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This book tells the story of renowned fire investigator John J. Lentini's 50 years as a forensic scientist. In recounting his most significant cases, Lentini highlights the critical challenges faced by forensic science, including ignorance, cognitive biases, and errors that have led to wrongful convictions.
List of contents
Introduction
Part I:
Learning 1. A Twist of Fate 2. The Arson Years-Catching Bad Guys 3. Branching Out-Figuring Out Accidental Fires 4. The Lime Street Fire-A Major Turning Point 5. The Black Holes of Oakland-Unlearning the Myths
Part II: Case Studies 6. Arizona vs. Ray Girdler-Working for the Judge 7. Pennsylvania vs. Han-Tak Lee-21 Years to Correct a Miscarriage 8. Pennsylvania vs. Louis DiNicola-When the Data Doesn't Fit, Change the Data 9. Georgia vs. Weldon Wayne Carr-Making the Data Match the Narrative 10. Georgia vs. John Metcalf and Kimberly Post-The Lost Guitar 11. Maynard Clark vs. Auto Owners Insurance-Lightning? What Lightning? 12. Pennsylvania vs. Paul Camiolo-Innocent Gasoline 13. Texas vs. Cameron Todd Willingham-Trouble in Texas 14. Tennessee vs. Claude Garrett-He Died Free but Just Barely 15. Tennessee vs. Terry Jackson-How the Hacks Almost Got Him Executed 16. Texas vs. Sonia Cacy-More Trouble in Texas 17. U.S. vs. Kenneth and Ricky Daniels-Flawed Logic and Lies 18. California vs. George Souliotes-The Shoes
Don't Tell the Tale 19. Michigan vs. David Lee Gavitt-Thrice Burned 20. Pennsylvania vs. Michele Black-How an Unusual Electrical Fire Became a Train Wreck 21. Indiana vs. Kristine Bunch-Opening a Cascade of
Brady Violations 22. Georgia vs. Linda and Scott Dahlman-Taking Absence of Motive to New Lows 23. Wisconsin vs. Joseph Awe-New Science Equals New Evidence 24. Maryland vs. Eshyna Young-Explaining Away Contradictory Data
Part III: Epilogue 25. Where Do We Go from Here?
About the author
John Lentini is a certified fire investigator and has been at the center of most of the important developments in fire investigation for the past 45 years. He began his career at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory in 1974. He is the author of more than 50 publications, and has been recognized by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), who named him "Person of the Year" in 2015 for his work in correcting and preventing wrongful arson convictions. He now provides training and fire investigation consulting, through his company Scientific Fire Analysis.
