Principal Suspect, William C. Costopoulos
Principal Suspect, William C. Costopoulos
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Principal Suspect
The True Story of Dr. Jay Smith and the Main Line Murders Family

Author: William C. Costopoulos

Narrator: Danny Campbell

Unabridged: 12 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 03/16/2021


Synopsis

Joseph Wambaugh's Echoes in the Darkness and its subsequent TV dramatization have made household words of both Susan Reinert, the murder victim, and Dr. Jay Smith, a high school principal and her accused killer. The naked body of Susan Reinert, a suburban, Philadelphia school teacher was found jammed into the hatchback of a car. Her two young children were missing and never found.

Thus began one of the most prominent murder cases Pennsylvania history, and one that would grip the nation. Now the defense attorney for the main suspect of the murders—Jay Smith, the principal of the school where Reinert taught—takes you inside the cover-ups and corruption that dramatically affected the outcome of the case. Did Jay Smith do it? Did he deserved the death penalty? It is you who must decide.

Contains mature themes.

About William C. Costopoulos

William C. Costopoulos is an attorney known for high-profile cases, specializing in criminal defense. He is the author of Principal Suspect, Guilty of Innocence, and The White Lady War. He continues to practice law in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania.


Reviews

Goodreads review by John on December 22, 2012

The author was the Defense Attorney for Dr. Smith. He was convicted and later his conviction was overturned. The misconduct of the state was so great that a retrial was not ordered, as often happens, he was discharged, Anyone who has read Echoes in the Darkness should read this.......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on May 02, 2023

This was a fascinating true crime book. The events depicted occurred no far from where I lived, but I was not aware of them. This is a good book for true crime enthusiasts.......more

Goodreads review by John on January 24, 2015

This book wasn't easy to read. The story itself was a bit confusing. On one hand, I believed that Jay Smith was guilty; but on the other, I believed that he was innocent. In the end, however, it doesn't really matter because that is not what this case was about. The true importance of this case has t......more

Goodreads review by K.A. on October 22, 2014

On the DNF shelf for 'Did Not Finish" - read about 3/4 of it. I think my main problem was that I read this just after Wambaugh's Echoes in the Darkness and a lot of the info was a repeat. Plus, the author seemed to exaggerate, repeat conversations he couldn't have been present for, and gloat over th......more

Goodreads review by Jacqueline on November 11, 2009

True story exposing the corruption in American jurisprudence in the death penalty case of "the Main Line Murders." William Costopulous was the attorney representing the wrongly charged and convicted former Upper Merrion High School principal, Dr. Jay C. Smith in the triple homicide of English teache......more