Quite interesting. Strange medical experiments. Dense book. Interesting though. Well written, not sloppy.

This book seemed to go in circles. It was like the same information was being told every chapter but in different ways. Really tedious.

I found this one to be too repetitive and I really didn't find myself caring about anyone throughout the book.

What a great book! This book details the confessions and trials of Walter Ogrod, who was an innocent man sent to death row. It has really good behind the scenes information, including from the interrogation room where a confession was coerced, especially easy when the defendant is on the autism spectre and just wants to please everyone. This is a great book for those who want to see a side of the criminal justice system that is usually hidden. I recommend it to all of those interested in criminal justice and those who read true crime.

The Trials of Walter Ogrod is a shocking, disturbing tale of misconduct, crime, law, and order. I learned a lot about the American justice system and about the different rules that lawyers and detectives must follow. It was fascinating to read about these details, but also sad in that many times the rules are ignored or passed over.
The Trials of Walter Ogrod tells the story of a terrible crime that happened in 1988 in Philadelphia, and the subsequent manhunt, and the later (much later) arrest and conviction of Walter Ogrod. The book goes to great lengths to show that Walter has been imprisoned unfairly, and the courtroom scenes, especially the first court case, are mesmerizing. The court scene mentioned above had me glued to the page, and I can’t recall the last time I literally could not put a book down. And this is a non-fiction read! I was hooked on the story of Walter, and his history, and I kept reading hoping someone would see what was happening.
From the first court case, to the jailing and second court case, there is a bit of a lag in the story, and I’m not sure that some information isn’t missing. For instance, (and I hope this isn’t too much of a spoiler), but the second time Walter was tried, the defense was handled very oddly, and the reason for this is never explained in the book. Why the sudden shift in defense? His lawyer’s behavior is so puzzling, and it seems like there might be another story there. But this just further drove my interest in the story, and isn’t a negative, just something I noticed and it’s something I’m curious about. But Walter’s story is not over, so perhaps someday more information will be told.
The author, Thomas Lowenstein, has done a tremendous amount of research here, and it is organized in a thoughtful, interesting way. You will definitely want to read the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book, which details his reasoning behind writing the book, and how he discovered Walter’s story.
In terms of what I didn’t like about the book, I must warn readers that it is fairly graphic. The crime is the murder of a four-year-old girl, and the violence is mentioned in detail, along with a lot of language throughout the book. There was also a lot of technical legal and detective information that was fascinating, but also was a bit dry in sections.
I saw this title pop up on NetGalley, and ever since I read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, about a lawyer who focuses on helping those on death row, I’ve been interested and drawn to stories about crime and law, especially those who have been wrongfully convicted. Walter’s story is one that people should know, along with Barbara Jean’s story (she was the little girl who was murdered).
I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to read nonfiction, true crime, books about law and order, and books with powerful human stories. I won’t be forgetting Walter Ogrod and his story anytime soon, and I really recommend this read!

Bottom Line: Powerful and haunting. I couldn’t put this book down!

Compelling read. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

Great story! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

If you ever wondered about justice turning a blind eye, this is the book to read. Walter Ogrod was questioned, charged, tried and convicted of a crime of murder. A small child was killed and it was tragic. I feel for the parents of this child and I too want the person caught who did this to serve the time for the crime. Did Walter Orgod commit this crime? I do not know but do I have doubts that he did? Yes, I do. Engrossing read, very well written. The ending of the book regarding DNA evidence and what has been done with it is crazy, or not done,. This book is a must read. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy in return for my honest reveiw.