Wednesday, April 08, 2015
[Book Review] COUP by Keel Hunt
Marilyn reviews COUP: THE DAY THE DEMOCRATS OUSTED THEIR GOVERNOR, PUT REPUBLICAN LAMAR ALEXANDER IN OFFICE EARLY, AND STOPPED A PARDON SCANDAL by Keel Hunt (Vanderbilt University Press, 2013)
Coups have been known to happen in foreign countries, not in
the United States. Nevertheless on January 17, 1979 at 5:55 p.m. in the State
of Tennessee of the United States of America, a coup happened: Governor-elect
Lamar Alexander became Governor Lamar Alexander three days early.
The events leading to the early inauguration of Governor
Alexander became the subject of the book Coup by Keel
Hunt. The book is a fantastic read of the behind the headlines events of the
Tennessee Pardon Scandal of 1979. The scandal held national attention for the
few weeks leading to Governor Lamar Alexander’s early swearing-in.
The whole scandal begins when a man in a black Chrysler
Cordova approaches lawyer Jack Lowery. Lowery’s client, Will Midget, was requesting
executive clemency while serving a prison sentence. For a certain amount
of money the man told Lowery that Midget would be released. Jack Lowery reports
and writes a summary of the encounter to Marie Ragghianti, Chairman of the
Board of Pardons and Paroles, who shows it to the assistant U.S. Attorney. The assistant
U.S. Attorney shows the summary to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Thus,
the selling of pardons is exposed.
More corruption is spotted by newspaper reporter Lee Smith,
who published a small article on the back page of the Tennessean
Journal newspaper after he sees convicted murderer, Roger Humphreys,
working freely in the public. The state news media republishes the story and
the scandal becomes national news. Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton adds fuel to
the fire when he announces that he is going to pardon Roger Humphreys, who
killed his ex-wife and boyfriend. Humphreys is pardoned on January 15, 1979 and
more pardons are scheduled, according to an FBI informant, before Governor Ray
Blanton leaves office on January 20th. The investigation by the FBI was
in full swing but powerless to stop any more pardons. U.S. attorney Hal
Harding felt powerless to do anything but with this knowledge, he picks up the
phone and calls state officials. The ouster is started.
Keel Hunt thoroughly interviewed participants and researched
the ouster of Governor Ray Blanton. He was able to see the whole perceptive
because he was teaching a class at Vanderbilt University on the day of coup.
Earlier he had worked on Lamar Alexander’s gubernatorial campaign. He writes in
a suspenseful, engaging style that builds into the four hours of the coup with
background information on the participants, achieving his purpose of telling
how the coup unfolded.
Of special interest are the roles played in the coup by
Memphians like former Memphis city councilman Lewis Donelson, and the capture
of former Tennessee Highway Patrolman Fred Taylor who was recorded talking
about obtaining pardons and the release of some notorious criminals in
Tennessee prisons. Hunt also makes references to the Crump-McKellar and
Clement–Ellington political machines.
I enjoyed the intriguing political maneuvering part Memphis
played in the coup, and the courage shown by those who executed the coup. For
readers who do not remember Gov. Ray Blanton or the pardon scandal, this tale
is a suspenseful read into Tennessee politics and a reminder to all that
Memphis’s influence extends beyond the borders of Shelby County.
Marilyn, Central Library
Labels: Nonfiction, Politics, Reviews by Marilyn Umfress, Staff book reviews, Tennessee History
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