CHICAGO: Sentenced to life in prison for a murder he did not commit, David McCallum wrote over 600 letters hoping that someone would want to hear his story. After his writing landed on the desk of legal advocate Ken Klonsky and in the hands of legendary boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter—whose own wrongful conviction captured the attention of Bob Dylan, Denzel Washington and Nelson Mandela—thousands more would learn of his fight against his unjust incarceration.Freeing David McCallum: The Last Miracle of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (Lawrence Hill Books, October 2017) by Ken Klonsky details the years of dedicated service and steadfast friendship that resulted in the miracle of one man’s release.
Found guiltyof the murder ofa 20-year-old manand imprisoned at age 17, McCallum never lost the desire to prove his innocence. But a deeply flawed criminal justice system in turns corrupt, coercive and complexdelayed his vision of freedom for 29 years. Freeing David McCallum details the struggles of David’s team as they founded an innocence project, sought probono lawyers, hiredexperts to reexamine evidence andeven produced a documentary film—Fight for Justice: David and Me(Markham Street Films)—directed by Ken’s son.
Throughout the confounding twists and turns of the case, and along with a benevolent cast of colleagues from across North America, the three men ground the story with their loyalty to one another: David, whosecalm demeanorfostered wisdom instead of bitterness, drew people to his aid with his unwavering search for knowledge and truth; Ken, whose abhorrence of injustice fueled his support for David, created faith around his friend’sinnocence; Rubin, whose charisma never falteredeven as he battled terminal cancer, usedhis influence and his dying wish to free David from prison.
Published in the New York Daily News, Carter’s death bed plea for McCallum’s release finally brought an end to the agony of David’s imprisonment, as the last line of his letter turned the tide: “To live in a world where truth matters, and justice, however late, really happens, that world would be heaven enough for us all.”
About the Author:
Ken Klonsky is the coauthor of Eye of the Hurricane with Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and the author of Life Without and Songs of Aging Children. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“Essential for the socially conscious.”—Library Journal
“An uplifting tale of how a man can transcend shackles of all sorts.”—Globe and Mail
“Long story short, if Eye of the Hurricane doesn’t inspire you, nothing will.”—Smooth Magazine
“When a judge is responsible for freeing a person whom he believes has been wrongly convicted of murder, he worries whether he will live to regret or be proud of that decision. When it comes to Rubin Carter, I have no regrets. He has justified my faith in him, and I am proud of the person he has become. He is a testament to the human spirit.”—Judge H. Lee Sarokin, retired, U.S. Appeals Court
“A wonderful and inspiring book. I expected gritty—it’s based on the life of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, after all. What I didn’t expect was to be so moved by his extraordinary insight, his disarming honesty and his grace. I loved the book.”
—Professor Cookie Ridolfi, director, Northern California Innocence Project
“I commend Rubin Carter and the dedication he has for others. He has journeyed a long way and has touched the hearts and souls of many with whom he has come into contact. His rich heart is now alive in love, compassion and understanding.”
—Nelson Mandela, from the Foreword of Eye of the Hurricane