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The Trials of Walter Ogrod

The Shocking Murder, So-Called Confessions, and Notorious Snitch That Sent a Man to Death Row

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The Trials of Walter Ogrod

By: Thomas Lowenstein
Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla
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About this listen

The horrific 1988 murder of four-year-old Barbara Jean Horn shocked the citizens of Philadelphia. Plucked from her own front yard, Barbara Jean was found dead less than two and a half hours later in a cardboard TV box dragged to a nearby street curb. After months of investigation with no strong leads, the case went cold. Four years later it was reopened, and Walter Ogrod, a young man with autism spectrum disorder who had lived across the street from the family at the time of the murder, was brought in as a suspect.

Ogrod bears no resemblance to the composite police sketch based on eyewitness accounts of the man carrying the box, and there is no physical evidence linking him to the crime. His conviction was based solely on a confession he signed after 36 hours without sleep. "They said I could go home if I signed it," Ogrod told his brother from the jailhouse. The case was so weak that the jury voted unanimously to acquit him, but at the last second - in a dramatic courtroom declaration - one juror changed his mind. As he waited for a retrial, Ogrod's fate was sealed when a notorious jailhouse snitch was planted in his cell block and supplied the prosecution with a second supposed confession. As a result, Walter Ogrod sits on death row for the murder today.

Informed by police records, court transcripts, interviews, letters, journals, and more, award-winning journalist Thomas Lowenstein leads listeners through the facts of the infamous Horn murder case in compelling, compassionate, and riveting fashion. He reveals explosive new evidence that points to a condemned man's innocence and exposes a larger underlying pattern of prosecutorial misconduct in Philadelphia.

©2017 Thomas Lowenstein (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Murder Exciting
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What listeners say about The Trials of Walter Ogrod

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Amazing Outlook of the Case

Absolutely enjoyed this book, I got invested which at points made me super emotional

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Travesty of Justice

I found this a gripping read, and naively thought this could never happen. I was shocked and disturbed by the behaviour of the police and prosecution; and the events really do defy belief. My heart goes out to this man.

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Walter Ogrod

Walter's name came up in another book I read as someone who was likely innocent but in prison. I was intrigued to listen to the account of Walter's trials, excellently narrated, excellent account, worrying outcome. well worth a listen. I'll be researching Walter some more in the future.

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sad but well read

Good narrative but many names to remember, try and listen without too many gaps, chapters aren't in the right place

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brilliant

loved this book!
just shows the legal system is simply a business.
what happened to Walter is appalling and continues to be appalling.

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unbelievable police brutality

very well read, interesting story, all round good listen if you like to read miscarriages of justice. I would be happy to recommend this audiobook.

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Shocking eye opener!

I wasnt sure how i would feel following the completion of this book, yet i am surprisingly certain of my feelings. with such research done in the making of this it places you there as events unfold. it lets you feel or understand every possible emotion and for me makes it so very clear how the american justice system is failing far too many. I hope and pray walter finds his way home hope his case is shown for what it is, a lie. It was a horrible thing that happened that day but it will never turn back time, and its certainly not a solution to make someone pay for those events just for sake of saying they can tick the job off as closed. He is innocent and the one responsible is still out there....but to those who found his verdict acceptable it doesnt matter. After all why worry about someone languishing in jail awaiting death when all it was is a 'job well done'.....

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Shocking case of wrongful conviction

This case is truly appalling. The police and prosecutors seem to have done whatever it took to get a conviction, that Walter was not the culprit mattered not at all. Walter was released last year, after 28 years in prison. I hope that the killer of Barbara Jean is found soon.

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Great Story

Loved it. Chilling how easily an innocent man can be put on death row. Would recommend to anyone interested in true crime investigations.

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Excellent reporting

Highly recommend, both the writing and the narration are really good. Thoroughly researched, and this story is outrageous.

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2 people found this helpful