The Guardians

“Duke Russell is not guilty of the unspeakable crimes for which he was convicted.”

The book’s opening line sets a dark mood by presenting an innocent man who is incarcerated. It also presents the book’s central argument, that the criminal justice system is deeply flawed.

“I have saddled myself with the burdens of innocent people rotting away in prison while rapists and murderers roam free.”

Post’s words summarize his cynical view of the criminal justice system—it doesn’t work. It also reveals the emotional toll his work takes on him (“saddled myself with the burdens”).

“Bite marks and hair analysis have been discredited in most advanced jurisdictions. Both belong to that pathetic and ever-shifty field of knowledge derisively known as defense and innocence lawyers as ‘junk science.’”

This line speaks to one of the issues in the criminal justice system that Post despises—the use of “science” that doesn’t work. However, the book also points to science that does work—DNA testing. The fact that there’s science that works makes it even more tragic that people are stuck behind bars on the basis of “junk science.”