The Trials of Walter Ogrod

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

By: Thomas Lowenstein

Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

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.

Very sad and happens too often

So very sad that this happened to him! Wrong in so many ways! Just awful!

It’s shocking and eye opening.

It’s an eye opening true story. Walter was very fortunate to have had Mr. Lowenstein just happen upon his case. Most men and women wrongfully in prison have little to no hope. Especially if there is no DNA evidence. Fortunately that has gotten better with science. But it still happens. It makes me sad that prosecutors and defense attorneys only care about their wins and not about truth and justice. Most attorneys of that time end up in public office. What a shame

will make you feel many emotions

definitely worth reading. if you are a true crime fan ( like myself) odds are you will greatly enjoy learning about this. Sadly confirms how our justice system can fail at times. and not only that. but just in general how our system and the people placed in positions of power can fail so miserably.

Incredible book that will inspire incredible anger

The book & story was well written/told! If hearing the details of this man's life/conviction doesn't make you angry with the way the justice system in this country works, nothing will. Besides anger, it should also inspire fear... fear in knowing that if you happen to end up at the wrong place at the wrong time, you too could be staring down the barrel of a death sentence! These stories are all too common and the similarities in these false convictions should make it obvious to someone when they see it again & again & again, yet a prosecutors job is to win, not seek justice. When that's the case, NO ONE is safe!

needs update

Really really good. Update to include Walter Ogrod's release April 11 2020, 4:00 a.m. Finally

Listen, then research developments afterwards

The book is a thorough look into the injustice surrounding the police and prosecutors' role in win-at-all-costs judicial system. It should come as no surprise these days that our institutions only work when the thin reed of belief that they are run honestly can be maintained. They are not. The book details an egregious fabrications by multiple layers of government, working ostensibly in the name of the people, but actually working for their own political and professional ends. The book tends to get a bit tedious at times with extended trial transcripts, with various officers of the court twisting words and suppressing the truth. Listening to the cynical misrepresentations from the prosecutors, detectives and judge can become maddening though it understandably serves to depict the glaring bias, incompetence or outright prevarication of those assigned to ascertain justice, even if they openly acknowledge justice has little to do with their jobs.

It's a book that definitely requires an epilogue. I would recommend listening to the book, then researching the story on one's own. In fact, since the book's release there are been significant developments which provide welcome closure to the story.

Emotional Miscarriage of Justice

Extremely well-researched and written as well as highly infuriating and saddening. By convicting the wrong man, who confessed wrongly and under duress, the real killer of Barbara Jean Horn was able to get away and possibly harm more children.

Amazing!

I have listened to this for 2 days now and I feel like I've been on an emotional roller coaster. I want to say so much more but I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't listened all I will say is be ready! Be ready for feeling extreme anger, frustration, and all out unbelief! I've lost faith in our Election process but I think I've just lost faith in our judicial system as well. thank you for such an amazing book!

Can't wait to see this on Netflix

Netflix picking up this book will be the only thing that saves this man or media for him.

Must Read For CJ and Law Majors

This book was assigned to me in my Capital Punishment class and it was so riveting that I binged the whole audiobook in one day.