ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The contents of this book were drawn primarily from police and court files relating to the investigation, arrest, trial and conviction of Randolph G. Roth in 1991 and 1992. Well over three thousand pages of investigative reports and over six thousand pages of trial transcripts were consulted, along with several thousand additional pages in pretrial briefings and memoranda. All of this written material was supplemented by numerous interviews of many of the principals in the case.

The author wishes to express his gratitude to the individuals who assisted in the preparation of this manuscript. Special thanks go to Ms. Marilyn Brenneman of the King County Prosecutor’s Office, who frequently and generously provided both her recollections and her legal insights; to Dawn Nelson of the Prosecutor’s Office, who provided invaluable assistance in tracking down various documents; to Detectives Susan Peters and Randy Mullinax of the King County Police Department, who patiently submitted to many interviews and explained much that might have otherwise been inexplicable; to the Seattle law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine, who provided legal representation at a critical juncture; to Tammy Swift of the Bismarck Daily Tribune for her help in North Dakota, and to the Glen Ullin Historical Society, for their local history of the Roth family and other pioneers; to Helga Kahr, who provided valuable legal background on the rules of evidence; to Judge William Downing, for the same; to George Cody for his own insights within the confines of the attorney-client privilege; to my editor, Michaela Hamilton of NAL/Dutton, for her steadfast support; and most of all, to Official Court Reporter Jean Majury, without whose kind and generous assistance this book could not have been written.

A final note on style: wherever possible, I have used the actual words spoken by the participants, either as reflected in tape recorded interviews conducted by the police, in trial transcripts where applicable, or in words specifically recollected by those involved. Where the substance and the flow of dialog was available but not the exact wording, the material is paraphrased in the form of conversation but without quote marks to indicate that these were words substantially similar to what was actually said.