Hate Crime — William Bernhardt

Johnny Christensen has earned national notoriety as a sadistic bigot who beat and stabbed a gay man and left him to die. When Johnny's mother begs Tulsa attorney Ben Kincaid to defend her son, Ben has one secret reason for saying no. But his partner, Christina McCall, decides to tackle the case. In Chicago, Christina faces the firestorm surrounding the trial. Johnny's only defense is his claim that he left his victim bludgeoned but alive. To prove that someone else committed the actual murder, Christina needs evidence--and a motive to go with it. When unforeseen circumstances force Ben to enter the proceedings, he sees only one way to prove Johnny's innocence. But Ben's plan means luring a killer out of the woodwork--even though he may kill again.