By Dean Poling
March 22, 2009 11:09 pm
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VALDOSTA — Author Larry Wilkerson’s “The Invisible Jury” is a novel, but it delves into a compelling real-life issue. In creating premises of the American judicial system, our Founding Fathers did not foresee the technological advances and social changes we have in the 21st century. Has the world outpaced the Founders’ wisdom?
Serious issues run like a thread through “The Invisible Jury,” but the book remains a page-turning thriller written by a man with South Georgia roots. Though he lives in San Francisco with his wife, Wilkerson was raised in Hahira. He has been in town recently and participates in book sessions at area libraries this week.
Even the action in this book is set in South Georgia.
A young South Georgia doctoral candidate devises a system that “removes any possibility of manipulation, bias, or tampering with a jury,” according to the book, “regardless of the plaintiff’s or defendant’s wealth, celebrity or social status, leaving little doubt that such a jury system portends the way that trials will one day be conducted.”
Larry Wilkerson will discuss “The Invisible Jury” and sign copies of his book, 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, Salter Hahira Library; 1 p.m. Wednesday, Allen Statenville Library; 4 p.m. Wednesday, Miller Lakeland Library; 1-3 p.m. Thursday, Valdosta-Lowndes County Library.
We asked Wilkerson a few questions by e-mail about his book and writing.
THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES: Is “The Invisible Jury” your first book?
LARRY WILKERSON: “Yes, this is my first novel, although I have written numerous technical and user guides.”
THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES: What served as inspiration for this story?
LARRY WILKERSON: “My initial inspiration was the murder trial of O.J. Simpson. It wasn’t the verdict as much as what I perceived as the incredible influence that the ‘new’ trial consulting industry was having on trials. It took about a week for me to put together a concept that I called a ‘Post Trial Jury System.’ After further research, I became more aware of other high-profile trials under similar influence. It wasn’t long afterward that the movie ‘The Runaway Jury’ was released that I decided to switch the theoretical concept as a work of fiction. I decided to use geographic areas that I knew well, which was South Georgia and the San Francisco Bay area. I was acutely aware that a novel that used deranged characters, mystery and romance would be a far better vehicle to use than to try to sell a technical paper to the public. I have received incredible interest in the story, and I truly believe that in the future this will be the way that trials are conducted. But it won’t happen quickly, because most attorneys would not like to see this system implemented ... not to mention the trial-consulting industry.”
THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES: What can a reader expect from this book?
LARRY WILKERSON: “Anyone who has even a slight interest in our trial system and the growing ability of the rich, the famous, and the well-connected to have such a growing influence on a trial’s outcome will be fascinated with the story. Our Founding Fathers could never have envisioned the advances we have made in technology and the social sciences, such as psychology, philosophy, sociology, handwriting analysis, and analysis of body language. They could never have foreseen that a trial could be manipulated using these sciences. The premise of the story removes the ability of any outside party to influence a jury. If a reader wonders how this can be done using the current laws of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, then they will find this story fascinating. ‘The Invisible Jury’ is, in a sense, an antidote to ‘The Runaway Jury.’”
THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES: I understand you are originally from Lowndes County. What part? And where do you live now?
LARRY WILKERSON: “I was born in Hahira and lived here until my early teen years when I moved with my family to Hawaii. I lived in the Islands for 17 years, graduating from the University of Hawaii with a degree in business and foreign trade. In 1972, I returned to the mainland and have lived in the San Francisco Bay area with my wife since then. I have returned many times to my home town of Hahira and have an extensive family network here. I want to add that it is not a coincidence that the main character in the book, Susan Taylor, was modeled after my Aunt Sue (Fiveash). The story also uses a fictitious college and town just a few miles to the west, named Valmine. The name Valmine, by the way, is an acronym of VALdosta and MINEola, two nearby towns. But about 60 percent of the action in the book occurs in the town of Hahira.”
THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES: Do you have more books planned?
LARRY WILKERSON: “Of course. I am receiving enormous pressure to do a follow-up story of ‘The Invisible Jury.’ I will admit that the response to this first book is encouraging me to think of other stories. I am fascinated by current social problems and ‘creating’ a solution through a fictitious story, but it has to be a believable solution. I am really enjoying this creative process.”
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Photos
Larry Wilkerson