Night of the Devil

The account of the brutal shooting of two policemen continues to draw shivers and speculation, even after four decades. ... David Stout ... bring[s] focus to a barroom haze ... unveils the conflicting stories and patiently peels away the improbable.
The New York Times

Stout ... has penned a well-written work. ... The result is an engrossing account.
Library Journal
 
On a summer night in 1963, in the town of Lodi, New Jersey, two policemen were shot to death in the Angel Lounge by two bar patrons. One of the killers was shot by police in New York City two days later; the other, Thomas Trantino, turned himself in and was imprisoned. He remained incarcerated for almost forty years—the longest-serving prisoner in the New Jersey penal system—until his release early in 2002.

The murder of policemen Peter Voto and Gary Tedesco in the Angel Lounge remains one of the most notorious crimes in New Jersey history, yet there had never been an in-depth examination of the case until the 2003 debut of Night of the Devil. New York Times reporter David Stout takes readers inside the crime, from the close-knit community that was shattered by the killings to the courtroom where Thomas Trantino presented evidence that would lock him up for decades. Stout introduces us to the victims and their families, who were determined that Trantino should never go free. And he allows us to hear Trantino explain why he felt he deserved to be paroled, despite the enormity of his crime.

In this updated ebook edition, Stout fills us in on where the protagonists of this story — including the Tedesco and Voto families, and Trantino himself — are today, in a special addendum.

As they trace Trantino’s tortuous path from death row to freedom, readers will be forced to confront their own attitudes about crime, punishment and America’s criminal justice system.


About the Author 

David Stout, an Edgar Award winner, is a former reporter for The New York Times and has written frequently on criminal justice issues. He is the author of three novels, two of which were adapted for network-television movies.