Conviction: A Novel (Christopher Paget)

Rennell Price and his brother, Payton, were convicted and sentenced to die for a horrible crime, the murder of a nine-year-old girl who was asphyxiated by semen after being forced to perform oral sex. Fifteen years later, attorney Terri Paget takes on Rennell's case in a last ditch attempt to prevent his execution. Patterson uses this story to paint a compelling picture of the death penalty process whereby the procedure becomes more important than the guilt or innocence of the defendant. As we move through this story, the evidence supporting Rennell's innocence moves from his own repeated declaration that "I never did that girl" to a last minute confession by his brother that Rennell was not involved, to evidence that supports Terri's conviction that a key witness against Rennell in the original court trial was the actual perpetrator of the crime. Throughout all the twists and turns of the story, the state holds to its contention that the original trial was conducted fairly, the defendant had adequate opportunity to prove his innocence at that time, and therefore, for the sake of the victim's family, the execution should proceed, regadless of any new evidence that should be presented. The story examines the role that race and mental retardation of the defendants play in the administration of the death penalty, and questions the competence of defense attorneys in death penalty cases. It also counteracts the image held by the public that death penalty defendants beat the rap through numerous appeals. If the arguments against the death penalty are sometimes laid on a little strongly, that can be forgiven in that the book is clearly written as a protest against the ultimate punishment. Through the use of flashbacks, Patterson draws out the story of what actually happened the night the little girl was killed, and the sad history of Rennell Price's life. The attorney, Terri Paget, is competent, and draws sympathy as she initially takes the case because she believes it is her job to let Rennell's story, however, horrible, be told, and then becomes emotionally invovled as her belief in his innocence develops. The back story of her and her daughter's survival as victims of sexual abuse is somewhat intrusive, however. I suppose the point was to emphasize the strength of Terri's abhorrence of the death penalty, but her failure to address her daughter's repugnance of the case and her involvement in Rennell's defence is contradictory and a needless complication. The people around Terri were merely props to aid in the telling of the story, and could easily have been dispensed with. I also have to wonder why it never occurred to anybody to test the DNA and saliva on the carpet sample taken from the murder scene-- the use of DNA as a means of absolving Rennell is summarily dismissed because the semen from the victim's body is so degraded by her long immersion in the ocean that it cannot be tested. Yet the carpet sample does have traces of semen and saliva

I am a lawyer and true-crime-story buff who usually prefers non-fiction. But this is one novel that is so thought-provoking, educational and entertaining, that I highly recommend it to others who normally prefer to stick to non-fiction. A major strength of the book is that the author really knows his material. Other customer reviewers have complained about the excess of detail given in the book. I disagree. To me, it was very interesting and educational to learn what it's like on the inside of places the average citizen doesn't get a chance to go, such as the inner workings of the appellate courts (especially the U.S. Supreme Court) and death row of San Quentin. Also, I disagree with those reviewers who complained there was too much slanted politics here. In my opinion, this author does not appear to "preach" or try to convert the reader to the author's way of thinking. Rather, he compels the reader to put the book down every so often and reassess the reader's own views about capital punishment. That is, Mr. Patterson tests the strength of your own "convictions" (such as how deeply you are for or against capital punishment), just as he does for the characters in the book. For this reason, the title is very appropriate. This book is much more than simply the "conviction" (in the criminal procedural sense) of one man.

This is a compelling page turner...a wonderful book with a subtle but powerful message. The author, through his characters and narrative and without undermining his fascinating story , sets forth balanced arguments for and against the death penalty. The best book I've read in many years!

Some novels entertain, but this novel provokes. Does the victim's need for closure outway having doubts about what is right? Mr. Patterson takes us through the realities of how our society looks for save havens, even when those havens raise necessary moral questions. Some call us "liberals" while calling themselves "moral". If those of you who support the death penalty are uncomfortable after finishing this novel that refuses to let you move your attention away, it has succeeded like few real life stories have. And maybe you should start paying more attention to real life.

Patterson can always be counted on to delivery a taught legal thriller that is revelant current topic, and his most recent novel "Conviction" meets all expectations! This time he address the messy issue of capital punishment. I won't rehash the plot, that has already been donme here, but the book is a mix of hard boiled investigation and court room drama. Nothing is simple and the author does not become bogged down in the retoric of the right or the left on this issues, but does paint a picture of the issues and how they effect real live people. Yes this is a work of fiction, but there is reality here. BECAREFUL READING EARLIER REVIEWS-SPOILERS!