Review Of Robert Rotenberg's Old City Hall

In recent years, the fascination with crime and criminal investigation has peeked interest and resonated with the general public, creating a highly profitable market in crime films and literature. More specifically, books with fictional accounts of crime are one of the more notable interests to a variety of different individuals. Robert Rotenberg's novel, Old City Hall uses Toronto's as it backdrop in the criminal investigation of the murder of a woman. In this fictional world Kevin Brace, husband of the victim and distinguished Canadian radio personality, is arrested and put on trial for his wife's murder. Rotenberg narrates the story through a range of perspectives of detectives, lawyers, a journalist with the Toronto Star and a witness

These fictionalized accounts of a criminal investigation are provided to the public with the intention of gaining financial rewards through the mass production and consumption of entertainment. In appealing to this entertainment factor a myriad of components are considered in the development of crime films and literature. In Old City Hall, Rotenberg’s inclusion of multiple perspectives allows the readers to follow the thought process of the different components that make up the criminal justice system, including legal counsel, police officers, judges, forensic analysists and witnesses. For instance, Rotenberg mentions the techniques often used by both lawyers and detectives in carefully phrasing questions to get a response from a witness or suspect. “He knew what impressed judges and juries most was not a witness who simply read from the notebook, but one who genuinely tried to remember what it was he had seen and heard and felt” (Rotenberg, 2009, p. 247). In this passage Detective Kennicot reflects on his training when he testifies in court, which provides the reader with insights into trial processes and testimonies. Rotenberg's

Throughout the process of the prelim trial, it was evident that the crown counsel and the chief of the police department were illegally monitoring a conversation between the defense lawyer and the accused (Rotenberg, 2009, p. 295). The uncovering of this fact should have led to a mistrial and severe consequences to the parties involves. Instead, the defence lawyer mentions that the parties involved were quietly forced to resign and got to keep their pensions, without the severe consequence of disbarment (Rotenberg, 2009, p. 354). This idea of corruption within the system is not only explored by Rotenberg in his novel, but several other shows and books discuss this at great length, including true crime documentaries. Making a Murderer, is a recent example of a true crime documentary that portrays Steven Avery as a victim to the corruption within the criminal justice system. Avery was convicted of a rape in 1985, but acquitted of the charge by DNA evidence and planned to sue the department. However, shortly after his release he became a prime suspect and convicted of another murder and is currently serving his sentence in jail (Marsh, 2016, p. 10). The release of the documentary hints to the fact that evidence was planted on him and was used to convict Steven Avery. This idea of corruption in the criminal justice system has been