title: Justice Betrayed: A Double Killing in Old Santa Fe
author:  Ralph Melnick 
description: "As disturbing as it is engaging, Melnick's book uncovers a dark and shameful chapter of New Mexican history, shedding light on the ugly underpinnings of political patronage, racism and social propriety."<br /><br />"The book is a good read and it illuminates, should that fact need illuminating, that racism reared its ugly head even in fair, multicultural New Mexico."<br /><br />"Ralph Melnick has produced an excellent nonfiction piece. "Justice Betrayed," is a well-researched and well-written story of the execution of a Black man, Tom Johnson, wrongly accused of raping and murdering a young Hispanic woman during the 1930s."
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  ![Illustration](e9781496708878_cover.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ’TIS THE SEASON TO MURDER
  
  
  I headed for the door, hoping to call Robert back, or at least ask him why he
  was leaving. I get that he was upset about Santa hitting on his newest
  girlfriend, but was it worth throwing away his role in the play? I had no
  doubts Lawrence would fire him on the spot the moment he realized what was
  happening.
  
  
  I pushed open the door and flinched against the blast of cold air that rushed
  inside. A car—Robert’s I imagined—fishtailed as it sped out of the lot and
  down the street. I was already too late.
  
  
  A scream tore through the building behind me then, causing me to jump. I spun
  and saw the flood of people heading to the back, toward where the scream had
  originated. Not to be left behind, I hurried to catch up with Prudence.
  
  
  “What happened?” I asked her.
  
  
  “I don’t know.”
  
  
  Just as we reached the dressing rooms, one of the female crew members
  staggered out of the men’s side, hand over her m