These are the words of nick schou, the oc weekly editor who wrote the book that serves as the basis, with webb s book, for the movie. Webb s exwife, sue bell, said that webb had been depressed for some time over his inability to get a job at another major newspaper. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big. Dark alliance won the 1998 firecracker alternative book award in the politics category, and was a finalist for the pennewman s own first amendment award. Gary webb gary webb exposed, in his dark alliance series, how cialed nicaraguan rebels brought cocaine to poor l. Dark alliance by gary webb penguin books australia. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion is a 1998 book by journalist gary webb. This is essential reading for anyone interested in this topic. The original series claimed that, in order to help raise funds for efforts against the nicaraguan.
Hired by the san jose mercury news, webb contributed to the papers pulitzer prizewinning coverage of the loma prieta earthquake. How the cias crackcocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october. Dark alliance and millions of other books are available for instant access. They just sat there and watched these journalists go after gary like a. Drawing from then newly declassified documents, undercover dea audio and videotapes that had never been publicly released, federal court testimony, and interviews, webb demonstrates how our government knowingly.
Dark alliance, the san jose mercury newss bombshell investigation into links between the cocaine trade, nicaraguas contra rebels, and africanamerican neighborhoods in california, remains one of the most explosive and controversial exposes in american journalism. One of the questions i have been asked many times since this story broke is this. Backers of cialed nicaraguan rebels brought cocaine to poor l. Unlike other books that purport to tell the inside story of americas most futile war kings of cocaine by guy gugliotta and jeff leen and desperados by elaine. The cia, the contras, and the cocaine explosion webb, gary.
Gary webb august 31, 1955 december 10, 2004 was a pulitzer prizewinning american investigative journalist. Gary webb pushed his investigation even further in his book, dark alliance. This book is a practical guide to implementing the alliance at your company, including concrete examples and a. The book is based on dark alliance, webb s threepart investigative series published in the san jose mercury news in august 1996. He discussed his book, headline news and responded to audience telephone calls, faxes, and. In the book written prior to his disclosures, drugging america now called americas corrupt war on drugs numerous former cia and dea agents, and former drug smugglers working for cia and dea agents, provide details and documentation on multiple areas of drug smuggling. Buy dark alliance by gary webb from waterstones today. Gary webb, the pulitzer prizewinning reporter who broke the story of the cias involvement in the importation of cocaine into the u. Sep 25, 2014 the cia didnt really need to lift a finger to try to ruin gary webbs credibility, schou told the intercept. He discussed his book, headline news and responded to audience. The book is about an 2 inches thick and 9 inches in length, pretty big. His book serves as both a complex memoir of the time of the contras and an indictment of the current state of americas press. Oct 01, 2014 gary webb pushed his investigation even further in his book, dark alliance.
The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, complete with extensive source citations. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion 2nd revised edition by gary webb isbn. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Movie about gary webb, dark alliance reporter who died, planned. Webb is best known for his dark alliance series, which appeared in the mercury news in 1996.
When webb told the whole story in the book dark alliance, some of the same. The series examined the origins of the crack cocaine trade in lo. The intercept on december 10 2004, investigative journalist gary webb died of two. This collection of texts, images, and audio files is a copy of the online library that accompanied the publication of gary webb s dark alliance series and his followup reporting for the san jose mercury news from 199697 about the cias role in the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s. Selected stories from the author of dark alliance, by gary webb and his youngest son, eric webb, was released by seven stories press. Department of justice has been trying to explain why nearly everyone convicted in californias federal courts of crack cocaine trafficking is black. The life and times of gary webb by george sanchez, january 25, 2005. After gary webb spent more than a year of intense investigative reporting and weeks of drafting, his editors at the san jose mercury news decided to run his threepart series late last august, when the nations focus was divided between politics and vacation. And documents newly released by the cia provide fresh context to the dark alliance saga information that paints an ugly portrait of the. Oct 17, 2014 jeff leen is the washington posts assistant managing editor for investigations.
His only published book, dark alliance is still a classic of contemporary journalism. The book is based on dark alliance, webbs threepart investigative series published in the san jose mercury news in august 1996. It was a tragic end to a brilliant, and tragic, career. Gary webb was certainly one of the greatest investigative journalists of his time. Gary webb on the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, audio interviews 19971998 with gary webb from democracy now. Prior to dark alliance, webb said, i was winning awards, getting raises, lecturing college classes, appearing on tv. Tjames madisonthis text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
In 2014 webb s story was adapted into the major motion picture kill the messenger. In april 2011, a second book length collection of his articles that span his entire career outside of the dark alliance series, entitled the killing game. He began his career working for newspapers in kentucky and ohio, winning numerous awards, and building a strong reputation for investigative writing. In 1999, seven stories press published webb s dark alliance. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. Pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb stunned the world with a series of articles in the san jose mercury news reporting the results of his year. Drawing from then newly declassified documents, undercover dea audio and videotapes that had never been publicly released, federal court testimony, and interviews, webb demonstrates how our government knowingly allowed massive amounts of drugs and money to change hands at the expense of our communities. Webb was best known for his 1996 dark alliance series of articles written for the san jose mercury news. In his report, webb who had won a pulitzer in 1989 for a different story. Dark alliance is as necessary and valuable as it is horrifying and grim. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Gary webb 19552004 back dope inc authentic journalism is telling people something that the government doesnt want them to know.
In his own words 2004, video of interview with gary webb from guerrilla news network inside the dark alliance. In the dark alliance, drawing from the newly declassified documents, undercover dea drug enforcement administration audio and videotapes that had never been publicly released, federal court testimony, and interviews, webb demonstrates how us government knowingly allowed massive amounts of drugs and money to change hands at the expense of communities. Gary webb faced a storm of criticism for his threepart series, dark alliance, in the san jose mercury newspaper. Dec 10, 2017 it is based on the book of the same name by nick schou and the book dark alliance by gary webb which focuses on cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking. Jerry ceppos and the burning memory of gary webb by luis a. The storm over dark alliance george washington university. A decade after the dark alliance newspaper series sent shockwaves around the world with its investigation into crack cocaineciacontra connections, a tribute is presented to dark alliance and its investigatorauthor, journalist gary webb and to the true spirit of journalism that he represented in his time. He reflected on his fall from grace in the 2002 book, into the buzzsaw. Gary stephen webb was an american investigative journalist. Saint gary webb by charlie hardy, february 10, 2005. Dec 10, 2016 dark alliance, the san jose mercury newss bombshell investigation into links between the cocaine trade, nicaraguas contra rebels, and african american neighborhoods in california, remains one of the most explosive and controversial exposes in american journalism.
The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion by gary webb isbn. Several of webb s critics were merely acting as gatekeepers. The film stars jeremy renner in his first film as a producer. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion by gary webb 1,247 ratings, 4. My answer, depressing and cynical as it may be, is always the same.
The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. In 1996, pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb 19552004 wrote a shocking series of articles for the san jose mercury news exposing the cias link to nicaraguan cocaine smuggled into the us by the contras, which had fueled the widespread crack epidemic that swept through urban areas. Oct 03, 2007 gary webb is the san jose mercury news journalist that was run out of his job and blacklisted from the industry for daring to report what he found out. The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion from seven stories.
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