MARQUETTE — Author and former Army Judge Advocate Eugene Milhizer will give a free presentation on his book, “Dissecting Anatomy of a Murder,” on Thursday. The event begins at 2 p.m. at the Central U.P. and Northern Michigan University Archives in 126 Harden Hall at NMU.

A book signing will follow.

Milhizer carefully unravels the trial, book and movie based on one of the most famous criminal trials of the 20th century. He explores the 1952 murder in Big Bay and community attitudes about the crime. He tells the fascinating story of “Anatomy of a Murder” author John Voelker, who served as defense counsel for the resulting trial and then adapted the real-life courtroom drama into fictional form as a great novel. He also looks back on production of the groundbreaking film inspired by Voelker’s novel, directed by Otto Preminger.