At times compelling, Deliberate Indifference author Jack Owensby’s earnest attempt to tell the story of Chris Wehner’s horrific experience within the penal system–is nonetheless flawed, if not quite fatally, by its attempt to serve as a paean to its subject.
The distinction between Jack’s voice and Chris’s voice is never quite clear. Are we really hearing Wehner’s words unfiltered? It’s very hard to say. I might have been roused to righteous indignation at the callous, unfair treatment relayed by Wehner if I had seen any corroborating evidence of the story’s truthfulness. This may seem harsh, but the book could have made its case far more effectively with the inclusion of other voices and proper documentation, i.e. footnotes and a bibliography.
At one point, Wehner states matter-of-factly, “Although I was a convicted felon, I was still a citizen of the United States. Punishment may have been earned, but abuse certainly was not.” No one could possibly argue with this sentiment. Hopefully, Detective Ammon and any others who may be responsible for illegal acts against Wehner will be held to account. Unfortunately, this repetitive work is not, I think, likely to persuade many to take up Wehner’s cause.
Deliberate Indifference is recommended for LGBT-specific collections; marginally recommended for public libraries of all sizes; and not recommended for academic libraries, except perhaps as part of a McNaughton or leisure reading collection.
Reviewed by David C. Murray
Reference Librarian
Temple University Libraries
