In April 1989, JoAnn Park’s three children died in a house fire, however, Parks was able to make it. What appeared to be an accidental fire turned into a full-drawn investigation as Parks was arrested and convicted of murdering her children in 1993 and was sentenced to life without parole. As scientific technology has advanced over the past decades, doubts have arisen and many believe that the fire was accidental and Parks is innocent. Written by Pulitzer Prize novelist Edward Humes, Burned takes a deeper look into the mysterious and fascinating world of forensics as he exposes the flaws within forensic evidence and the American justice system. Humes presents the story in a conversational way; he keeps it short and simple for a good easy read. While it is a good book to read while sitting on a bus or sitting outside on a patio, readers should be warned that this story carries a heavy amount of weight. It is formulated in a way that readers forget that it is a nonfiction story due to the traumatizing events that occur in the story. One event in the story I found very eerie and uncomfortable was when Ron Parks--JoAnn Park’s husband--arrives at the police station and hears the news of his children’s passing. He says to JoAnn, “You killed my kids.” JoAnn was shocked and with tears running down her face she retaliates saying, “No, I didn’t. I did everything I could” (Humes 37). Although I do not have children, I could not fathom the idea of losing my younger siblings; even though they drive me insane, I have helped my parents raise them as if they were my own. A nightmare for any parent--I believe--would be losing their children, but for the Parks this became a reality they had to adjust to. Humes eloquently goes into detail about JoAnn’s unusual demeanor and how her odd behavior influenced the prosecutors working on her case. In 1993, Parks is arrested and convicted of murdering her three children in a house fire. This event is another moment in the story where I became a bit teary-eyed as her screams and pleas for innocence were soul-crushing. As of 2019, JoAnn Parks is still in jail serving life for three counts of first-degree murder, however, Parks’ case has been reopened thanks to Humes. JoAnn Parks was granted a habeas corpus trial, and The California Innocence Project is pleading her innocence with new evidence that shall be presented to the judge. Edward Humes’ Burned has captivated many readers and has exposed flaws within the American justice system and forensic science.
Humes presents the story in a conversational way; he keeps it short and simple for a good easy read. While it is a good book to read while sitting on a bus or sitting outside on a patio, readers should be warned that this story carries a heavy amount of weight. It is formulated in a way that readers forget that it is a nonfiction story due to the traumatizing events that occur in the story.
One event in the story I found very eerie and uncomfortable was when Ron Parks--JoAnn Park’s husband--arrives at the police station and hears the news of his children’s passing. He says to JoAnn, “You killed my kids.” JoAnn was shocked and with tears running down her face she retaliates saying, “No, I didn’t. I did everything I could” (Humes 37). Although I do not have children, I could not fathom the idea of losing my younger siblings; even though they drive me insane, I have helped my parents raise them as if they were my own. A nightmare for any parent--I believe--would be losing their children, but for the Parks this became a reality they had to adjust to.
Humes eloquently goes into detail about JoAnn’s unusual demeanor and how her odd behavior influenced the prosecutors working on her case. In 1993, Parks is arrested and convicted of murdering her three children in a house fire. This event is another moment in the story where I became a bit teary-eyed as her screams and pleas for innocence were soul-crushing.
As of 2019, JoAnn Parks is still in jail serving life for three counts of first-degree murder, however, Parks’ case has been reopened thanks to Humes. JoAnn Parks was granted a habeas corpus trial, and The California Innocence Project is pleading her innocence with new evidence that shall be presented to the judge. Edward Humes’ Burned has captivated many readers and has exposed flaws within the American justice system and forensic science.