Description
Crime, Violence and the Railroad in San Bernardino County, California 1896 – 1897
By author Steve Reyes
Four Miles East of Bagdad is a gripping narrative set in the late 19th century, unraveling a tale of injustice, racial tension, and a quest for truth in the Mojave desert’s heart. The story centers around Louis James Searcy, a biracial African American, wrongfully accused of a murder near Bagdad, California. His defense, led by three white attorneys, forms the compelling core of the narrative.
The book meticulously details the journey through the 19th-century criminal justice system in San Bernardino County, using original court documents, transcripts, and newspaper accounts. Searcy, initially sentenced to death, had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment by the governor, leading to his release after 12 long years.
