moorekara12's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! As a legal psychologist, I thought I knew the ins and outs of injustice and bad science in the legal system well. This stellar reporting really showed me another level of the problems in our system. The authors managed to spell out the horrendous fraud while still maintaining my hope for justice for those affected and our system as a whole!
driedfrogpills's review against another edition
5.0
This book makes me so angry about the state of our legal system and just underscores the need for accountability. I'm also now second-guessing any time I trusted an expert witness to provide factual information in court cases. It boggles my mind how this could continue for so long, and how even when challenged people still did their best to keep the corrupt in power. I kept expecting Haynes and West to be operating in the 1950s or '60s and no, no they've been abusing the system for as long as I've been alive and I'm in my 30s.
I found the book to be a hard, devastating read content-wise and an easy read language-wise, although at times Balko gets lost in some of the details or wanders off on a tangent. I appreciated the tangents, though, and thought they helped me to better see the larger picture of how deep the corruption in our legal system, and in Mississippi in particular, runs.
I found the book to be a hard, devastating read content-wise and an easy read language-wise, although at times Balko gets lost in some of the details or wanders off on a tangent. I appreciated the tangents, though, and thought they helped me to better see the larger picture of how deep the corruption in our legal system, and in Mississippi in particular, runs.
nicnackerz's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
I wanted to love this, and parts were so interesting, but it got so bogged down with intricacies that I couldn't totally follow it. Also, I felt like the legal jargon was off putting in the second half of the book.
Really great premise and research, but less great execution.
Really great premise and research, but less great execution.
agmaynard's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Damning and thorough indictment of Mississippi’s criminal “justice” system, while zeroing in on the incompetent and venal coroner and bite “expert” that helped ensure that injustice often prevailed. Prosecutors and judges also come in for their share. Investigative journalist and state Innocence Project director team up to lay it out. CW for child assault and murder.
bcope84's review against another edition
4.0
This is a subject that I am deeply interested in. I have read several books about the Innocence Project and I have heard about the prison rates in the south amongst people of color is quite high in comparison to the rest of the United States (it is not good in the rest but higher in the south). I cannot understand how people can be pro-death sentences when there are so many unfair practices in our justice system. This book in particular focuses on the shocking number of wrongful convictions in Mississippi due to two men: Steven Hayne (performed autopsies) and Michael West ("Bite Mark Forensics") It reminded me of the quote "The system isnt broken. It was built this way" because no one seemed to care that innocent people were facing long jail sentences and even death sentences due to the fabricated "evidence" from these two men.
Things I liked about the book:
Very through about the subject
Really illustrates the flaws in the evidence and how every step of the way people was just allowing it to continue
Liked that it focused on two stories that were committed by the same killer but were originally thought to be two separate cases.
Had a lot of medical terms but did not feel like a medical textbook (other books have not been able to do this)
Things I did not like about the book:
Could be a bit dry at time but I have no idea how a book with this much information could get that information out without coming across a bit dry
TW:
Wrongful convictions
Murder
Sexual Assault
Rape
Racism
Pedophilia
Things I liked about the book:
Very through about the subject
Really illustrates the flaws in the evidence and how every step of the way people was just allowing it to continue
Liked that it focused on two stories that were committed by the same killer but were originally thought to be two separate cases.
Had a lot of medical terms but did not feel like a medical textbook (other books have not been able to do this)
Things I did not like about the book:
Could be a bit dry at time but I have no idea how a book with this much information could get that information out without coming across a bit dry
TW:
Wrongful convictions
Murder
Sexual Assault
Rape
Racism
Pedophilia
samphiresyl's review
4.0
One of the most interested nonfiction books I've read in a while! It really goes to show how fucked up the justice system is in the U.S. ... Got the recommendation from my forensics class.
sonygaystation's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0