Book Review: Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom
Book cover image from Anderson’s Book Shop
Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom is a true crime story written in first person by Alvin Ridley‘s Defense Attorney, McCracken Poston Jr.
The alleged crime took place in October 1997 in Ringgold, Georgia. Alvin Ridley, dubbed the “Zenith Man” because he had a television repair store, was accused of kidnapping, restraining, and smothering his wife to death after she had a seizure.
The case proved difficult for Poston due to the complete lack of cooperation from his client. People’s minds and hearts had to be changed if he was to win this trial, starting with that of his client. But the discovery and trial became a circus, and was heavily covered in the media. Posten’s chances of winning this case were slim.
Anyone that is interested in true crime, epilepsy, and SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in EPilepsy) will find Ken Poston’s research and handling of the trial, including wrangling roaches, fascinating.
I am a fan of true crime and had heard of this case as it was ongoing in 1997; however, at that point in time, I was going through my own issues with epilepsy and seizures, and I could not follow the trial as it occurred.
Because of my own seizures and fear of SUDEP, I found this trial heartbreaking. Virginia Ridley’s seizures were horrific and frequent. They resembled mine, and I felt a kinship with Mrs. Ridley.
I was totally invested in the details of the story and needed to know the outcome. My Seizure Alert/Service Dog was not happy that I had to finish the book before feeding her.
There may need to be a trigger warning on the pictures, but they definitely help the reader better understand the crime scene. The pictures were helpful but disturbing. True crime aficionados will appreciate them, however.
Please understand this is a cautionary tale that is important to many people. SUDEP is a nightmare for every individual whose life has been touched by epilepsy. Today there are alarms to place on beds, watches for people to wear during sleep, and Seizure Alert/Response Dogs that assist with SUDEP. If they had existed then, perhaps this trial would not have happened.
Zenith Man by McCracken Poston Jr. is an important read for anyone interested in true crime. Detectives, law-enforcement agencies, the FBI, and anyone who has a person living in their home with epilepsy would also benefit.
SUDEP is not well understood by most agencies, and books like Zenith Man help to pave the way for better understanding.
If you are interested in true crime or other crime stories, check out these titles:
Sue Cook lives in Freeport, Illinois with her husband Randy and two dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.
