From Amazon books. A customer writes:
This book recounts the horrifying crime spree known as the Zebra killings that happened in the Bay Area in the early 1970's. This spree, committed by black members of an offshoot of the Muslim religion, was done in an attempt for the murderers to win "Death Angel" status. This dubious honor was given to any "true believer" who murdered a certain number of white children, white women, or white men, or a combination of the three. (One received more credit for slaying a child or woman than a man supposedly because it would take more fortitude to do it. However, the author believes [with good reason, I think] it had more to do with the murderers being cowards afraid of anyone who might fight back.) Taking place over several months, the killers took several lives and wounded others in their barbaric attempt to win Death Angel wings. The author does a splendid job in recreating the events as well as allowing the reader to get inside the head of the people who actually believed it to be an honor to murder others. What is even more chilling than the specific Zebra murders is the fact that other Death Angels supposedly existed in California and could be walking the streets even today. For those with a strong stomach wishing to find out about a savage wave of crime (a wave that has strangely been forgotten), this is a must read.
by Clark Howard.