The Zebra Murders cover art

The Zebra Murders

A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights

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The Zebra Murders

By: Prentice Early Sanders, Bennett Cohen
Narrated by: Dave Courvoisier
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About this listen

On October 20, 1973, in San Francisco, a White couple strolling down Telegraph Hill was set upon and butchered by four young Black men. Thus began a reign of terror that lasted six months and left 15 Whites dead and the entire city in a state of panic. The perpetrators wanted nothing less than a race war.

With pressure on the San Francisco Police Department mounting daily, young homicide detectives Prentice Earl Sanders and his colleague Rotea Gilford - both African-American - were assigned to the cases. The problem was: Sanders and Gilford were in the midst of a trail-blazing suit against the SFPD for racial discrimination, which in those days was rampant. The backlash was immediate. The force needed Sanders’s and Gilford’s knowledge of the Black community to help stem the brutal murders, but the SFPD made it known that in a tight situation, no White back-up would be forthcoming. In those impossible conditions - the oppressive white power structure on one hand, the violent Black radicals on the other - Sanders and Gilford knew they were sitting ducks. Against all odds, they set out to find those guilty of the Zebra Murders and bring them to justice. This is their incredible story.

©2006, 2011 Prentice Earl Sanders and Bennett Cohen (P)2012 Audible, Inc. Americas Black & African American Criminal & Forensic Psychology Law Mental Health Murder Personality Disorders Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Racism & Discrimination Social Sciences True Crime United States San Francisco

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Editor reviews

Between October 1973 and April 1974, a group of radical African American men put the entire city of San Francisco in panic. Striking at random, they killed over a dozen people. In The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights, Bennett Cohen examines all the layers from this terrifying and confusing time. Performed with the necessary empathy by veteran narrator Dave Courvoisier, this audiobook examines not only the racially charged murders, but the racial tension and ugliness within the San Francisco Police Department.

Critic reviews

“Offers crucial lessons in how to deal with - and not deal with - acts of terrorism.” - (San Francisco Chronicle)
All stars
Most relevant  
Listening to this book in 2022 and we still have so far to go with changes to policing in America. Hearing about this period in SFPD history from Sanders’ viewpoint is incredible. When others were waiting for someone else to address the madness, they were out there giving it the business. This was fascinating and terrifying.

Excellent Insight

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I’d not heard much about this case before. Extremely interesting and well told. The story of racism within the police force is hard to comprehend. The fact that someone like Earl prevailed is inspiring and he sounded like a top bloke.

Insightful

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I really enjoyed this book and is about so much more than the murders, a very pleasant surprise!!

👍

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This is a deep dive into the Zebra killings from a very different perspective.
It is very well told and very much worth the long listening time.

Long audiobook but worth it.

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A not to miss story very informative and intelligently written about the problems and human rights issues in the USA how the African Americans are cruelly and brutally treated not only in the 70s as the story unfolds but up to the present day.

I don't often write reviews but I felt I needed to inform other members not to miss the story.

Stunning Read

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i struggled to finish it, despite being an interesting topic and time in history

interesting but hard going

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A poor, poor book written to excuse the behaviour of those involved in this awful series of murders.

Aplogist for Murder

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