Twice Burned by Lentini, John;

Short description:

This book tells the story of renowned fire investigator John J. Lentini’s 50 years as a forensic scientist. In recounting his most significant cases, Lentini highlights the critical challenges faced by forensic science, including ignorance, cognitive biases, and errors that have led to wrongful convictions.

Long description:

First, the fire burns you or your loved ones or your home—then, you find yourself “burned” again by the justice system.

Twice Burned: A Fire Scientist’s Adventures in Overturning and Preventing Wrongful Arson Convictions tells the story of renowned fire investigator John J. Lentini’s 50 years as a forensic scientist. In recounting his most significant cases, Lentini highlights the critical challenges faced by forensic science, including ignorance, cognitive biases, and errors that have led to wrongful convictions. The book is a testament to the power of collaboration between scientists and lawyers in correcting injustices that occur at the intersection between science and the law.

As his career progressed, Lentini increasingly discovered—much to his surprise—that much of what he and his colleagues believed and understood about the behavior of fires was simply untrue. These misunderstandings often resulted in miscarriages of justice, highlighting the urgent need for reform. Through his relentless efforts as an expert witness and his groundbreaking research, Lentini has worked to correct these injustices and ensure that future investigations are guided by accurate science.

Lentini shares stories of arsonists exposed by their own mistakes, and he documents the evolution of fire investigation as a profession. He also discusses pivotal cases that challenged prevailing myths in fire science, such as the Lime Street Fire and the Oakland Hills Fire. These cases led to a rethinking and debunking of many of the myths relied on by fire investigators.

With its blend of real-life drama, legal intrigue, and scientific insight, Twice Burned is a must-read for anyone fascinated by forensic science, the legal system, and the pursuit of justice. Written in an accessible style, this book is perfect for fire science professionals, litigators, and discerning true crime readers.

"For decades John Lentini has exposed the myths, investigative failures, and bad actors responsible for wrongful arson convictions, freeing innocent people and restoring ruined reputations along the way. Twice Burned is a fascinating glimpse into a career spent confronting the myriad, terrifying ways in which so-called fire experts get things wrong—and the maddening legal fights required to correct their mistakes. Combining wry humor with simmering outrage at the travesties he has seen, Lentini shares crucial lessons to help prevent future miscarriages of justice. It is both a righteous memoir and vital teaching tool by an author whose refusal to stay silent has made him a powerful voice in defense of science and truth". - Liliana Segura, Investigative Journalist, The Intercept

"In his latest book, Twice Burned, John Lentini presents cautionary case studies that illustrate the human cost of fire investigations that did not always meet the highest standards of the profession. By presenting his experiences with these incidents, Mr. Lentini not only unapologetically exposes the technical errors, cognitive biases and, sometimes, misfeasance that led to errors in a fire’s origin, cause and attribution, but provides corrective actions to prevent future occurrences. Every investigator dedicated to finding truth in fire origin and cause investigations should read this book and apply the lessons to inch ever closer to the goal of getting it right every time". - Steven J. Avato, IAAI-CFI, ATF Supervisory Special Agent (Retired), Fire Investigations Captain (Retired)

"John Lentini’s Twice Burned is a compelling exploration of the evolving field of fire science and its impact on arson investigations. As a renowned expert in fire science, Lentini presents a series of case histories where advancements in its understanding came too late, resulting in wrongful arson convictions. Lentini’s artful recounting of these cases, and how they were eventually overturned, underscores the critical importance of continuous learning and skepticism in our field. 

Twice Burned, like his earlier books, is an essential read for all fire investigators. It’s a call to action for our profession to embrace the spirit of scientific advancement, reminding us that what we don’t know can have profound consequences on people’s lives and liberties." - Steve Carman, ATF CFI, retired

Table of Contents:

Introduction  Part I: Learning 1. A Twist of Fate  2. The Arson Years—Catching Bad Guys  3. Branching Out—Figuring Out Accidental Fires  4. The Lime Street Fire—A Major Turning Point  5. The Black Holes of Oakland—Unlearning the Myths  Part II: Case Studies  6. Arizona vs. Ray Girdler—Working for the Judge  7. Pennsylvania vs. Han-Tak Lee—21 Years to Correct a Miscarriage  8. Pennsylvania vs. Louis DiNicola—When the Data Doesn’t Fit, Change the Data  9. Georgia vs. Weldon Wayne Carr—Making the Data Match the Narrative  10. Georgia vs. John Metcalf and Kimberly Post—The Lost Guitar  11. Maynard Clark vs. Auto Owners Insurance—Lightning? What Lightning?  12. Pennsylvania vs. Paul Camiolo—Innocent Gasoline  13. Texas vs. Cameron Todd Willingham—Trouble in Texas  14. Tennessee vs. Claude Garrett—He Died Free but Just Barely  15. Tennessee vs. Terry Jackson—How the Hacks Almost Got Him Executed  16. Texas vs. Sonia Cacy—More Trouble in Texas  17. U.S. vs. Kenneth and Ricky Daniels—Flawed Logic and Lies  18. California vs. George Souliotes—The Shoes Don’t Tell the Tale  19. Michigan vs. David Lee Gavitt—Thrice Burned  20. Pennsylvania vs. Michele Black—How an Unusual Electrical Fire Became a Train Wreck  21. Indiana vs. Kristine Bunch—Opening a Cascade of Brady Violations  22. Georgia vs. Linda and Scott Dahlman—Taking Absence of Motive to New Lows  23. Wisconsin vs. Joseph Awe—New Science Equals New Evidence  24. Maryland vs. Eshyna Young—Explaining Away Contradictory Data  Part III: Epilogue  25. Where Do We Go from Here?