life events from this book or at least should. It's a must read in my opinion and glad I read it.

Great read!!!

My only complaint having grown up in Tulsa is the readers inability to pronounce Inola and Pawhuska

Well worth listening today

Everyone knows to kill a mockingbird but this is just as gripping. A true story the characters are described brilliantly and their backgrounds explained in detail. Sad though it is at the loss of a young life it could have been worse had not a young lawyer took up the defence.