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American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System
From the fearless defense attorney and civil rights lawyer who rose to fame with Netflix’s The Staircase comes an essential examination of how power is abused within America’s criminal justice system.
In the past thirty years alone, more than 2,800 innocent American prisoners – their combined sentences surpassing 25,000 years – have been exonerated and freed after being condemned for crimes they did not commit. Terrifyingly, this number represents only a fraction of the actual number of persons wrongfully accused and convicted over the same period.
Renowned criminal defense and civil rights attorney David Rudolf has spent decades defending the wrongfully accused. In American Injustice, he draws from his years of experience in the American criminal legal system to shed light on the misconduct that exists at all levels of law enforcement and the tragic consequences that follow in its wake. Tracing these themes through the lens of some of his most important cases – including new details from the Michael Peterson trial made famous in The Staircase – Rudolf takes the reader inside crime scenes to examine forensic evidence left by perpetrators; revisits unsolved murders to detail how and why the true culprits were never prosecuted; reveals how confirmation bias leads police and prosecutors to employ tactics that make wrongful arrests and prosecutions more likely; and exposes how poverty and racism fundamentally distort the system.
In American Injustice, Rudolf gives a voice to those who have been the victim of wrongful accusations and shows in the starkest terms the human impact of legal wrongdoing. Effortlessly blending gripping true crime reporting and searing observations on civil rights in America, American Injustice takes readers behind the scenes of a justice system in desperate need of reform.
In the past thirty years alone, more than 2,800 innocent American prisoners – their combined sentences surpassing 25,000 years – have been exonerated and freed after being condemned for crimes they did not commit. Terrifyingly, this number represents only a fraction of the actual number of persons wrongfully accused and convicted over the same period.
Renowned criminal defense and civil rights attorney David Rudolf has spent decades defending the wrongfully accused. In American Injustice, he draws from his years of experience in the American criminal legal system to shed light on the misconduct that exists at all levels of law enforcement and the tragic consequences that follow in its wake. Tracing these themes through the lens of some of his most important cases – including new details from the Michael Peterson trial made famous in The Staircase – Rudolf takes the reader inside crime scenes to examine forensic evidence left by perpetrators; revisits unsolved murders to detail how and why the true culprits were never prosecuted; reveals how confirmation bias leads police and prosecutors to employ tactics that make wrongful arrests and prosecutions more likely; and exposes how poverty and racism fundamentally distort the system.
In American Injustice, Rudolf gives a voice to those who have been the victim of wrongful accusations and shows in the starkest terms the human impact of legal wrongdoing. Effortlessly blending gripping true crime reporting and searing observations on civil rights in America, American Injustice takes readers behind the scenes of a justice system in desperate need of reform.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published January 25, 2022
54 people are currently reading
3335 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 8, 2022
This is a non-fiction book that I have been very much looking forward to reading, as it is a personally meaningful topic to me - the broken U.S. justice system.
It is a debut work for defense attorney David Rudolf (renowned for defending novelist Michael Peterson in the death of his wife, which has now been made into a Netflix documentary, The Staircase), and is a powerful foray into a justice system in desperate need of reform. In the past three decades, nearly 3,000 people have been exonerated and released from prison for crimes they did not commit, and this represents only a fraction of the actual number of persons wrongfully convicted. Rudolf delves into the misconduct that exists at all levels and the tragic consequences that follow in its wake. He explains his position through the lens of some of his most infamous cases, where he takes the reader inside crime scenes to examine forensic evidence left by perpetrators; revisits unsolved murders to detail how and why the true perpetrators were never prosecuted; reveals how confirmation bias leads law enforcement and prosecutors to employ tactics that make wrongful arrests and prosecutions much more likely; and exposes how poverty and racism systemically distort the system.
The premise is powerful, but at times, the execution is not quite as powerful. At times the chapters seem a bit disjointed (as this was an ARC, perhaps it will be corrected with final edits - I seriously hope so). I enjoyed the "backstories" to several of Rudolf's biggest cases, but the details became cumbersome at times i.e. the chapter on the Comstock laws. I get why it was necessary but more than once my I found my eyes glazing over.
Still, a brutal, eye-opening read that highlights just how broken our current system really is and makes you think twice when you hear/read media coverage about a case and the "evidence" of one's guilt. That being said, even after this book, the documentary, etc., I'm still not totally convinced of Michael Peterson's innocence. 🤷♀️ 4 stars.
It is a debut work for defense attorney David Rudolf (renowned for defending novelist Michael Peterson in the death of his wife, which has now been made into a Netflix documentary, The Staircase), and is a powerful foray into a justice system in desperate need of reform. In the past three decades, nearly 3,000 people have been exonerated and released from prison for crimes they did not commit, and this represents only a fraction of the actual number of persons wrongfully convicted. Rudolf delves into the misconduct that exists at all levels and the tragic consequences that follow in its wake. He explains his position through the lens of some of his most infamous cases, where he takes the reader inside crime scenes to examine forensic evidence left by perpetrators; revisits unsolved murders to detail how and why the true perpetrators were never prosecuted; reveals how confirmation bias leads law enforcement and prosecutors to employ tactics that make wrongful arrests and prosecutions much more likely; and exposes how poverty and racism systemically distort the system.
The premise is powerful, but at times, the execution is not quite as powerful. At times the chapters seem a bit disjointed (as this was an ARC, perhaps it will be corrected with final edits - I seriously hope so). I enjoyed the "backstories" to several of Rudolf's biggest cases, but the details became cumbersome at times i.e. the chapter on the Comstock laws. I get why it was necessary but more than once my I found my eyes glazing over.
Still, a brutal, eye-opening read that highlights just how broken our current system really is and makes you think twice when you hear/read media coverage about a case and the "evidence" of one's guilt. That being said, even after this book, the documentary, etc., I'm still not totally convinced of Michael Peterson's innocence. 🤷♀️ 4 stars.
February 21, 2022
I don’t think it is any surprise that the criminal justice system is broken and needs some serious overhauling. But yet it never ceases to amaze me just how broken it is and how time after time individuals abuse their power and send innocent people to prison, often for the rest of their lives, just so they can call it a day and move on to the next one. It destroys lives, ruins families, and often affects certain demographics of people more than others.
In American Injustice, David Rudolf uses his 30+ years of experience, including new details from the trial of Michael Peterson (you’ll recognize the name from Netflix’s The Staircase), to show the vast amount of misconduct occurring at all levels within the system. You may be thinking, ok another one of these books, but what I found interesting (and I do recommend this one via audio) is the examples that he used to tell the story and the way certain individuals were targeted to fit the outcome they wanted rather than look at blatant evidence that clearly proved this outcome wrong. He gave examples that ran the gamut, from those in poverty or of a particular race all the way to a prominent doctor that was thought certain to have killed his wife, and I’ll even admit I thought he surely did it, until Rudolph slowly introduced doubt and evidence that slowly began to unravel the prosecution’s case.
I highly recommend this book for a lot of reasons, mostly awareness, as this book was really helpful for me. There are also many fascinating and heartbreaking cases in here, and several have positive outcomes as a result of the work that Rudolph did. This is very well written and kept my attention throughout, which can be hard with these type of books as they tend to be a bit dry, but this one was not and I thought it was overall an excellent read.
Thank you to Custom House for the ARC to review. It is available now.
In American Injustice, David Rudolf uses his 30+ years of experience, including new details from the trial of Michael Peterson (you’ll recognize the name from Netflix’s The Staircase), to show the vast amount of misconduct occurring at all levels within the system. You may be thinking, ok another one of these books, but what I found interesting (and I do recommend this one via audio) is the examples that he used to tell the story and the way certain individuals were targeted to fit the outcome they wanted rather than look at blatant evidence that clearly proved this outcome wrong. He gave examples that ran the gamut, from those in poverty or of a particular race all the way to a prominent doctor that was thought certain to have killed his wife, and I’ll even admit I thought he surely did it, until Rudolph slowly introduced doubt and evidence that slowly began to unravel the prosecution’s case.
I highly recommend this book for a lot of reasons, mostly awareness, as this book was really helpful for me. There are also many fascinating and heartbreaking cases in here, and several have positive outcomes as a result of the work that Rudolph did. This is very well written and kept my attention throughout, which can be hard with these type of books as they tend to be a bit dry, but this one was not and I thought it was overall an excellent read.
Thank you to Custom House for the ARC to review. It is available now.
January 25, 2022
David Rudolf, a criminal defense and civil rights attorney, has spent years defending the wrongfully accused. In American Justice, he dives head first in to why so many people spend time imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit. From misconduct in the legal system to law enforcement error, Rudolf uncovers the reasons why mistakes continue to be made and 2,800 innocent American prisoners have been exonerated and freed in the past thirty years.
If you are a fan of true crime and learning the ins and out of investigations, trials, and the aftermath, this is definitely the book for you. David Rudolf is an incredibly talented writer and the stories he has to tell about his experiences with cases like these are unreal. He covers so many examples, including the trial from The Staircase on Netflix, many of which he was a part of. I highly recommend this one as your next nonfiction read!
Thank you so much to Custom House books for the complimentary advance reading copy!
If you are a fan of true crime and learning the ins and out of investigations, trials, and the aftermath, this is definitely the book for you. David Rudolf is an incredibly talented writer and the stories he has to tell about his experiences with cases like these are unreal. He covers so many examples, including the trial from The Staircase on Netflix, many of which he was a part of. I highly recommend this one as your next nonfiction read!
Thank you so much to Custom House books for the complimentary advance reading copy!
January 25, 2022
If you enjoyed Just Mercy, this is a book for you! The stories that Rudolph shares in American Injustice are heartbreaking and infuriating but, unfortunately, not surprising. Rudolph does a fantastic job of shedding light on the extreme injustices that exist at every level of the U.S. justice system with his incredible gift of storytelling. I was invested in every person's story and the justice they deserved. Highly recommend this great piece of non-fiction!
Thank you to partner Bibliolifestyle and william morrow books for this gifted book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to partner Bibliolifestyle and william morrow books for this gifted book in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2022
Thank you to William Morrow Books, Custom House Books, David S. Rudolf and Bibliolifestyle for sending me a copy of American Injustice. This book comes out 1/25!
David S. Rudolf takes us into not only specific criminal cases but also some history of law. This book is heavy and is not a simple read. It’s full of information and reads like a textbook. I gravitated towards this one because the author is the lawyer from the Michael Peterson case made famous by the documentary, The Staircase. This book even talks about that famous case! If you’re into law and the justice system or even just a fan of true crime you will enjoy this book and the wealth of knowledge it gives you.
American Injustice is an important examination of how power is abused within the American criminal justice system. 2,800 innocent American prisoners have been exonerated in the past 30 years alone. This number represents only a fraction of the actual number of wrongfully accused and convicted over those same 30 years. Davis S. Rudolf has spent decades defending the wrongfully accused. This book he takes from his experience to shed light on the horrible misconduct that exists at all levels of law enforcement. Rudolf takes you inside crime scenes to examine forensic evidence, revisits unsolved murders, and reveals how confirmation bias leads police to employ tactics that make wrongful arrests more likely. This book gives a voice to those who have been wrongfully accused and shows the human impact of legal wrongdoing.
David S. Rudolf takes us into not only specific criminal cases but also some history of law. This book is heavy and is not a simple read. It’s full of information and reads like a textbook. I gravitated towards this one because the author is the lawyer from the Michael Peterson case made famous by the documentary, The Staircase. This book even talks about that famous case! If you’re into law and the justice system or even just a fan of true crime you will enjoy this book and the wealth of knowledge it gives you.
American Injustice is an important examination of how power is abused within the American criminal justice system. 2,800 innocent American prisoners have been exonerated in the past 30 years alone. This number represents only a fraction of the actual number of wrongfully accused and convicted over those same 30 years. Davis S. Rudolf has spent decades defending the wrongfully accused. This book he takes from his experience to shed light on the horrible misconduct that exists at all levels of law enforcement. Rudolf takes you inside crime scenes to examine forensic evidence, revisits unsolved murders, and reveals how confirmation bias leads police to employ tactics that make wrongful arrests more likely. This book gives a voice to those who have been wrongfully accused and shows the human impact of legal wrongdoing.
December 22, 2021
I read this book cover to cover today. I typically don't read non- fiction however I made an exception for this book when I discovered it here on goodreads and I'm so glad I did. It was a great book that honesty opened my eyes to the injustice in this country using real case files and showing how injustice in the legal system can be found at every level with little to no backlash even after proving injustice. This should be on everyone's tbr. Definitely a 5 star read.
June 3, 2022
A deeply disturbing, depressing and infuriating book. An important read for anyone interested in America's criminal justice system.
January 30, 2022
An interesting delve into the how ineffective the American justice system is at all levels and fails the most vulnerable.
June 2, 2022
When your paycheck, job promotion or reelection is tied to your "cases solved" or "convection rate" it is easy to see why some people buy into "the ends justify the means." But the truth is "the means will determine the ends."
July 23, 2024
Lots of appalling accounts of prosecutorial/governmental indiscretion and abuse of authority that make abundantly clear the shortcomings of our criminal justice system and the deleterious impact on innocent people that such ethical failures cause. Minus 1 for the weird focus on monetary value of civil settlements won rather than on the human side of vacated convictions after prolonged incarceration.
December 1, 2021
4 stars for his nonfiction piece that covers several disturbing factions within the law, police procedural, and the court room and justice system.
Important issues that are still battled over and argued in today’s headlines, court rooms and trials.
These cover racial issues, questionable policing, falsifying evidence, concealment, planting of evidence, coercion, terrorism and the overall abuse of power when it comes down to catching criminals.
A very intriguing read and noteworthy historical information from The Boston Massacre and John Adams through the terroristic attack of flight TWA 355.
Perfect for those interested in law and the dynamics of justice.
Another great wake up call book.
Important issues that are still battled over and argued in today’s headlines, court rooms and trials.
These cover racial issues, questionable policing, falsifying evidence, concealment, planting of evidence, coercion, terrorism and the overall abuse of power when it comes down to catching criminals.
A very intriguing read and noteworthy historical information from The Boston Massacre and John Adams through the terroristic attack of flight TWA 355.
Perfect for those interested in law and the dynamics of justice.
Another great wake up call book.
March 17, 2022
There's nothing in Rudolf's book that's particularly surprising. What Rudolf has to say is, unfortunately right.
Yes, factually innocent people are convicted of crimes. Yes, police and prosecutors too often let tunnel vision and confirmation bias cloud their work. Yes, some police and prosecutors - both individuals and whole departments - are corrupt; others are just sloppy or incompetent. Yes, much of what passes for forensic science is something closer to voodoo than actual science. And yes, a surprisingly large number of people really do confess, and even plead guilty, to crimes they did not commit.
Rudolf makes all that plain with the stories he tells of his clients and others. (He doesn't point out that other factually innocent people are convicted of crimes because juries sometimes just get it wrong.). The stories he tells are often tragic, the horrors he piles up real. They will, no doubt, open some eyes.
Having said that much, it's important to add that although Rudolf might lead you to believe otherwise, most people convicted of serious crimes, the vast majority really, are factually guilty of something at least close to what they're found guilty of. And he oversells some. Yes, when the innocent are convicted the guilty remain free and may commit more crimes. But it doesn't always work that way. (I'm a criminal defense lawyer; I could tell stories, too, but I won't here.) And do we really need to hear about the million dollar verdicts he has recovered for some of the men whose stories he tells?
Yes, factually innocent people are convicted of crimes. Yes, police and prosecutors too often let tunnel vision and confirmation bias cloud their work. Yes, some police and prosecutors - both individuals and whole departments - are corrupt; others are just sloppy or incompetent. Yes, much of what passes for forensic science is something closer to voodoo than actual science. And yes, a surprisingly large number of people really do confess, and even plead guilty, to crimes they did not commit.
Rudolf makes all that plain with the stories he tells of his clients and others. (He doesn't point out that other factually innocent people are convicted of crimes because juries sometimes just get it wrong.). The stories he tells are often tragic, the horrors he piles up real. They will, no doubt, open some eyes.
Having said that much, it's important to add that although Rudolf might lead you to believe otherwise, most people convicted of serious crimes, the vast majority really, are factually guilty of something at least close to what they're found guilty of. And he oversells some. Yes, when the innocent are convicted the guilty remain free and may commit more crimes. But it doesn't always work that way. (I'm a criminal defense lawyer; I could tell stories, too, but I won't here.) And do we really need to hear about the million dollar verdicts he has recovered for some of the men whose stories he tells?
March 19, 2022
David Rudolf’s book is a series of trials where the government, represented by the police, prosecutors and judges, abuse their power to imprison the wrong person. Many of these stories are heartbreaking where innocent people end up in prison for many years because investigators want to close a case, or have a grudge against the person, or are just incompetent.
These stories are sad because putting the wrong person in prison still let the real perpetrator off the hook, make the community less safe, victimize an innocent person, and doesn’t provide closure to the real victims. The stories are interesting, and many of those could have been written in a separate book. One thing I wish the author would have done is provide a chapter where he discusses his own analysis of the system. The book describes one example after the other, which at the ends become a little bit redundant. However there is a lot of fascinating details that make the book interesting to read.
These stories are sad because putting the wrong person in prison still let the real perpetrator off the hook, make the community less safe, victimize an innocent person, and doesn’t provide closure to the real victims. The stories are interesting, and many of those could have been written in a separate book. One thing I wish the author would have done is provide a chapter where he discusses his own analysis of the system. The book describes one example after the other, which at the ends become a little bit redundant. However there is a lot of fascinating details that make the book interesting to read.
March 3, 2022
We don't have a justice system in the US, we have a legal system. This book details a number of cases from attorney David S. Rudolf's career and others he has investigated, showing the ways defendants are manipulated into confessing despite their innocence, how investigators misuse evidence and witnesses, and how things just go wrong. It's not an easy read, and there are some downright disturbing stories here.
Hell of a good book.
Hell of a good book.
February 6, 2022
This was a pretty good book that shows an interesting perspective. I often found myself disagreeing with the author’s perspective as he seemed to somehow dismiss some people’s terrible crimes in the name of justice. But overall, it was interesting and well-written.
September 11, 2022
David Rudolf started his law career as a public defender in New York. After several years there he moved to North Carolina where he has lived his life and made a name for himself as the defense attorney you want if you are innocent and being charged with a crime. In this book he exposes the errors of the justice system and how it is stacked against those being charged with a crime.
Using real cases, he exposes the systemic problems. Many defendants agree to serve less time for a crime they didn't commit rather than face a jury and possibly serve much more time. Rudolf states that fewer and fewer cases are actually going before a jury and most are adjudicated by a deal before trial. Of those going to trial, there are many pitfalls facing the defendant.
One issue is forced confessions. Most people say they would never confess to something they haven't done, but after hours of interrogation, lies from those in charge and horrible predictions of what will happen without a confession, many do confess. The most striking case of this would be the Central Park jogger case where five young men confessed to the rape of a victim they had nothing to do with. Another issue is confirmation bias where a police officer decides he knows who committed a crime and ignores any evidence to the contrary. Rudolf represented a doctor who came home to find his wife horribly murdered. The police decided he must have done it although there were witnesses to his whereabouts from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 that night as he rotated between three hospitals. There was plenty of evidence pointing to a more likely candidate but once the police found out the doctor had been having an affair, all other evidence was ignored.
Another issue is forensic prejudice. Although such evidence should be scientifically based, the forensic examiners work every day with the police. There is a tendency to shade the evidence to help the police make a case. The most famous example readers will have heard of is the case of Michael Peterson where the medical examiner lied on the stand about his credentials and made statements of certainty that the victim was killed by blows to the head. This case was made into the series The Staircase. The medical examiner was later found to have lied on the stand and shaded evidence in multiple cases and lost his job. Although Rudolf's cases were based in North Carolina, this is not just a one state problem but rather the cases he had access to.
Those readers interested in our justice system will find this book interesting but come away with a sour taste in their mouths about the abuses of power rife in the system. With the advent of DNA and its validity in finding both the innocent and guilty, there have been thousands of cases of people released from prison after being wrongfully convicted. This book is recommended for nonfiction readers.
Using real cases, he exposes the systemic problems. Many defendants agree to serve less time for a crime they didn't commit rather than face a jury and possibly serve much more time. Rudolf states that fewer and fewer cases are actually going before a jury and most are adjudicated by a deal before trial. Of those going to trial, there are many pitfalls facing the defendant.
One issue is forced confessions. Most people say they would never confess to something they haven't done, but after hours of interrogation, lies from those in charge and horrible predictions of what will happen without a confession, many do confess. The most striking case of this would be the Central Park jogger case where five young men confessed to the rape of a victim they had nothing to do with. Another issue is confirmation bias where a police officer decides he knows who committed a crime and ignores any evidence to the contrary. Rudolf represented a doctor who came home to find his wife horribly murdered. The police decided he must have done it although there were witnesses to his whereabouts from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 that night as he rotated between three hospitals. There was plenty of evidence pointing to a more likely candidate but once the police found out the doctor had been having an affair, all other evidence was ignored.
Another issue is forensic prejudice. Although such evidence should be scientifically based, the forensic examiners work every day with the police. There is a tendency to shade the evidence to help the police make a case. The most famous example readers will have heard of is the case of Michael Peterson where the medical examiner lied on the stand about his credentials and made statements of certainty that the victim was killed by blows to the head. This case was made into the series The Staircase. The medical examiner was later found to have lied on the stand and shaded evidence in multiple cases and lost his job. Although Rudolf's cases were based in North Carolina, this is not just a one state problem but rather the cases he had access to.
Those readers interested in our justice system will find this book interesting but come away with a sour taste in their mouths about the abuses of power rife in the system. With the advent of DNA and its validity in finding both the innocent and guilty, there have been thousands of cases of people released from prison after being wrongfully convicted. This book is recommended for nonfiction readers.
March 1, 2022
3.5 stars
This book is being compared to Just Mercy. It is nowhere near as easy to read or easy to love however. Bryan Stevenson really humanized all of the people he wrote about in Just Mercy which I think is why it really affected me. American Injustice is also an important book, but it just reads like the dry nonfiction that it is. He talks about so many cases that it is hard to keep them straight. What is clear, however, is how messed up the criminal justice system in our country is. Most of the cases he talks about were from North Carolina, my home state, and I am surprised by how little I knew about any of them (with the exception of the case "The Staircase" is based on, since that has been popularized recently).
Some quotes from the book:
"Police and prosecutors routinely engage in a variety of abuses of power to obtain convictions." (the basis of the entire book)
"There is a humanity to everyone charged with a crime. None of us wants that humanity to be forgotten or discarded, no matter what we may have done in the moment."
"The goal of the defense lawyer... Is to put the defendant's conduct into a larger context, so that they will not be judged and punished solely for what in many cases is the worst decision they will ever make."
"Suspects falsely confess every day in the United States. And even more people plead guilty to crimes they didn't commit, because the option of waiting months, or even years, to go to trial, and the consequences of losing that trial, are overwhelming."
"The interpretation of forensic evidence is not always based on scientific studies to determine its validity."
This book is being compared to Just Mercy. It is nowhere near as easy to read or easy to love however. Bryan Stevenson really humanized all of the people he wrote about in Just Mercy which I think is why it really affected me. American Injustice is also an important book, but it just reads like the dry nonfiction that it is. He talks about so many cases that it is hard to keep them straight. What is clear, however, is how messed up the criminal justice system in our country is. Most of the cases he talks about were from North Carolina, my home state, and I am surprised by how little I knew about any of them (with the exception of the case "The Staircase" is based on, since that has been popularized recently).
Some quotes from the book:
"Police and prosecutors routinely engage in a variety of abuses of power to obtain convictions." (the basis of the entire book)
"There is a humanity to everyone charged with a crime. None of us wants that humanity to be forgotten or discarded, no matter what we may have done in the moment."
"The goal of the defense lawyer... Is to put the defendant's conduct into a larger context, so that they will not be judged and punished solely for what in many cases is the worst decision they will ever make."
"Suspects falsely confess every day in the United States. And even more people plead guilty to crimes they didn't commit, because the option of waiting months, or even years, to go to trial, and the consequences of losing that trial, are overwhelming."
"The interpretation of forensic evidence is not always based on scientific studies to determine its validity."
February 21, 2022
An eye-opening book spotlighting flaws within America’s criminal justice system, written by one who has been in the trenches, battling the abuse of power for many years. When asked about representing people often deemed guilty before a trial, the author states: “For me, it boils down to recognizing the humanity in my clients, no matter how horrendously they may have acted in a given situation. It’s having some empathy for who they are, understanding the forces that shaped (and often twisted) them, and recognizing that they are not the sum total of the acts they have committed.”
I wept during some of these stories, particularly those dealing with individuals struggling with mental difficulties who were badgered into confessing crimes they did not commit. It’s a lengthy, complicated and often impossible process to overturn these rulings, and often innocent people spend years in prison - and sometimes lose their lives. This also means that the guilty party is free to continue breaking the law, so justice is not served.
Do yourself a favor - read this book and educate yourself on the successes and failures of our system. No one is immune.
I wept during some of these stories, particularly those dealing with individuals struggling with mental difficulties who were badgered into confessing crimes they did not commit. It’s a lengthy, complicated and often impossible process to overturn these rulings, and often innocent people spend years in prison - and sometimes lose their lives. This also means that the guilty party is free to continue breaking the law, so justice is not served.
Do yourself a favor - read this book and educate yourself on the successes and failures of our system. No one is immune.
June 29, 2022
Compelling, horrifying, heartbreaking, and infuriating. I decided to read this book because I watched both versions of "The Staircase" and I thought David Rudolf might write an interesting book. Did he ever! Anyone reading this would certainly like to think that they wouldn't be as callous, corrupt, lazy, or just plain evil as many of the people working in law enforcement that Rudolf calls out. My god, how many thousands of people have died in prison for something they didn't do? What is the saying, "Better to let 10 guilty people go free than to wrongly convict one innocent man." (I'm paraphrasing) The hell of it is, Rudolf doesn't really point the way towards changing this corrupt system beyond beseeching law enforcement to avoid confirmation bias, not to trust many "scientific" investigatory methods. Still, he grabs your attention and really, many of these tragic miscarriages of justice could happen to a LOT of us.
February 15, 2023
American Injustice: Inside Stories From The Underbelly of The Criminal Justice System examines the abuse of power within the American Justice System. Defense Attorney David S. Rudolf pairs court observation, true crime reporting, legal knowledge, and gut-wrenching, real-life stories of the wrongfully convicted to deliver a gripping tale of the impact of legal wrongdoing.
American Injustice is a worthy read. It provides just enough information on the behind-the-scenes processes of the criminal justice system to equip the reader with just enough to be dangerous and the context to understand how it biases marginalized communities. The choice to follow knowledge with real-life stories illustrating how these biases work together and the people who have the power to put them into motion forces us to contend with what we know to be true of the entire system or validate what we may have already believed. It is educational and emotional and, quite frankly, well done.
American Injustice is a worthy read. It provides just enough information on the behind-the-scenes processes of the criminal justice system to equip the reader with just enough to be dangerous and the context to understand how it biases marginalized communities. The choice to follow knowledge with real-life stories illustrating how these biases work together and the people who have the power to put them into motion forces us to contend with what we know to be true of the entire system or validate what we may have already believed. It is educational and emotional and, quite frankly, well done.
March 21, 2022
Intriguing to me as I live in NC and many of the cases involved NC victims, authorities and criminals. We think that Justice is blind and we want to believe that it is, but it is not and corruption permeates every possible corner of our system, judges, prosecutors, FBI, SBI, forensic investigators, police, sheriffs, witnesses and more.
The authour shows us just how easy someone can be wrongfully convicted, but even more heartbreaking, how long it takes to reverse a guilty verdict when evidence or confessions come to light that redeem the innocent. It is for this very reason that I cannot endorse a death sentence for anyone.
The book had some redundancies but the author’s strong sense of justice and righting wrongs are admirable as well as those tireless efforts by legal aid and students with the Innocence Project and other such organizations.
The authour shows us just how easy someone can be wrongfully convicted, but even more heartbreaking, how long it takes to reverse a guilty verdict when evidence or confessions come to light that redeem the innocent. It is for this very reason that I cannot endorse a death sentence for anyone.
The book had some redundancies but the author’s strong sense of justice and righting wrongs are admirable as well as those tireless efforts by legal aid and students with the Innocence Project and other such organizations.
January 1, 2025
As tremendously captivating as it is infuriating and depressing. The examples of law enforcement and prosecutorial malfeasance are maddening—maybe not surprising to folks in the legal system, but getting a career’s worth of these details from high-profile cases makes for quite the gut punch. A great read for anyone, but especially for lawyers, true crime enthusiasts, and apologists of various cogs in the law enforcement machinery.
The structure is ultimately not optimal insofar as the main story gets broken up in a way that doesn’t feel that necessary, but the constituent parts/stories still make this a 5 for me. Also didn’t realize this was going to be as NC-based as it is, so that was a bonus (lots of direct and indirect connections).
The structure is ultimately not optimal insofar as the main story gets broken up in a way that doesn’t feel that necessary, but the constituent parts/stories still make this a 5 for me. Also didn’t realize this was going to be as NC-based as it is, so that was a bonus (lots of direct and indirect connections).
November 28, 2022
Reading this book about malfeasance of police, District Attorneys and others in the USA, I was reminded of 2 cases here in Ontario where 2 prominent doctors gave misleading or erroneous testimony about situations involving children
Dr Charles Smith, a forensic pathologist, provided false interpretations from autopsies of children which caused many criminal convictions. For followup info check into the Goudge inquiry.
Dr Gideon Koren, the head of program called Motherisk at the Hospital for Sick Children in which he used hair-strand drug and alcohol testing to confirm criminal charges and child protective allegations.
Dr Charles Smith, a forensic pathologist, provided false interpretations from autopsies of children which caused many criminal convictions. For followup info check into the Goudge inquiry.
Dr Gideon Koren, the head of program called Motherisk at the Hospital for Sick Children in which he used hair-strand drug and alcohol testing to confirm criminal charges and child protective allegations.
May 6, 2023
This was unexpectedly well written. I came to this book because I watched Netflix's The Staircase and wanted to know what David Rudolf was doing writing it. It turns out, this is an incredible long view of some very broken cases that Rudolf has been involved in, pointing to larger issues in law and policing that need reform. Each chapter is another case (or so) that build into his larger points, bookended by one case that is very representative of the whole mess. I didn't really know what I was getting into - and I'm certainly no lawyer or law expert - but this audiobook was hard to put down. This is not an uplifting narrative by any means, but it is poignant and gripping.
March 27, 2022
Many of you might know Attorney David Rudolf as the defense attorney for Michael Peterson in the documentary “The Staircase”. He was mesmerizing to watch in action during that doc, but he has had a storied career decades before the Peterson cases, including notable civil rights cases.
There’s a part in the second to last chapter where I cheered aloud while I was reading (Attorney Rudolf has a “Perry Mason” moment while questioning a witness at a hearing). However, being a defense attorney is not a glamorous life and there are many setbacks. Reading about the cases that Rudolf was maddening at times due to the corrupt judicial system and even more so due to the corrupt police forces. For every step forward, there are three steps back, all while innocent people sit in jail for decades of their life.
Though the individuals are punished unfairly, it’s still not a depressing book to read. It fact, it’s an important read that I would like to be added to reading lists for law students. The story of this one man’s career is a reality check for all Americans, regardless of demographics.
There’s a lot of hope in between the lines of the corruption. I recommend this book and give it 5 stars.
Thank you to Custom House for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There’s a part in the second to last chapter where I cheered aloud while I was reading (Attorney Rudolf has a “Perry Mason” moment while questioning a witness at a hearing). However, being a defense attorney is not a glamorous life and there are many setbacks. Reading about the cases that Rudolf was maddening at times due to the corrupt judicial system and even more so due to the corrupt police forces. For every step forward, there are three steps back, all while innocent people sit in jail for decades of their life.
Though the individuals are punished unfairly, it’s still not a depressing book to read. It fact, it’s an important read that I would like to be added to reading lists for law students. The story of this one man’s career is a reality check for all Americans, regardless of demographics.
There’s a lot of hope in between the lines of the corruption. I recommend this book and give it 5 stars.
Thank you to Custom House for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 10, 2022
One of the most important books I’ve read. Anyone who believes our criminal justice system is actually one of justice, ought to read even the first few pages for a much needed wake up call. This book was incredibly hard to read at times with the corruption of our judicial system and our police force staring at me in the face, but holy crap was it a riveting book to read. Everything flowed well and the explanations of the case were easy to understand. Complex legal terms were also defined by the author. You won’t feel stupid reading this book, just shocked.
January 28, 2022
I'd like to thank Custom House, the author, and goodreads for sending me this book for an honest review.
The author is a longtime defense attorney and shares several stories of cases that show abuse of justice. The cases are sad examples of some of the things that unfortunately occur in the justice system.
I found this book to be very interesting and enlightening, but also very disturbing. I highly recommend this book. 5 🌟
The author is a longtime defense attorney and shares several stories of cases that show abuse of justice. The cases are sad examples of some of the things that unfortunately occur in the justice system.
I found this book to be very interesting and enlightening, but also very disturbing. I highly recommend this book. 5 🌟
February 21, 2022
I really liked this one. Wildly readable & absolutely shocking. What’s bananas about the examples in this book is that for every example of injustice shared there are probably hundreds if not thousands more out there.
Anyway, I definitely recommend this one if you’re interested in this topic. Published January 25, 2022 - aka out now!
(Additionally, The Staircase on Netflix ft Rudolf was a really interesting look into the intricacies of the criminal justice system & the processes.)
Anyway, I definitely recommend this one if you’re interested in this topic. Published January 25, 2022 - aka out now!
(Additionally, The Staircase on Netflix ft Rudolf was a really interesting look into the intricacies of the criminal justice system & the processes.)
May 26, 2022
*Goodreads giveaway
I really enjoyed and hated this book! Very well written, easy to follow through different cases. The blatant injustices and flat out lies told by people in power is utterly frustrating and astonishing. Knowing this Is just one lawyers dealings with that and not representing even a fraction of all the times this has occurred left me angry, sadden, and afraid. I can only hope there are more lawyers like David Rudolf.
I really enjoyed and hated this book! Very well written, easy to follow through different cases. The blatant injustices and flat out lies told by people in power is utterly frustrating and astonishing. Knowing this Is just one lawyers dealings with that and not representing even a fraction of all the times this has occurred left me angry, sadden, and afraid. I can only hope there are more lawyers like David Rudolf.
October 30, 2022
I've read many books on this topic, and each time I continue to be in disbelief about how much corruption has passed through our justice system. Rudolf's writing is engaging, making a heavy topic easy to read rather than dry and dull. I find I like these books not only for expanding my knowledge and empathy about past stories people have gone through, but also to make me a more informed juror should I ever sit on a jury in a case like this.
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