The Edge of Doubt: The Trial of Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen

by David Miraldi

Overview

In the tight-knit community of Lorain, Ohio, a whirlwind of horror swept through as unsettling allegations surfaced - a trusted bus driver and her alleged companion accused of shattering the innocence of preschoolers in the respected Head Start program. The verdict? Life-long prison sentences that would cast a shadow over a community, and initiate an untiring quest for truth.

'The Edge of Doubt' is a meticulously researched true crime narrative that delves into the reverberations of a sensational trial. This gripping tale is anchored in three decades of unwavering claims of innocence. As the pages turn, you'll find yourself torn between the scales of justice and the resilience of the human spirit.

In a world that is quick to judge, 'The Edge of Doubt' compels you to lend an ear to the whispers of truth. This is your invitation to dive into a powerful account that will challenge your assumptions and unveil the complexities of human nature.

Read it, and prepare to see the world with new eyes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780998918952
Publisher:	David Miraldi
Publication date:	09/01/2023
Pages:	420
Sales rank:	487,022
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.86(d)

Editorial Reviews

2023-05-19
Accusations of child sexual abuse upend a small town and begin a 30-year search for the truth in Miraldi’s nonfiction account.

In Lorain, Ohio, in the early ’90s, Nancy Smith, a single mother and preschool bus driver, and Joseph Allen, a handyman with a criminal record, were investigated under the suspicion of sexually abusing children. The story begins with Marge Bronson (a pseudonym), a single mother, alleging that her daughter, Nina (also a pseudonym), had been sexually abused by Smith and Allen. The book recounts the initial investigation and trial (in which four children testified), largely told through the testimonies of the children and their parents. Miraldi provides context that supports his view of how poorly the case was executed, from the ways witnesses were vetted to the interviewing of the kindergarten-age victims. The author asserts, “Lorain police had broken almost all of the fundamental rules for questioning young children about potential sexual abuse,” to the point that there was “no way these interrogations could have produced reliable and valid information.” It took nearly 30 years to fully unveil the flaws in the investigation and clear Smith and Allen. Miraldi’s industrious reporting and clean prose pull from public records and direct interviews with many of those involved to lay out the case and its repercussions; unlike the prosecution, he does not use coercive language or make baseless claims. The result is an indictment of the system in which two innocent people were victims of collective paranoia and potentially insidious motives for financial gain—Bronson had hired a lawyer, likely to sue Smith’s employer for financial damages. This account reminds the reader that, in an era of mass disinformation and fake news, it behooves us to examine every angle, consult every piece of evidence, and do our best to discredit agendas that service personal gain.

A disturbing examination of judicial negligence and bias.

Kirkus Reviews