Oklahoma's Atticus - by Hunter Howe Cates (Hardcover)

About the Book

The true story of Elliott Howe, a young public defender and Creek Indian who risked his career to defend an impoverished Cherokee man named Buster Youngwolfe, who was accused of murdering an eleven-year-old girl in 1950s Oklahoma.

Book Synopsis

An Oklahoma Bestseller

Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1953: an impoverished Cherokee named Buster Youngwolfe confesses to brutally raping and murdering his eleven-year-old female relative. When Youngwolfe recants his confession, saying he was forced to confess by the authorities, his city condemns him, except for one man--public defender and Creek Indian Elliott Howe. Recognizing in Youngwolfe the life that could have been his if not for a few lucky breaks, Howe risks his career to defend Youngwolfe against the powerful county attorney's office. Forgotten today, the sensational story of the murder, investigation, and trial made headlines nationwide.

Oklahoma's Atticus is a tale of two cities--oil-rich downtown Tulsa and the dirt-poor slums of north Tulsa; of two newspapers--each taking different sides in the trial; and of two men both born poor Native Americans, but whose lives took drastically different paths.

Hunter Howe Cates explores his grandfather's story, both a true-crime murder mystery and a legal thriller. Oklahoma's Atticus is full of colorful characters, from the seventy-two-year-old mystic who correctly predicted where the body was buried, to the Kansas City police sergeant who founded one of America's most advanced forensics labs and pioneered the use of lie detector evidence, to the ambitious assistant county attorney who would rise to become the future governor of Oklahoma. At the same time, it is a story that explores issues that still divide our nation: police brutality and corruption; the effects of poverty, inequality, and racism in criminal justice; the power of the media to drive and shape public opinion; and the primacy of the presumption of innocence. Oklahoma's Atticus is an inspiring true underdog story of unity, courage, and justice that invites readers to confront their own preconceived notions of guilt and innocence.

Review Quotes

"Oklahoma's Atticus is a book that readers will not want to put down until they find out who wins, the young public defender or the experienced prosecutor, and which prevails, manipulation of the law or the rule of law."--Daniel Littlefield, director of the Sequoyah National Research Center-- (2/23/2019 12:00:00 AM)

"An inspiring book to read."--Jim T. Priest, Oklahoma Bar Journal

"In this haunting story of his courageous grandfather's successful defense of a young Cherokee man wrongfully accused of the brutal murder of an eleven-year-old girl, Hunter Howe Cates delivers a powerful book that makes true-crime fiction seem tame and predictable. Oklahoma's Atticus does not sensationalize violence and human suffering but offers context and depth to a horrific crime that remains unsolved."--Michael Wallis, bestselling author of The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny-- (2/23/2019 12:00:00 AM)

"What an eye-opener! I was born and raised in Bartlesville and am a Cherokee Nation citizen, yet I had never heard of Phyllis Jean Warren or Buster Youngwolfe. Hunter's book intersperses the story of this tragic murder with the tainted and intriguing history of Tulsa. I couldn't stop reading this book. It has 'movie' written all over it!"--Becky Hobbs, singer, songwriter, and playwright-- (2/23/2019 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Hunter Howe Cates is a journalist, author, filmmaker, and creative marketing professional. He is principal and writer for Cates Creates, a copy and content marketing firm. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.