Richard Muti

Richard Muti has more than 70 publishing credits—mostly Op-Ed pieces on history, law, politics and government—in The New York Times, The Record of Bergen County, New Jersey Lawyer, and other publications. He spent 19 years as a successful trial prosecutor and also taught writing, American government and politics, criminal justice, and history at three New Jersey universities. The Charmer is Muti's third book. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Harvard Business School, and Rutgers Law School, as well as a former Navy pilot and former mayor of Ramsey, New Jersey, his hometown. Retired Deputy Attorney General Charles Buckley spent 25 years as one of New Jersey's top trial prosecutors, acting as a modern-day legal Paladin—"have briefcase, will travel"—and crisscrossing New Jersey to try the most difficult cases. Buckley put away the boss of the Philadelphia/Atlantic City crime family, as well as the capo in charge of the Hudson County waterfront. In New Jersey's first televised trial, his prosecution resulted in the conviction of a judge who accepted bribes to fix sentences. Other public officials felt Buckley's brand of justice: an official taking bribes to facilitate bridge and road construction; a mayor and planning board members taking bribes from developers; and a Hudson County police chief, Passaic County detective, and two City of Paterson cops—all convicted for misconduct involving organized crime. Buckley was the prosecutor who finally convicted Reldan after two previous murder trials had ended in failure.