It’s hard to say that you enjoyed a book with such a difficult subject matter but it was well written and I flew through it. It’s frustrating and sad but so eye opening. The author also narrated and I can he does both equally well.

Wow, wow, WOW. This is an amazing book. It gave me the urge to want to go out and do something to make things better, even though I have no power to do that. 🤣 It’s a very bittersweet book, and heartbreaking. This is one of, if not the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. The author, Dan, reads it himself but also has some of the inmates read their own letters, there’s sound effects, some music here and there, you can hear a family member crying out of happiness in one of the chapters, it’s so cool and you can tell just how much thought and love Dan put into this book. I really enjoyed this and it has made me ponder how many people are serving time for crimes they did not commit, and it makes me so sad to think there are people who have missed out on their children’s lives, their families lives…just missed out on life in general for something they DID NOT DO. I cannot even imagine how hopeless that would feel. And the system really failed these people big time in this book. I won’t spoil anything but do yourself a favor and read this, or listen to the incredible audiobook!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Celadon Books for the opportunity to enjoy this arc.

Wow. This is another entry in the “must read” category for anyone seeking to learn more about social justice (or injustice) and mass incarceration.

Dan Slepian, NBC Dateline reporter, began talking to one prisoner at New York’s Sing Sing prison about a potential wrongful conviction. Then he was introduced over time to five other convicted felons who said the same thing. From a complete lack of evidence to poor legal representation to a lack of follow up or misleading questioning on the part of police and prosecutors, Slepian uncovers more reasons to question what the US justice system is really doing.

Slepian himself narrates this saga of injustice. The audiobook itself is brilliantly produced with recordings of interviews and recollections from the imprisoned men.

This is such a heartbreaking story and if you’ve read Bryan Stvenson’s Just Mercy, you’ll know what I mean. If you haven’t, be sure to put both of these on your TBR right now!

Most heartbreaking of all, I read this at the time of Marcellus Williams’ execution in Missouri. I still cannot believe a single person with the power to offer a stay did NOTHING to at least hear another side of the story. You will never convince me that anyone should be sentenced to death.

The Sing Sing Files by Dan Slepian
Audio: read by the author

Dateline producer, Dan Slepian has spent his career fighting for the wrongfully incarcerated. Cases were thrown in his lap that he could not ignore; he promised to search for the truth and not an agenda. This is the (sadly) true crime documentation of that search. It will break your heart, have you on the edge of your seat and give you a cause to fight for because of the inhumane injustice of a system you thought you could trust.

Slepian weaves true stories together in a seamless way that lets us walk through life with him as he patiently, painstakingly befriends those that have been wrongfully (shockingly in most cases!) accused. If you like true crime podcasts, definitely listen to the audio— the production is very similar with bumper music and first person narration.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this amazing audio book experience and thank you to @beverlyboymama for encouraging this!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC!

Wrongful convictions have been getting a lot more attention as of late, but if there is anything that I've learned from Dan Slepian's in-depth and compelling look at a few salient examples, it's that we still don't pay them nearly enough attention.

Whether you are a true-crime aficionado or not, familiar with these particular cases or not, Slepian makes it very easy to see where the criminal justice system failed these defendants, and certainly many others. His humanistic touch, and the obvious sacrifices he made to investigate these cases, are both admirable and inspiring.

The audiobook is impeccably and emotionally narrated by the author, and the almost conversational style with which he narrates makes it very readable and enjoyable. I loved hearing some of the participants in the various cases tell parts of the stories in their own words and their own voices. The listening experience ends up being almost 'podcast-y', which is definitely not a bad thing, and should make this book a hit among true-crime podcast listeners.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Sing Sing Files, and look forward to checking out more of the author's work.

This book is a really great mix of true crime and investigative journalism - I really think true crime girlies who are interested in the aftermath of when someone gets convicted (particularly when they are actually innocent) will like this one!

Nonfiction is sometimes hard for me to get into but I absolutely did not have that problem with this book! I was engaged the whole time and actually listened to it all in one day because I needed to hear what happened. There were moments that gave me goosebumps and even more moments that made me want to scream at our (in)justice system.

I thought the audio production and narration was great! There were interviews and other recordings throughout the book which I think really added to my experience - I'm really glad I listened to it instead of reading the digital copy I had!

This is a really important book that takes a bite sized look at how wrongful convictions affect individuals and their families. Though only 6 stories were told here, it horrifies me to think about how many exist beyond what are in the pages of this book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copy of this book.

“Much like water puts out fire, education and opportunity put out crime.”

Deeply impactful. Vitally important.

I immediately found myself invested as Slepian recounted the decades long fight for justice for six wrongfully incarcerated men.

This book is more than mere reporting. This book is a battle cry. These men... never given the presumption of innocence. A justice system steeped in error and corruption. Lives irrevocably changed.

As Dan chronicled each man’s meticulously researched story, I found myself awash with emotion. I raged. I cried. I cheered with relief. And I closed the last page forever changed. This is one of the most affecting books I’ve read this year.

It’s obvious that this was a work of heart for Slepian. The ethics and empathy that guided him as he fought for truth bled through on each page.

Truly, I cannot recommend this book more strongly. It should be required reading for every American.

🎧 Slepian narrated the audiobook, and his years of experience with Dateline shone through in this exceptional execution. It’s a full production that includes snippets of interviews, excerpts read by the then-prisoners, and various other effects/additions. But it was the raw emotion I felt in his narration that made this book so personal and impactful. A stunning listen.

"The Sing Sing Files" gets off to a bit of a slow start but soon becomes an absorbing listen. True crime enthusiasts will definitely enjoy this book. Dan Slepian narrates his two-decade effort to uncover wrongful convictions, enhanced by real archival recordings from Sing Sing prison. The unique audio elements add authenticity and emotional depth to the story.

Wow, this audiobook was amazing. I truly think that even people who don't typically like nonfiction would like this. I had so many feelings while reading this. Primarily anger and sadness for the individuals who lost decades of their lives due to wrongful imprisonment. It's infuriating that shoddy and corrupt police work can damage lives like this. The letters read by inmates and the interview clips throughout gave me chills and made the audiobook feel kind of like a documentary. I applaud Dan Slepian for his relentless pursuit of justice for these 6 men.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for my ALC.

The Sing Sing Files is an eye-opening powerful repudiation of the existing criminal justice system. Dan Slepian, a producer for Dateline, received a tip in 2002 from a Bronx homicide detective that two men were servicing life sentences for a murder that there was proof they did not commit. That tip leads Slepian to investigate and make it a mission to free these two men as the evidence against their guilt builds. It also takes him down a two-decade rabbit hole as he learns that these two men are certainly not the only ones unjustly accused and committed to spend their life imprisoned. What is more disturbing is the reluctance and resistance to change that he met and how those responsible for the incorrect accusations dug their heels in and refused to acknowledge they made any mistakes. The book also discusses the consequences to the rest of the family of growing up with an incarcerated parent.

This book made me angry, but it also brought to light my own biases and stereotypes about those accused who are spending their life in prison. It’s easy to ignore or assume that they belong there or are getting their just due. We’ve all been exposed to stories about police misconduct. Unfortunately, the issues are more systemic. I did not realize the extent that prosecutors or DAs would purposefully hide evidence or refuse to accept they made a mistake, even when someone else confessed.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, read by Dan Slepian. It’s a quick listen that feels in some ways like listening to a true crime podcast. It includes letters, read by the six men he helped free, and some others he worked with during the long fight. One complaint is that the author’s voice tended to drop off at the end of sentences, making it difficult to hear.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes true crime podcasts or shows. However, any American should read this book and learn about our truly flawed criminal justice system, the number of wrongful convictions, and the corrupt system overall. While Slepian seems to hold law enforcement in high regard overall, he does talk about those he was working with, particularly the Bronx detective, who were forced out of their positions. It is widely known how police will coerce or offer people incentives to give false confessions or testimony or turn on their own. There have also been many studies proving how eyewitness memory and testimony is fallible and is the leading cause of wrongful convictions. What is not written about is how those who know the convictions are wrong refuse to accept their mistakes and overturn those convictions. Hopefully, this book will change that.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Our justice system is broken. The Sing Sing Files is a book that has been long in the making and author Dan Slepian (NBC Dateline producer and reporter) does an excellent job of detailing the horrific mishandling of justice going as far back as 1990 for some of the “criminals” within our prison system, more specifically at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York.

I used to live in New York and have driven past this prison many times. I had no idea how many innocent individuals were housed behind its walls. It is disgusting and horrifying to hear how much power some people have to completely ruin lives with little to no evidence. Not to mention that the persecuted are almost always people of color.

Dan gives examples of six innocent men serving life sentences behind bars, cases that he uncovered after receiving a tip from a Bronx homicide detective. He launched his own investigation into the case, which led to more and more disturbing cases. I can only imagine what would be exposed were we to have the time and resources to look into every single case in this country.

Even more upsetting, I just realized I am writing this review on the same day that an innocent man in a Missouri prison is set to be executed, despite new evidence and multiple requests to have his conviction repealed.

Ever since reading Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy and Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, I have had incredibly strong feelings on this topic. This book is another must read for everyone and I highly recommend it. The audiobook was engaging and short in length, with Dan narrating it himself. Please read this and educate yourself to raise awareness on this topic. We must exonerate innocent people from prison and better our justice system!

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and Dan Slepian for the gifted ARC audiobook recording in exchange for an honest review.

When a book can pull all the emotions out of me, I know it was exceptionally written. This book did just that. Narrated by the author, Dan Slepian, we meet men that have been unjustly incarcerated that Slepian has worked to help. The most talked about man is JJ Velazquez, who was convicted of murdering a NYC police officer, but always proclaimed his innocence. This was a very trying and the most drawn out case that Slepian worked on.

Dan never gave up on JJ's case, even though there were lots of odds stacked against him. I felt sadness, anger, and happiness while listening to this book. Dan did a great job making us feel what he was feeling as different things occurred. I was captivated by this story and the way the author wrote it and narrated it as well. I enjoyed the glimpses Dan gave into his own life while never taking away from the more important story that needed to be told - JJ's.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This very well could be a book everyone should read. I'm sure glad I did. It shines a spotlight on our flawed justice system. Does innocent until proven guilty still exist? Dan Slepian takes us on a 20 year journey that started because a cop told him an innocent man was behind bars. If you aren't familiar with Dan Slepian he's a journalist and producer for Dateline. Like the title says, this is a book about 6 innocent men locked away for crimes they didn't commit. This was a very hard book to listen to at times because I, like Dan and the men he was trying to help, got so angry, frustrated, and just plain sad that this continued to happen. Very few people were giving these convicted men the time of day. Just locked em up and threw away the key mentality. I learned so much about the criminal system by listening. I applaud Dan for realizing a problem existed and working hard for criminal justice reform for over 20 years. I'm really glad these 6 men got their story told via Dateline specials Dan produced, this book or Dan's podcast titled Letters From Sing Sing. Their stories deserve to be told. Not only for their reputations but to educate us all. If you're a fan of true crime documentaries or just want to broaden your knowledge of our criminal and judicial systems I'd highly recommend this one. Dan also did a fabulous job narrating. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Sing Sing Files by Dan Slepian - Strangely enough this book just came to me recently - it seems books about those wrongfully accused and convicted are finding their way to me right and left. This was another fascinating read about several men wrongfully convicted of crimes and the fight to get them out of prison. I am no longer surprised at the lengths the prosecution and judges will go to not have to admit they were wrong in the first place.  

Written and narrated by Dan Slepian the NBC dateline producer who spent years working not only to free these men but to also bring their stories to light despite the efforts of those in power to keep them in prison who would rather have not had their stories brought to light. 

Well investigated this book offered the original audio from interviews that Dan took of the prisoners and others involved in the case. It was an interesting read but I think I'm burned out on these books.  The criminal justice system in the USA is so broken and no one in power seems to be able or willing to fix it. I know saying that I'm burned out seems cruel in light of so many people who are still spending time behind bars despite being innocent. It is my hope that more people will join the fight to free these people and bring stories like this to light.  The more people learn about the miscarriages of justice that continue to happen the more voices will be added to this cause. I will do my part by bringing these books to the attention of others.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, Netgalley and Dan Slepian.
Dan Slepian, you are an unsung national treasure and the work you've done is remarkable. I'm the child of a
*not innocent* lifelong criminal. That gave me exposure to so many men in the prison system and am a firm believer in reform, and that there are so many good people that got caught in bad situations - whether they were guilty or innocent of their original convictions.
Highlighting the humanity as Dan does so eloquently and thoroughly is a step towards justice for these men.
I found myself crying and angry and heartbroken so many times while listening to Dan's narration. The relief I felt as Dan's work was successful in freeing these INNOCENT victims of a broken system was palpable.

As a part of the Macmillian Audio Influencer program, I was lucky enough to receive a free audio copy of this book. Thank you, @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2024

As someone interested in true crime and appalled by the number of wrongful convictions in this country, I ate this book up! Slepian’s reporting is thorough and is told in a way that is easy to follow while providing just enough information without bombarding the listener. I was shocked and horrified at the stories of the six innocent men who were wrongfully convicted and were serving time in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. It blows my mind how some of these men were charged with crimes… I mean, if it’s not possible to commit a crime in NY when you’re physically in FL, how can you be found guilty? Our criminal justice system really needs some help.

The audio production quality of this book was excellent. I loved that it was read by the author and is a voice familiar to many of us who have watched him reporting on NBC. The fact that it included other peoples real voices (in the form of reading letters they wrote, 911 calls, etc) really held my interest. The transitional music was appropriate and well done. At times it felt like I was listening to a really good podcast instead of a book, and I loved it.

The Sing Sing Files was a very interesting story. Dan works for NBC and specifically Dateline, so he had access and a vehicle to tell the stories. Dan approaches the idea of wrongful convictions in the same way a lot of people do-The system wouldn't get it THAT wrong. It has failsafes to protect people. He learns that for some, that system was broken.

He focuses on 6 men he encountered, but I think the biggest focus was on JJ Velasquez. These 6 cases were pretty obvious miscarriages of justice, but I think the bigger take away was how hard people worked to KEEP these innocent men in prison. Cops and lawyers refused to face evidence they were wrong. These are the kinds of cases that should infuriate people-when there is CLEAR evidence of innocence (not just possible evidence or alibi) or clear evidence of prosecutorial misconduct-and nothing is done.

If you are a fan of books like Just Mercy, The Sing Sing Files is a must listen. I really enjoyed the audiobook! Slepian narrates well. Apparently, there is also a podcast, if you want to check out more of the story.

I listened to this in just two days. Dan Slepian wrote a compelling and totally engrossing story of a series of men who landed in prison for crimes they did not commit, due to sloppy investigations, disregard of significant exculpatory evidence and more. JJ, who became Slepian's friend eventually, despite his best efforts over many years to maintain his journalistic objectivity while producing stories for Nightline that sometimes included these stories when his superiors found them sufficiently compelling. Many of us, including me, struggle with how criminal justice and laws that limit reintegration into society after serving time for various kinds of crimes should be changed. Slepian deftly humanizes not only his actually innocent subjects, but also those serving time for crimes they committed. It is a complex subject. How do you address employment, housing and education for people convicted of serious crimes or with a long record of convictions? Slepian makes use think about this, although he does not directly address it. He poses the issues, he makes it very clear that 20 years in jail and counting for JJ was Slepian's daughter's whole life and then some. He follows J'J's sons and his mother. But JJ is just one of several stories told and there are people who had an easier time with the courts, albeit only one felt magically fast.

The fate of innocent people and the discovery of potential perpetrators today is influenced by DNA. In the Sing Sing Files, DNA played no role. Convictions often relied solely on alleged eye witnesses picking someone from a photo array or lineup. One involves a teenager whose confession was coerced. We hear the voices of these men through Slepian and sometimes in person. He has done valuable, moral work for them. Highly recommend this book.

This felt like a podcast but better. I listened to it and it was narrated by the author Dan Slepian. He did a great job and I felt like I was there.
I’m a huge fan of Dateline and he’s one of the producers of the show. This was about a two-decade journey about our broken criminal justice system and how he didn’t give up to help free six innocent men.
It gave me chills and I had a few tearful moments. If you love true crime and dateline then I think you’ll love this audiobook.
I highly recommend it.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

4 stars

This is a well-paced, infuriating listen, which won't surprise most dialed in readers, but it will still ignite some rage.

The author is a _Dateline_ producer, and some of the most interesting elements of this piece include how his views and experiences evolve over the many, many years covered here. The impetus for Slepian's work is a tip he receives from a cop (over 20 years ago) that two individuals are serving lengthy sentences at the titular prison for crimes they definitely did not commit. Slepian then begins an odyssey spanning multiple decades and far more than just these two wrongly convicted individuals to uncover a shocking array of ways in which our society participates in miscarriages of justice.

Some of the most compelling moments in the audiobook are when readers hear recordings of wrongly convicted individuals and their family members communicating their experiences and feelings. On the other hand, some of the cringiest moments - and I cannot imagine who allowed this to happen - are when Slepian reads some of these statements in the clearly affected dialect of the original writers. This gave me major ick more than once, and it was totally avoidable.

Overall, I found this fascinating and extremely troubling. I don't want to say I enjoyed it because it was largely just devastating. That noted, there are still glimmers of hope here not only in some of the outcomes but also in the fact that folks like Slepian are doing the work to bring these injustices to the masses and to help right these grievous wrongs.