Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom, the nonfiction book by criminal defense attorney and former Georgia state legislator McCracken Poston Jr., has received top recognition at the 2025 Georgia Independent Authors Association Awards.
Mr. Poston was named Georgia Independent Author of the Year in Memoir, and the work also received the Georgia Spotlight Award for Nonfiction, making it one of the most decorated titles at this year’s event.
The book tells the true story of Mr. Poston’s defense of Alvin Ridley, a reclusive television repairman in Ringgold who was accused of holding his wife captive for three decades and then murdering her. Ridley was acquitted at trial in 1999, but decades later, he was formally diagnosed with autism, a revelation that redefined the case and the man at its center.
“This is an important story, as there are over five million undiagnosed adults with autism today who could suffer the same misunderstanding and misjudgment,” said Mr. Poston.
Earlier this month, Mr. Poston’s Reddit AskMeAnything about the case surpassed one million views in just 18 days, signaling growing national interest in the story and the issues it raises.
Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom was published by Citadel Press in February 2024 and is available wherever books are sold.
Mr. Poston is a criminal defense attorney, former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, and public speaker in Ringgold.