In 1969, cameras are banned in the federal courthouse where antiwar activists who came to be known as the Chicago Seven are about to be tried.  Artist Andy Austin approaches local TV reporter Hugh Hill, tells him she can draw, and is hired as a courtroom artist for ABC News.  She reflects: "The courthouse is a grand bazaar of American life."  Her recollections and vivid images include: Chicago 7 defendant Bobby Seale, bound and gagged in the courtroom; serial killer John Wayne Gacy (who obliged her with a smile for her sketch); Harry Aleman, Ken Ito, John D’Arco, Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, and a roster of other mobsters; and members of the El Rukns gang, whose alleged crimes included terrorist conspiracies.  Austin's depictions draw even more color from her detailed recollections of court testimony.  With nuances of character only an artist can capture, Rule 53 will delight history and true crime buffs, court watchers, and CSI Fans.    
Softcover, 6 x  9, 408 pgs.