Murder Picks the Jury — Harrison Hunt

Murder Picks the Jury, first published in 1947, is a fast-paced murder mystery and courtroom drama by author W. T. Ballard, writing under the pseudonym Harrison Hunt. From the cover notes: “Hate, like a point of flame, burned in Lee's brain, hate for Vale City and all it represented. Vale City, corrupt, cruel and uncaring, had murdered his only friend �" the one man who had stood by him through his degradation. As surely as if it had plunged a knife into his back, Vale City had murdered him. And Randolph Lee determined that he would make the city pay for its crime, if it was the last thing he did. Not that there seemed much likelihood that he would have the opportunity. For Randolph Lee, once the state's most brilliant young prosecutor, was now a down-and-outer, a vagrant in the Vale City jail. Then unexpectedly Fate dealt a lucky card. Through an error in a planned escape, Lee suddenly found himself a free man. And through the same error he met pretty, blue-eyed Susan Drake �" who needed him. His chance had come. Susan's father, Gregory Drake, philanthropist and reformer, was about to go on trial for murder. Whether Drake was guilty or innocent made no difference to Randolph Lee. Here was the way to tear Vale City wide open, and he did not hesitate...”