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The Resource Burned : A Story of Murder and the Crime that Wasn't, Edward Humes

Burned : A Story of Murder and the Crime that Wasn't, Edward Humes

Creator
Author
Summary
  • Examines the case of Jo Ann Parks, the sole survivor and eyewitness of a Los Angeles apartment fire in which her three young children perished. Parks was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole based on forensic fire science that is now being challenged by the California Innocence Project, which contends tunnel vision and outright bias not only led to life in prison for an innocent mother, but convicted her of a crime that never actually happened
  • "Was a monstrous killer brought to justice or an innocent mother condemned? On an April night in 1989, Jo Ann Parks survived a house fire that claimed the lives of her three small children. Though the fire at first seemed a tragic accident, investigators soon reported finding evidence proving that Parks had sabotaged wiring, set several fires herself and even barricaded her four-year-old son inside a closet to prevent his escape. Though she insisted she did nothing wrong, Jo Ann Parks received a life sentence without parole based on the power of forensic fire science that convincingly proved her guilt. But more than a quarter century later, a revolution in the science of fire has exposed many of the incontrovertible truths of 1989 as guesswork in disguise. The California Innocence Project is challenging Parks's conviction and the so-called science behind it, claiming that false assumptions and outright bias convicted an innocent mother of a crime that never actually happened. If Parks is exonerated, she could well be the 'Patient Zero' in an epidemic of overturned guilty verdicts--but only if she wins. Can prosecutors dredge up enough evidence and roadblocks to make sure Jo Ann Parks dies in prison? No matter how her last-ditch effort for freedom turns out, the scenes of betrayal, ruin, and hope will leave readers longing for justice we can trust."--Dust jacket
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
307 pages
Contents
  • Part one: A long fuse lit. April 9, 1989 ; 1,100 degrees ; Firefighting ; Statements ; Victims ; Arson expert ; Three days in October 1991
  • Part two: Stirring the ashes. The pit ; Growing up Jo Ann ; They told me I couldn't ; It's all gonna come out in the end ; Everything which is not law ; "If I am wrong, then everything I have ever been taught ... would all be wrong"
  • Part three: Fire on trial. Sherlock was wrong ; The monster speaks ; The bias man ; Unhinged ; What revolution?
  • Epilogue: The curse of uncertainty
Isbn
9781524742133
Instance
Label
Burned : A Story of Murder and the Crime that Wasn't
Title
Burned
Title remainder
A Story of Murder and the Crime that Wasn't
Statement of responsibility
Edward Humes
Creator
Author
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
  • Examines the case of Jo Ann Parks, the sole survivor and eyewitness of a Los Angeles apartment fire in which her three young children perished. Parks was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole based on forensic fire science that is now being challenged by the California Innocence Project, which contends tunnel vision and outright bias not only led to life in prison for an innocent mother, but convicted her of a crime that never actually happened
  • "Was a monstrous killer brought to justice or an innocent mother condemned? On an April night in 1989, Jo Ann Parks survived a house fire that claimed the lives of her three small children. Though the fire at first seemed a tragic accident, investigators soon reported finding evidence proving that Parks had sabotaged wiring, set several fires herself and even barricaded her four-year-old son inside a closet to prevent his escape. Though she insisted she did nothing wrong, Jo Ann Parks received a life sentence without parole based on the power of forensic fire science that convincingly proved her guilt. But more than a quarter century later, a revolution in the science of fire has exposed many of the incontrovertible truths of 1989 as guesswork in disguise. The California Innocence Project is challenging Parks's conviction and the so-called science behind it, claiming that false assumptions and outright bias convicted an innocent mother of a crime that never actually happened. If Parks is exonerated, she could well be the 'Patient Zero' in an epidemic of overturned guilty verdicts--but only if she wins. Can prosecutors dredge up enough evidence and roadblocks to make sure Jo Ann Parks dies in prison? No matter how her last-ditch effort for freedom turns out, the scenes of betrayal, ruin, and hope will leave readers longing for justice we can trust."--Dust jacket
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Humes, Edward
Dewey number
364.152/3092
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
Language note
Text in English
LC call number
HV9475.C2
LC item number
.H86 2019
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Parks, Jo Ann
  • Women prisoners
  • Female offenders
  • Mothers
  • Malicious accusation
  • Trials (Murder)
  • Arson investigation
  • TRUE CRIME / Murder / General
  • SOCIAL SCIENCE / Criminology
  • LAW / Forensic Science
  • Mothers
Target audience
adult
Label
Burned : A Story of Murder and the Crime that Wasn't, Edward Humes
Instantiates
Publication
Copyright
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Part one: A long fuse lit. April 9, 1989 ; 1,100 degrees ; Firefighting ; Statements ; Victims ; Arson expert ; Three days in October 1991 -- Part two: Stirring the ashes. The pit ; Growing up Jo Ann ; They told me I couldn't ; It's all gonna come out in the end ; Everything which is not law ; "If I am wrong, then everything I have ever been taught ... would all be wrong" -- Part three: Fire on trial. Sherlock was wrong ; The monster speaks ; The bias man ; Unhinged ; What revolution? -- Epilogue: The curse of uncertainty
Control code
on1079400651
Dimensions
24 cm.
Extent
307 pages
Isbn
9781524742133
Lccn
2018031742
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)1079400651
Label
Burned : A Story of Murder and the Crime that Wasn't, Edward Humes
Publication
Copyright
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Part one: A long fuse lit. April 9, 1989 ; 1,100 degrees ; Firefighting ; Statements ; Victims ; Arson expert ; Three days in October 1991 -- Part two: Stirring the ashes. The pit ; Growing up Jo Ann ; They told me I couldn't ; It's all gonna come out in the end ; Everything which is not law ; "If I am wrong, then everything I have ever been taught ... would all be wrong" -- Part three: Fire on trial. Sherlock was wrong ; The monster speaks ; The bias man ; Unhinged ; What revolution? -- Epilogue: The curse of uncertainty
Control code
on1079400651
Dimensions
24 cm.
Extent
307 pages
Isbn
9781524742133
Lccn
2018031742
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)1079400651

Subject

Genre

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