Dead Weight, by Batt Humphreys

Review by Brenda Seward, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

 

Dead Weight is a novel based on a true story. It is the story of a nearly hundred-year-old injustice. One in which a man, wrongly accused and swiftly prosecuted, paid the ultimate price for the prejudice, folly and deceit of others.

Through the eyes of fictional character, Hal Hinson - a New York reporter sent to Charleston, South Carolina to cover the trial of a black man accused of killing a Jewish merchant, we meet the accused: Daniel Cornelius “Nealy” Duncan. Duncan is a quiet man, a baker’s assistant, who worked hard and never got into trouble. He was arrested for the murder days before he was to be married, in a bizarre and contrived manner. The trial was swift, the conclusion foregone by those in power, his conviction was sealed before the first arguments were made. Nealy Duncan, sentenced to death by hanging, was the last man sentenced to die in this manner in Charleston. As Hinson chronicles Duncan’s trial and its conclusion, we see a more realistically diverse and sometimes darker side of a city long known for its gentility, grace and beauty.

 

Far from being a dry recitation of an event that occurred 99 years ago, this story comes alive in Humphrey’s hands. From the day that Hal Hinson arrives in Charleston (to cover a story he originally considers punishment from his editor) he is swept into a society and way of life that he is both enchanted with and repulsed by. His guide, on arrival in Charleston, comes in the form of a precocious and street-smart orphan named Mojo. This unlikely duo forms a quick friendship of mutual admiration and protectiveness. Hinson, in his quest to find the truth surrounding the events of Duncan’s arrest and resulting conviction, makes other interesting alliances and finds himself involved in far more than the objective coverage of a murder trial.

In truth, Dead Weight is far more than a legal thriller that chronicles the bigotry and injustice of a time long past. It is a story of love and devotion that transcends circumstance and time. It is testimony to the endurance of faith and both the simple goodness and awfully treachery that humans are capable of.

Batt Humphreys, a Georgia native, began his career in television news in Charleston, S.C. He spent 15 years at CBS News in New York before returning to his beloved South. He has petitioned the state of South Carolina to clear Duncan’s name. “The pardon is a chance to correct an injustice, to restore honor, even if it never connects to his immediate family. For those who believe in the continuity of souls, somewhere he will know and somehow we will have helped restore what was taken from him.”

Quote and Cover Art courtesy of Batt Humphreys and Joggling Board Press.

Review by Brenda Seward, Owner, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts is a family-owned independent bookstore. Owned and managed by my three daughters, and myself. Our focus is toward women, while seeking to offer a little bit of something for everyone. From books, chocolate, unique custom gift bags and note cards to tea towels and bath products, Simple Pleasures offers just that - the simple pleasures of life.