In the Fast Lane: A True Story of Murder in Miami

This story of a fairy-tale marriage that ended in murder recounts the luxurious life of Stan and Joyce Cohen, his death by shooting, and the trial of the woman who took a contract out on her multimillionaire husband.

In 1974, 40-year-old Miami millionaire Stan Cohen married his fourth wife, Joyce McDillon, a divorcee, age 24. The couple lived a lavish lifestyle, with two Florida homes, a spread in Colorado, a yacht and furs and jewels for Joyce. In 1986, Cohen was murdered in his bed, with Joyce the only other person in the Miami house. Thanks largely to the persistence of Cohen's children from earlier marriages and the suspicion of the police that Joyce was involved, the investigation determined that she had contracted for the killing with three street people. Miami lawyer Cope does an excellent job of showing how Joyce's miserable childhood might have prompted her action, which led to a life sentence (confirmed on appeals). Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The cocaine-and-cash-fueled high life of South Florida in the 1980's serves as glittering backdrop for this ambitious, if uneven, true-crime debut from Miami attorney Cope. Zipping from their Coconut Grove mansion to their 650-acre Colorado ranch in a jet-set whirl of sailing, skiing, and vigorous late-night partying, multimillionaire Stanley Cohen and his exotically beautiful, much younger fourth wife, Joyce, seemed to have ``the perfect life''--until Miami police found Cohen in bed with three bullet holes in his head. Detectives immediately tabbed the grieving Joyce as their prime suspect but, in the absence of conclusive proof, few expected her eventual conviction. Following the story from the crime to the final, unsuccessful appeal of Joyce's life sentence, Cope--who had access to most of the principals as well as to investigators and attorneys on both sides- -does a good job of detailing the painstaking process of constructing a case from almost purely circumstantial evidence- -gunpowder traces on a discarded tissue; troubling time discrepancies; odd long-distance phone calls; conflicting autopsy reports. But although her scenario persuades, Cope fails to deliver the knockout punch necessary to move the narrative from a sad and violent tale to a truly compelling saga of good vs. evil. Her obvious, never fully realized, attempt to portray the Cohen marriage and its bloody conclusion as emblematic of the excesses of the time leaves the story cluttered with confusing red herrings (e.g., the unrelated story that begins the text, of a young Miamian's extravagant vacation). Similarly disappointing are the flat characterizations and an odd structure that saves the author's most revealing material (and best writing)--an account of Joyce's troubled childhood--for last. Solid criminology, weak sociology, and just compelling enough to satisfy hungry true-crime fans. (Sixteen pages of b&w photographs--not seen) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Stan Cohen and his young wife, Joyce, epitomized the high-living style of 1980s Miami. Living in a big house in Coconut Grove, they partied till dawn, spent money like mad, and wintered at their own Colorado retreat. In 1986, Stan was found dead, his life in the fast lane ended by a gunshot. Joyce, surrounded and supported by her many monied friends, was immediately suspected by the police--and by Stan's children from a previous marriage, who believed that his money and Joyce's greed killed their father. Cope, a Miami lawyer, takes us beyond the basic murder-and-money details; she knows the people, culture, and legal system of Miami. She thus paints a detailed, gripping picture of the crime, investigation, and ensuing trial, as well as the many people involved, from the Cohens' friends to Joyce herself. Recommended for all true crime collections. (Photos not seen.)-- Sally G. Waters, Stetson Law Lib., St. Petersburg, Fla.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.