By Robert J. Meadows, Ed.D., Ph.D.

This book is both a first in publishing and a first for the Saudi Arabian legal system. Never before has the Saudi Arabian government permitted a Westerner entrance into the secretive labyrinth of Islamic legal procedures and the Saudi justice system.

The book follows the true story of the recent prosecution of two British nurses, working in Saudi Arabia, who are accused of murdering another expatriate nurse, an Australian. This case gained wide publicity and was closely followed by the British and Australian media. The author, an expert on criminal justice, delves into the basic concepts of Islamic justice which are very different from our own. He describes a system of justice where the victim’s family is the prosecution, not the state, and where the execution of a criminal can be avoided by the payment of "blood money." The Saudi government has cooperated in this publishing endeavor in an attempt to correct Western opinions about decapitation, hands being cut off, and other aspects of Islamic justice.

    * A hallmark in publishing—the first view inside the entire Saudi Arabian justice system.
    * The book describes the first time the Saudi government has allowed a defense lawyer to participate in a capital crime trial.
    * The concept of "blood money" in Islamic law is explored.
    * A invaluable resource.
    * An absolute must for all those interested in law, Islamic culture, and the nation of Saudi Arabia.

Hard cover; 6 x 9, ISBN 1-885003-31-5; $21.95 plus $3.50 S&H.