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Rating: 
Summary: A real eye-opener
Review: ...I read Ms. Kennedy's book shortly after it was published in 1991 and have followed the case closely since that time. As Ms. Kennedy points out in her book, reevaluating the evidence used to force Heirens into a conviction brought shocking revelations. The "compelling evidence" of which the reader speaks consists of two samples of handwriting, neither of which belonged to Heirens according to more than a dozen experts, including an analyst from the FBI; fingerprints, one of which was clearly a rolled print from a fingerprint card, the other placed on the Degnan ransom note where no print was recorded immediately after the murder; a confession so tainted by error as to be ludicrous, and hidden indentation writing that, according to the FBI in 1946, did not exist. There was no need to ask the Chicago Police for fingerprint evidence. It is in the hands of Heirens' supporters... Before reading William Heirens: His Day in Court, I thought I knew the facts of the Heirens case. What I read changed by thinking forever, and subsequent events have only reinforced what I learned from Ms. Kennedy's book. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Heirens case or the study of a wrongful conviction. ...
Rating: 
Summary: Zealous and Impassioned, But Lacking Objectivity
Review: Conjure up the name William Heirens in 1950 for example, and most Chicagoans would turn away and shudder in horror at the mere mention of this child-killer. Flash forward to 2002 and be amazed by the interesting and unique ways in which Heirens has re-invented himself, thanks to the impassioned pleas of the author of this book and a collection of bleeding-heart do-gooders from the Northwestern University campus recruited into the cause, and you will come away believing that "Bill" as Ms. Kennedy lovingly refers to him throughout the text, should be anointed spiritual sainthood as the tragic "victim" of a corrupt and misspent judicial system. It is interesting to see however, in this era of political correctness, horrible things done by wicked people become safely sanitized, and in the case of Heirens, a fiend magically evolves into a fine fellow. Ms. Kennedy devoted considerable time to convincing us of Heirens' innocence, but despite her arguments in this book, subsequent press conferences demanding the release of fingerprint evidence from the Chicago P.D. that will allegedly clear the accused, and a plea to an outgoing Illinois Governor who pardoned nearly every killer on death row before his scandal-ridden term of office mercifully expired (but he STILL ignored Heirens curiously enough),the subject of this book is no closer to being released from custody than he was forty years ago when his case went to the Supreme Court. And with good reason. Heirens was no choir boy. He was a skilled breaking-and-entering thief who may or may not have killed at least two other women on the North Side of Chicago prior to the 1946 murder of 7-year-old Suzanne Degnan, conveniently forgotten by the weeping multitudes from N.U. The sheer horror of this child's abduction and the manner in which the remains were disposed of in the city sewers demonstrates the killer's sickness of mind. Heirens was not arrested on a whim. His capture was the result of a coordinated response between law enforcement and the community. And yes, Heirens probably was the victim of overly-aggressive police tactics in those days, but so what. So were many other convicted rapists, killers, dope dealers and sexual deviates preying on society. It doesn't mean however, that rough police actions made these individuals any LESS guilty, or deserving of exoneration. There is plenty of compelling evidence to prove Heirens was guilty, and the old-time cops who lived through those days have no doubt. Now that Governor George Ryan has left office it is a good bet that Heirens will remain incarcerated for many years to come, or as long as the surviving victims of the Degnan family step forward to mount a protest at parole board hearings. They have certainly earned the right to make their voices heard, and I hope they will continue to do so.
Rating:
Summary: An Innocent Boy Used By Chicago Police & Press As Scapegoat
Review: Dolores Kennedy has done a wonderful job researching the topic of William Heirens and the murders he (reluctantly) confessed to and was eventually charged and jailed for. Though it's been twelve years since its publication and newer evidence and experts have looked into Mr. Heirens case, their source for their findings began with the points Kennedy covers in this well written documentation. But more than the facts and fiction of this fascinating case the reader is introduced to a bright, caring, and brave man who grew from the frightened 17 year old charged with 3 notorious murders. After reading this book I immediately jumped at the chance to write the Governer of Illinois to lend my voice in the cry to free William Heirens after 56 years of inprisonment. This book is not your typical 'True Crime' book, instead it's a well crafted and powerful argument to give Mr. Heirens what he's never had...a fair trial. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed!
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