A Soul on Trial

Marine Lieutenant James N. Sutton died on the grounds of the Naval Academy on October 13, 1907, and the Marine Corps would never be the same. This is the true story of an Oregon mother's crusade to save her son's soul from the stigma of suicide and to confront venerated military institutions in her search for answers about her son's death. From the corridors of power to common city streets, Americans were fascinated by accusations of drinking, gun play, romantic rivalry, cover-ups, wounded honor, and ultimately murder in Annapolis. A Soul on Trial is a riveting tale of the power of the press a century ago, and of the lives of young officers whose private battles were often as difficult as their professional ones.