Narratives of Guilt and Innocence: The Power of Storytelling in Wrongful Conviction Cases

The book Narratives of Guilt and Innocence explores how prosecutors can convince juries and themselves of the guilt of an innocent defendant, often even against strong exculpatory evidence. It highlights the narrative blueprint of a given criminal justice system and how the power of narrative influences how police, prosecutors, juries, and judges construct legal reality and the evidence for it. It questions the effectiveness of the adversarial contest between prosecutor and defense as a means to arrive at the truth and argues that narrative is an important factor in the construction of legal reality. Wrongful convictions exemplify that narrative and truth have an uncomfortable relationship.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 11 July 2023
Publisher: New York University Press

Wrongful convictions have been extensively studied from various perspectives, including law, psychology, and the social sciences. While scholarship has identified key factors that contribute to the conviction of innocent individuals, a fundamental question remains unanswered: How can prosecutors persuade juries and themselves of the guilt of an innocent defendant, often even in the face of strong exculpatory evidence?

Narratives of Guilt and Innocence aims to address this critical inquiry by examining the narrative blueprint of a particular criminal justice system and exploring how the power of narrative shapes the construction of legal reality and the evidence supporting it. It is widely acknowledged that law and storytelling are interconnected, yet our understanding of the intricate role of storytelling in criminal cases and wrongful convictions remains limited. This book challenges the effectiveness of the adversarial contest between prosecutors and defense as a means to ascertain the truth and argues that narrative plays a significant role in shaping legal reality. Wrongful convictions serve as a stark illustration of the complex relationship between narrative and truth. Ralph Grunewald offers a retelling and critical analysis of well-known miscarriages of justice, including the most famous wrongful conviction in Germany. By adopting a comparative perspective, the book demonstrates that the narrative desire, a fundamental human trait, possesses universal power and resilience that transcends the regulatory and procedural frameworks of any given system.

Narratives of Guilt and Innocence provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary exploration of wrongful convictions, placing them within a comparative context. Through vivid storytelling, the book sheds light on the mechanisms and factors that contribute to these tragic occurrences, challenging readers to consider the broader implications of narrative power in the criminal justice system. By examining the narratives of guilt and innocence, this book offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between law, psychology, and society, and contributes to our understanding of the importance of truth, justice, and the preservation of human rights.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479818198