Work as a newspaper reporter

Ken Armstrong’s newspaper stories have appeared in such book collections as Shaking the Foundations: 200 Years of Investigative Journalism in America; Best Newspaper Writing 2007-2008; and The Princeton Reader, published in 2011. Here is a sampling of the stories he has written over the years:

Chapter 1: "Convicted of Assault and Accused of Rape, Star Player Received Raft of Second Chances," part of "Victory and Ruins" series, with Nick Perry, published in the Seattle Times, Jan. 27, 2008
Chapter 3, "To Huskies Fans a Tragic Hero, to the Courts a Wanted Felon," part of "Victory and Ruins" series, with Nick Perry, published in the Seattle Times, Jan. 29, 2008
"Methadone and the Politics of Pain," a three-part series, with Michael Berens, published in the Seattle Times, Dec. 11-13, 2011
"The Cases Your Judges Are Hiding From You," part of "Your Courts, Their Secrets" series, with Justin Mayo and Steve Miletich, published in the Seattle Times, March 5, 2006
"School District Ignored Warnings, then Silenced Girls Fondled by Teacher," part of "Your Courts, Their Secrets" series, with Justin Mayo, published in the Seattle Times, Oct. 22, 2006
"Failures by State, Caregiver Kept Secret in Child-Rape Case," part of "Your Courts, Their Secrets" series, with Jonathan Martin and Justin Mayo, published in the Seattle Times, Aug. 27, 2006
"Diabetic Woman’s Coma Leads to Secrecy, Silence," part of "Your Courts, Their Secrets" series, with Justin Mayo, published in the Seattle Times, Dec. 17, 2006
"A Path to Murder: The Story of Maurice Clemmons," published in the Seattle Times, Dec. 6, 2009
"The Other Side of Mercy," a five-part series, with Jonathan Martin, published in the Seattle Times, Oct. 17-21, 2010
"Death Row Justice Derailed," part 1 of "The Failure of the Death Penalty in Illinois" series, with Steve Mills, published in the Chicago Tribune, Nov. 14, 1999
"The Verdict: Dishonor," part 1 of "Trial & Error" series, with Maurice Possley, published in the Chicago Tribune, Jan. 10, 1999
"Reversal of Fortune," part 4 of "Trial & Error" series, with Maurice Possley, published in the Chicago Tribune, Jan. 13, 1999
"The News Spreads on Death Row," part 1 of "The Trials of Dick Cunningham," published in the Chicago Tribune, Dec. 11, 2002
"The Hall of Dulah," part 5 of "The Trials of Dick Cunningham," published in the Chicago Tribune, Dec. 17, 2002
"MRSA’s Toll Climbs, But Hospital is Slow to Change," part 2 of "Culture of Resistance" series, with Michael Berens, published in the Seattle Times, Nov. 17, 2008
"Confounding Murder Case Tests Court System in Turmoil," with Jonathan Martin, published in the Seattle Times, Aug. 23, 2004
"School’s Culture Failed to Stop Abuser," with Jonathan Martin, published in the Seattle Times, June 4, 2008
"For Some, Free Counsel Comes at a High Cost," part 1 of "An Unequal Defense," with Florangela Davila and Justin Mayo, published in the Seattle Times, April 4, 2004
"Attorney Profited, but His Clients Lost," part 2 of "An Unequal Defense," with Florangela Davila and Justin Mayo, published in the Seattle Times, April 5, 2004
"Patriot-pundit Longs for the Past," profile of Pat Buchanan published in the Chicago Tribune, Feb. 2, 1996
"The Go-To Guy for Dicey Cases," published in the Seattle Times, April 17, 2011
"Twisted Ethics of an Expert Witness," with Maureen O'Hagan, published in the Seattle Times, June 26, 2011
"Two cops, an ax and many questions on Bainbridge," with Jonathan Martin, published in the Seattle Times, Feb. 26, 2012
The art of divorce: She gets the Monet, he gets the Renoir, published in The Seattle Times, July 29, 2012
"coercive and illegal tactics torpedo scores of Cook County murder cases," part 1 of "cops and confessions" series, with steve mills and maurice possley, published in the chicago tribune, dec. 16, 2001
chapter 2, "key UW linebacker played entire season after his bloody print was tied to shooting," part of "victory and ruins" series, with nick perry, published in the seattle times, jan. 28, 2008

Selected Works

Nonfiction
"The most harrowing book I have ever read about college sports." --Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights
A criminal odyssey through race, politics, madness and murder, based on reporting that won the Pulitzer Prize.
Newspaper clips

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