Dimensions
152 x 229 x 29mm
In contextualizing the complex, morally ambiguous true crime story driving Netflix sensation Making a Murderer-and weaving in many other cases from his colorful career-this book by Steven Avery's defense attorney, Jerome Buting, will combine top-tier reportage, untold aspects of the Avery and Brendan Dassey trials, and personal memoir with a provocative, ground-breaking call for reform within America's criminal justice system, which in principle presumes innocence, but in practice presumes guilt. Not since The Thin Blue Line has there been a true crime documentary as engrossing as Making a Murder. Captivating Netflix's viewer base across demographic lines, it has galvanized debate not only about Steven Avery's case, but also about the dysfunction within America's criminal justice system. Amid the horror, two heroes emerge: Avery's defense lawyers Jerome Buting and Dean Strang. They stand out in the documentary not only because of their intelligence and eloquence, but also because of the integrity and sense of purpose with which they conduct what is, from the beginning, a Sisyphean ordeal. Hearing an insider's narrative of the Avery case from one of his defense attorneys has undeniable appeal, but this book will be more than just a one-note wonder; it will be a revolutionary commentary on the integrity of our law enforcement and legal systems. Bookended by Buting's insider's narrative of the infamous case will be a broader personal narrative of his development as a lawyer: his professional motivations, riveting recollections of defining cases, and lasting lessons learned. Together, these experiences will shape a perennially relevant analysis of the deeply flawed judicial system (of which Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey are just two of many casualties) in which he practices. The reality of what happened in Wisconsin is just a taste of what will happen if the defining forces of our legal system continue to ignore John Adams's warning about the consequences of forgetting their primary aim, a truth that resonated hugely with audiences of Making A Murderer and that will drive Buting's book. He stands out in the documentary as an eloquent advocate for due process and true justice, as a man determined to fulfill his professional responsibility and, in the face of overwhelming odds, make the judicial system work as it is meant to do-and he clearly remains so even in the face of so much evidence to the contrary.
