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maryelmccoy's review against another edition
4.0
It seems unlikely that anyone could read this book, and come away unconvinced of the innocence of the West Memphis Three. However, that's not really Leveritt's point. Her point is that not only were the boys never presumed innocent, they also were never proven guilty. Leveritt combs through the evidence, the police investigation, the trials, and also conducts interviews with many of the parties involved, and exposes discrepancies, irregularities, and injustices that will make your hair stand on end. Leveritt's indictment of the police, prosecutors, and especially of Judge David Burnett is positively seering.
marcele's review
4.0
This books makes clear how ignorance spread like a plague and how can it be dangerous for those socially excluded. Also shows how we live in times in which we can't trust the police and the justice system, where a simple "presumed guilty" is used as conviction. The research of it seems really well done, and the author tries to assume an impartial tone, but after all she presented in the book you can't help but feel sorry for the kids. All of them.
wvalice's review
5.0
First, I give this book 4.5 stars, not a full out 5, but I have to round up.
As a longtime fan of true crime entertainment, I found this story fascinating. The travesty of what happened to these poor murdered children was intensified by the ineptitude of the investigation, making it doubtful that the case will ever be solved to anyone's satisfaction. Also, it also appears that three teens were accused and punished for horrific crimes that they probably did not commit.
I'd like to read an updated account of what has happened since this book was published in 2002. I encourage anyone with an interest in true crime to read this.
As a longtime fan of true crime entertainment, I found this story fascinating. The travesty of what happened to these poor murdered children was intensified by the ineptitude of the investigation, making it doubtful that the case will ever be solved to anyone's satisfaction. Also, it also appears that three teens were accused and punished for horrific crimes that they probably did not commit.
I'd like to read an updated account of what has happened since this book was published in 2002. I encourage anyone with an interest in true crime to read this.
supernintendo_chalmers's review
4.0
This is one of those important but not enjoyable books. It is incredibly well-written and deserves its accolades as one of the best true crime books ever written. I think she tried to be as even-handed as she could, but it's hard to be even handed in this case. These boys were targeted because they wore black and like "weird music" in a small religious town during the Satanic Panic. This could have been me, or people I knew in high school. The tragedy is not just the brutal murders of three children (whose real killer, I believe, got away with it), but the targeting of these teens who were different and who had two decades of their life stolen by adults who took advantage of their youth and lower socioeconomic
class to push them into this role that was probably not theirs. I am sad and angry after reading this book, but I'm so glad I read it.
class to push them into this role that was probably not theirs. I am sad and angry after reading this book, but I'm so glad I read it.
swampbooks's review
DNF @ 25%
I feel like I’m just not learning anything new and am finding myself not very interested in listening to this anymore. Though from what I heard it does a great job at covering how incredibly messed up this case was and how corrupt the police were.
I feel like I’m just not learning anything new and am finding myself not very interested in listening to this anymore. Though from what I heard it does a great job at covering how incredibly messed up this case was and how corrupt the police were.
snowbenton's review
5.0
I watched Netflix's Making a Murderer and like many viewers was horrified by the lack of protocol, the clear bias of the police, and the devastating lack of justice.
This book made my dismay over Steven Avery look like a stubbed toe compared to two broken thigh bones.
There is a small afterword at the end, published nine years after the book's original release, letting the reader know that the three were freed. But after 18 years in prison for a crime they didn't commit, how can they ever recover?
As the author points out, this is a story about children. About how they can be taken advantage of, hurt, tricked, and tied in a "devil's knot" by adults. But it's also a story about justice and responsibility. About standing up for what is right. I don't know if they ever would have been freed without the media attention surrounding the case. What a terrifying thought.
This book made my dismay over Steven Avery look like a stubbed toe compared to two broken thigh bones.
There is a small afterword at the end, published nine years after the book's original release, letting the reader know that the three were freed. But after 18 years in prison for a crime they didn't commit, how can they ever recover?
As the author points out, this is a story about children. About how they can be taken advantage of, hurt, tricked, and tied in a "devil's knot" by adults. But it's also a story about justice and responsibility. About standing up for what is right. I don't know if they ever would have been freed without the media attention surrounding the case. What a terrifying thought.
chrissymcbooknerd's review
5.0
If you've seen the MTV documentaries, please get a copy of this book as well! So much information and insight!
unapologetic_bibliosmia's review against another edition
4.0
" This story is a children's tragedy. The victims - and there were many - were all minors."
"Modern readers might think it was impossible that prosecuters in a murder case, facing a dearth of factual evidence, would build their argument for execution on claims that the accused had links to" the occult". Educated readers might recoil from the idea that prosecuters would cite a defendant's tastes in literature, music and clothing to support such an archaic theory."
I read this for a new online Book Club I've joined called Murder by Words which reads True Crime. I hadn't actually heard of either this book, or the case beforehand so it was all new to me and I went in not knowing the general gist or the outcome.
I was enraged. The police corruption and incompetence literally makes my blood boil. These three teenagers were sentenced to life in prison (and execution in one count) simply for dressing in black clothes and liking Metallica and heavy metal. One of whom, had an IQ of that of a 5 year old, and was forced to give a statement despite being underage without his mother present.
From forced/coerced statements, refusing to allow a lawyer be present, hiding evidence, losing blood samples from the crime scene, threatening other kids to testify, bribing witnesses, not recording statements held with tape recorders off, refusing to investigate an obvious suspect because he was a 32nd degree Mason and orchestrating a hate campaign simply based on the suspects music tastes, this investigation had it all. Sadly, another example of State Police and even Court Judges in America refusing to follow due process, using their own status to win their aims and cover up wrongdoing within.
It reminded me a lot of the Making a Murderer series on Netflix.... The comparisons between Jessie Meskilley and Brendan Dassey are uncanny. The way they were taken advantage of, and coerced by police to provide false statements to their own detriment without realising is disgusting. Thank god I don't live in America, the judicial system is honestly so frightening.
What's even sadder is that the three boys who were brutally murdered, never did see justice. The true perpetrator/s went uncharged because of a botched investigation that took precedence for 10 years. This book paints a clear picture of who really did it, and it's sickening they were allowed to get away with it.
"Modern readers might think it was impossible that prosecuters in a murder case, facing a dearth of factual evidence, would build their argument for execution on claims that the accused had links to" the occult". Educated readers might recoil from the idea that prosecuters would cite a defendant's tastes in literature, music and clothing to support such an archaic theory."
I read this for a new online Book Club I've joined called Murder by Words which reads True Crime. I hadn't actually heard of either this book, or the case beforehand so it was all new to me and I went in not knowing the general gist or the outcome.
I was enraged. The police corruption and incompetence literally makes my blood boil. These three teenagers were sentenced to life in prison (and execution in one count) simply for dressing in black clothes and liking Metallica and heavy metal. One of whom, had an IQ of that of a 5 year old, and was forced to give a statement despite being underage without his mother present.
From forced/coerced statements, refusing to allow a lawyer be present, hiding evidence, losing blood samples from the crime scene, threatening other kids to testify, bribing witnesses, not recording statements held with tape recorders off, refusing to investigate an obvious suspect because he was a 32nd degree Mason and orchestrating a hate campaign simply based on the suspects music tastes, this investigation had it all. Sadly, another example of State Police and even Court Judges in America refusing to follow due process, using their own status to win their aims and cover up wrongdoing within.
It reminded me a lot of the Making a Murderer series on Netflix.... The comparisons between Jessie Meskilley and Brendan Dassey are uncanny. The way they were taken advantage of, and coerced by police to provide false statements to their own detriment without realising is disgusting. Thank god I don't live in America, the judicial system is honestly so frightening.
What's even sadder is that the three boys who were brutally murdered, never did see justice. The true perpetrator/s went uncharged because of a botched investigation that took precedence for 10 years. This book paints a clear picture of who really did it, and it's sickening they were allowed to get away with it.
pagesforages's review against another edition
3.0
I would say this was 3.5 because the beginning wasn't great. The author may be an award winning journalist but an award winning fiction writer she is not. True crime writers sometimes put parts of the story in a... well *story* setting. And this is not Leveritt's best angle. When she stopped doing that and got down to the details I was riveted. I like those types of "stories" in a true crime story because it really puts you into the narrative but if it's written badly it takes away from it. Get someone else to do it or admit defeat.
As a sidebar, that "judge" should be put in jail too. I know not being impartial isn't a crime but there were victims here because of him, and it wasn't just the three boys that were murdered or even the boys who were imprisoned. It was everyone involved. Oh also, Driver is a dick.
As a sidebar, that "judge" should be put in jail too. I know not being impartial isn't a crime but there were victims here because of him, and it wasn't just the three boys that were murdered or even the boys who were imprisoned. It was everyone involved. Oh also, Driver is a dick.