A definitive account of the May 4, 1970 Kent State shootings and the trial that followed is presented by the lawyer who served as chief counsel for the 13 victims. Part One, "The Long Road to the Cleveland Courthouse," provides all the information on the victims, the shootings, and preparation for the trial. Part Two, "At Last, Our Day in Court," describes the case presented by the victims' lawyers, which took more than 10 weeks of trial and involved 69 witnesses. Part Three presents the defense case, which took five days and involved 18 witnesses. In Part Four, "Summing Up an American Tragedy," the rebuttal by the lawyers for the prosecution, the closing remarks, and the judge's instructions to the jury are examined. The final part reveals the verdict of the jury which acquitted Governor Rhodes, the Ohio National Guard, and the former President of Kent State University of charges brought against them. It is suggested that there was a payoff and cover-up to prevent the truth from surfacing about the killings. Provided are a chronology of the events and a list of all characters involved in the incident. Appendices include the Ohio National Guard Call-outs, 1963-1973, OPLANZ, Ohio National Guard (Revised May 16, 1969), and logs of the Kent State Criminal Litigation. Pictures taken at the shooting and during the trial, source notes, and an index are also included. (LC)